The
pirates were looking for power and prestige, not a suicide mission.
For almost two days the Starmen and the miners had been drifting in
space, not using power of any kind, afraid that even using lights might
draw the attention of the vigilant pirates on the asteroid. The
distance between the ship and the massive iron asteroid with its
fascinating interior was increasing incrementally, but not quickly
enough to please Zip. He chafed with impatience.
Mark's first duty once the fourteen men were aboard ship was to
discover their location. Since the escapees were using no power at all,
Mark could employ only observation and mathematics to get his estimate.
He guessed that they were 1,023 miles from the nearest edge of the
Asteroid Belt and drifting roughly parallel to it.
The Starmen's plan was to head for the nearest SE facility. If Mark's
estimate of their position was correct, the facility closest to them
was an unmanned Starlight Enterprise station on O344, a medium-sized
asteroid coming their direction. As soon as it was safe to use power
Joe would pilot the alien ship to the station.
"We'll be okay in a few hours, Zip," said Joe. "You got us out of the
asteroid with food and a ship. We all thought that would be impossible.
We ought to be able to turn on the energy and get blasting out of here
before too long.
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