Approximately the same number again will join them over the next
twenty-four hour period." Gene hesitated, then decided to deliver the
last sentence. "Even if we are sheathed, sir, with that many ships so
close, they will be able to find us before long."
Lurton Zimbardo turned his eyes obliquely to the floor and joined his
hands behind his back. He rocked for a moment on his feet, almost as if
pondering a challenging philosophical question.
"I see," he said at last. He walked quietly over to his console, sat
for a moment without moving, then began to move dials and enter numbers
into the navigational program. He consulted various tables of
information and referred to a number of measuring devices whose
sensitive detectors were on the surface of the asteroid.
Minutes passed. Zimbardo grew increasingly agitated as he worked. His
men had stopped their own work and watched him. Where his hands had
begun to move gently and carefully, they began to exhibit higher and
higher degrees of animation. Soon he was pressing his keyboard
vehemently and muttering under his breath. Once in a while he chortled.
Finally he shouted, "Hah! That will do it! I won't be outsmarted!" He
pressed the "Enter" button and then roared, "Yes! I win!" He leaped
from his chair and lifted up both arms.
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