Santos spoke up. "Sir, we're going to make it."
In the same instant, Rip saw that they would land on the dark side. The
asteroid was turning over and over. For a second he had the impression
that he was looking at a turning globe of the earth, the kind used in
elementary school back home. But this gray planet was scarcely bigger
than the giant globe at the Space Council building on Terra.
He knew he was going to hit hard. The way to keep from being hurt was to
turn the vertical energy of his arrival into motion in another direction.
As he swept down to the metal surface he started running, his legs
pumping wildly in space. He hit with a bone-jarring thud, lost his
footing and fell sideways, both hands cradling his helmet. He got to his
feet instantly and looked for Santos.
"You all right, sir?" Santos called anxiously. "I think the others are
over there." He pointed.
"We'll find them," Rip said. His hip hurt like fury from smashing against
the unyielding metal, and the worst part was that he couldn't rub it. The
blow had been strong enough to hurt through the heavy fabric and air
pressure, but his hand wasn't strong enough to compress the suit. Just
the same, he tried.
And while he was trying, he found himself in direct sunlight!
He had forgotten to run.
Pages:
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207