"You certainly will. You'll get weaker rapidly."
"How rapidly?"
"Perhaps six hours. Perhaps more."
Rip nodded. "That's what I thought. Doctor, we're less than six hours
from Terra by ship. If the stuff wears off, we can be in the hospital
within a couple of hours. Once we go into a braking ellipse, we can reach
a hospital in less than an hour by snapper-boat."
"Let him go," MacFife said.
The doctor wasn't happy about it, but he had run out of arguments. "All
right, Commander--if you'll assume responsibility for getting him off the
asteroid and into a Terra or space platform hospital in time."
"I'll do that," MacFife assured him. "Now get your hyposprays and fill
him full of that stuff you use. The corporal, too."
"Sergeant," Rip corrected. His first action on getting back to the
asteroid would be to recommend Santos' promotion to Terra base. He
intended to recommend Kemp for corporal, too. He was sure the Planeteers
at Terra would make the promotions.
The two Federation cruisers were still holding course along with the
asteroid, the Connie cruiser between them.
Within an hour, Rip and Santos, both in false good health, thanks to
medical magic, were on their way back to the asteroid in a ball-bat boat.
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