"So bad, huh?"
"Yeah, but not because we're trying to save the ship."
"Then why?" asked Tom.
"He's afraid of losing a good unit!"
Tom smiled and turned to the control board. "Energize the cooling
pumps!" he bawled to Astro over the intercom.
The slow whine of the pumps began to build to a shrieking pitch.
"Pumps in operation, Tom," said Astro.
"Cut in nose braking rockets," ordered Tom.
A low muted roar pulsed through the ship.
"Rockets on--we're moving backward, Tom," reported Astro.
And then suddenly Astro let out a roar. "Tom, the Geiger counter is
going wild!"
"Never mind that now," answered Tom. "Sound off, Roger!" he yelled.
"Ship moving astern--one thousand feet a second--two thousand--four
thousand--"
"I'm going to let her build to ten, Roger," yelled Tom. "We've only got
one chance and we might as well make it a good one!"
"Six thousand!" yelled Roger. "Seven thousand!"
"Astro," bellowed Tom, "stand by to fire stern rockets!"
"Ready, Tom," was Astro's reply.
"Eight thousand," warned Roger. "Spaceman's luck, fellas!"
The silver ship moved through space away from the _Polaris_.
"Nine thousand," reported Roger. "And, Astro, I really love ya!"
"Cut nose braking rockets!" ordered Tom.
There was a sudden hush that seemed to be as loud as the noise of the
rockets. The huge passenger ship, _Lady Venus_, was traveling through
space as silent as a ghost.
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