“Astro One, this is Brandon. Over.”

A steady crackling sound filled his earphones; a grid of light and shadow fluttered on the screen. A thought entered his mind. Maybe he had put too much planet curvature between Astro and himself.

“Astro One, this is Brandon. Come in, please.”

A series of muffled explosions rocked the ship. He chopped the power back all the way and listened intently.

“May Day! May Day! Astro, this is Brandon. May Day!”

A faint voice sputtered in his ear, the face of Reinhardt, the radioman appeared before him. “Brandon, this is Astro One. What is your position? Over.”

Brandon’s voice sounded strange and distant as he talked to his oxygen mask. “Heading—one-eight-zero. Approximately six hundred miles from you. Altitude one hundred thousand feet.”

“What is the nature of your trouble, Brandon?”

Before Brandon could answer, the face of Colonel Towers appeared beside the radioman’s.

“Brandon, what’re you trying to pull?”

“Engine trouble, sir. Losing altitude fast.”

“Do you know the nature of the trouble?”

“Negative. Might have thrown a compressor blade. Got a fire indication, then a compressor surge. Chopped off the power.”

Towers frowned. “Why didn’t you use straight rocket power?”

“Well, sir—”

“Never mind now. You may have encountered oxygen or hydrogen-rich atmosphere—melted your compressor blades. Try an air start on straight rocket. I want that ship back, Brandon. Repeat, I want that ship back!”

“I may be able to ride it down. Get it on the deck intact.”

“Try an air start, Brandon.” Towers leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Brandon. “I don’t want you to set foot on that planet, get me?”

But there wasn’t time to try anything. The cabin was filling with fumes. Brandon looked down. A fringe of blue flame crept along between the floor and 

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