He figured how much he could slow the asteroid down
without putting too much stress on the inhabitants. When he was
finished, he turned to Madera.
"Okay?"
"Looks right to me!"
"Well, then...here goes." Gene entered the figures into the primary
guidance system and activated it. Tears suddenly came into his eyes.
"Oh, please let it be enough, let it be right, let it work," he
whispered.
The Starmen woke after twelve hours of sleep aboard the Star Ranger.
Uncharacteristically, Joe was the last one up. He found a note in the
washroom that read, "We're on the Tempest. Join us for breakfast
whenever you're ready." He washed up quickly and hastened to the SE
fleet command ship.
Readily admitted, he found his two colleagues in the dining area. Mark
and Zip were just finishing a large platter of scrambled eggs and
cheese, potatoes, freshly-squeezed juice, and hot coffee. "I'll have
the same, but with tea," he announced, and sat down.
"Yes sir," came a voice from the galley.
"How're you feeling this morning, Mark?" asked Joe. "How's your hand?"
"Couldn't feel better, Joe! Had a good sleep at last, and my hand
should be healed in a couple of weeks. It was a second-degree burn."
A few moments later, Gene came out carrying Joe's breakfast.
"Gene!" exclaimed Joe.
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