"I don't want to go down there," said another in a hushed tone.
Now that the great ship had attained orbit, the time had come for Zip
to announce the name of the tenth planet. The name had been chosen
months earlier by Dr. O who had discovered it, and therefore had the
right to determine how it would be known throughout history.
Without any preamble, Zip retrieved the sealed envelope from the
Starventure's safe. As he did so, the men gathered around him. He
turned and faced the crew. Glancing into their faces, he could almost
feel their apprehension.
"It's only a planet," he said, trying to sound normal. "It's just stone
and ice such as we've seen in many other places of the Solar System."
He tore open the envelope, unfolded the paper that was inside it, and
stared at what Dr. O had written.
"Well?" asked Joe.
"The planet's name is Nyx. Dr. O named it after the Roman goddess of
night."
"And somewhere down there we expect to find Lurton Zimbardo," declared
Joe, more a statement than a question. He glanced almost casually out
of the window again. Suddenly he stiffened.
"What's that?" he exclaimed.
"What's what?" cried out Mark. Everyone rushed to the windows once
again.
"I saw a glint, down there, just beyond that high ridge. It's gone now."
"Check the video feed," ordered Zip.
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