Jeff Sutton by First on the Moon Read Free Book Online Page B

to the instrument console,
checking the myriad of dials, gauges and scopes. Everything seemed normal, if
there was such a thing as normalcy in space. He said reflectively, speaking to
no one in particular:
    "Maybe
I should have been more truthful with the Colonel before taking on this damned
job of moon pilot. There's something I didn't tell him."
    "What?" Prochaska's face was
startled.
    "I've, never been to the moon
before."

 
    CHAPTER 5
     
    "Alpine wants a private confab," Prochaska said.
His voice was ominous. "Probably another stinker."
    "Again?" Crag plugged in his ear insert microphone thinking he wasn't going to
like what he'd hear. Just when things had started looking smooth too. He cut
Prochaska out of the system and acknowledged.
    "Crag?" Gotch's voice was brittie, hard. He looked sideways at Prochaska, who
was studiously examining one of the instruments, trying to give him the privacy
demanded. He shifted his head. Larkwell was standing at the side port with his
back toward him. Nagel lay back in his seat, eyes closed.
    / Crag answered softly. "Shoot"
    "More
bad news," Gotch reported somberly. "Burning Sands picked a package
out of Drone Able just before launch time. It's just been identified."
    "Check,"
he replied, trying to assimilate what Gotch was telling him.
    Gotch
stated flatly. "It was a time bomb. Here's a description. Bomb was
packaged in a flat black plastic case about one by four inches. Probably not big enough to wreck the drone but big enough to
destroy the controls. It was found tucked in the wiring of the main
jtaneL Got that?"
    "Check."
    "The
bomb squad hasn't come through with full details yet. If you find a mate, don't
try to disarm it Dump it, pronto!"
    "Can't. It'll stay with us."
    " It's size indicates it wouldn't be fatal if it exploded outside
the hull," Gotch rasped. "It was designed to wreck controls. If you
find one, dump it That's an order." The

earphones were silent. Crag was swiveling toward Prochaska when they came to life again.
    "One other thing.'' Gotch was silent for a moment. Crag pictured him carefully framing his
words. "It means that the situation is worse than we thought," he
said finally.
    "They
haven't left anything to chance. If you have a bomb, it was carried there after
the final security check. Do you follow me?"
    "Yeah," Crag answered thoughtfully.
He sat for a moment, debating what to do. Prochaska didn't ask any questions.
Gotch was telling him that the Aztec might be mined. Wait, what else had he
said? The bomb was carried
there after the security check. That spelled traitor. The Aztec had been shaken down too often and too
thoroughly for Intelligence to have muffed. It would have to have been planted
at the last moment If there was a bomb. He'd better
keep quiet until Gotch's suspicions were proven false—or verified.
    He
turned toward Prochaska, keeping his voice low. "Search the console
panels—every inch of them."
    He
looked around. Nagel and Larkwell were back in their seats. Nagel seemed
asleep, but Larkwells face was speculative. Crag's eyes swept the cabin. Spare
oxygen tanks, packaged pressure suits, water vents, chemical commode, the algae
chamber and spare chemicals to absorb carbon dioxide in case the algae system
failed—these and more items filled every wall, cupboard, occupied every cubic
inch of space beyond the bare room needed for human movement. Where was the
most sensitive spot? The controls. He sighed and
turned back to the panels.
    Prochaska
was methodically running his hands through the complex of wiring under the
instrument panels. His face was a question, the face of a man who didn't know
what he was looking for. He decided not to tell him ' yet. His earphones gave a
burst of static followed by the Colonel's hurried voice.
    "Burning Sands reports packaged timed for 0815,"
he snapped. "That's eight minutes away. Get on the ball. If you've got one
there, it's probably a twin."
    "Okay,"
Crag acknowledged. "Adios, we've got work to do." He