The machine whined, and current shot
through the wire. A column of orange fire spurted from the crystal.
Rip watched the stars instead of the exhaust. He kept running as it
burned soundlessly. In air, the noise would have deafened him. In airless
space, there was nothing to carry the sound.
The apparent motion of the stars was definitely slowing. The spinning
wouldn't cease entirely, but it would slow down enough to give them more
time to work.
The tube reached _Brennschluss_, and Rip called orders. "Same process.
Get ready to repeat."
While Koa was connecting another igniter to the wire, Rip took a tube
from Dominico. "Take your space knife and saw through the tube you have
left. We'll need about three-fifths of it. Keep both pieces."
Dominico pulled his knife, pressed the release, and the gas capsule shot
the blade out. He got to work.
Koa called that he was ready. Rip took the wired igniter from him and
thrust it into the tube Dominico had given him.
As the crystal came around again, the process was repeated. The hole was
undamaged.
There was more time to get clear because of the asteroid's slower speed.
The second tube slowed the rock even more, so that they had to wait long
minutes while the crystal came around again.
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