Rocket from Infinity by Lester del Rey Read Free Book Online

now—vacuum?”
    It was in Pete’s mind to ask her if she’d ever spoken a civil word in her life, but he was in the process of easing in to grapple, so he saved the question for later.
    Brushing close, he activated the magnetic shoes behind the shell of his car on the right side and the two cars were jerked together.
    â€œYou could be a little more careful,” Jane complained. “You almost sprained my neck.”
    I should have broken it, Pete thought. “Sorry,” he said. “What did you do—hit a rock?”
    â€œIt was a ship. An immense thing. It tried to run me down.” Echoes of the original fright sounded in Jane’s voice.
    â€œYou’re crazy. There aren’t any ships around here.”
    â€œIt was back there in the Badlands.”
    â€œThat’s even crazier. A ship would have smashed up—even one out of control—before it reached the Badlands. An off-course ship might approach the Belt, but…well you just blundered into an asteroid and…”
    â€œDon’t tell me what I did. Do you think I’m blind?”
    â€œAs a matter of fact, I was wondering. You hit a rock and call it a ship—”
    â€œOh, you’re impossible! Release your grapples. I’ll make it home myself.”
    â€œDon’t be silly. The way you were staggering, there must be something wrong with your steering vents. How is your heat?”
    â€œIt’s gone. I’m using my belt.”
    â€œThe shell of your car is broken then.”
    â€œIt’s cracked.”
    â€œThen we’ll stay as we are. I’ll tow you back to the Snapdragon .”
    There was no reply. Pete set his directionals on Pallas, and the coupled monocars began to move.
    There was a time of silence that Jane finally broke. “I tell you it was a ship.”
    Pete looked out through his plastic shield and into the crippled monocar from which Jane had thrown the angry words into his radio. In no mood to placate or sympathize with her, he snapped, “Oh, be reasonable. So you hit a rock. It’s been done before.”
    â€œAll right. Don’t believe me!”
    â€œGranted it was, which is ridiculous, you still got very careless. A big ship?”
    â€œYes. A space liner of some kind. But it was—”
    Pete cut in to make his point. “A monocar being put into danger by a space liner is like saying—”
    â€œI know. Maybe I was a little careless. But who would expect a monster like that to come out of nowhere? I just looked up and there is was—filling the whole sky. I jerked my nose down and it banged my tail and almost wrecked me.”
    â€œThe way you screamed it must have chased you, too.”
    â€œI was trapped. The rock stream was thick there. I was blocked in every direction I turned. Then there was that huge hulk grinding down on me. Like—like a live thing.”
    â€œTake it easy. You’re safe now.”
    â€œThen you believe me?”
    â€œI think you believe yourself.”
    â€œIn other words, I’m feeble-minded.”
    â€œYou’re twisting my words. When people panic—”
    â€œI didn’t panic!”
    â€œYou should have heard yourself over that emergency band.”
    â€œOh, you’re impossible.”
    Nothing was said for a few moments. Then Pete asked his question. “Tell me something—why are you so hostile?”
    â€œI’m not hostile! I—”
    â€œOh, cut it out. You haven’t said a friendly word since we met.”
    All Pete really expected was more of the same, but Jane didn’t flare back at him. He glanced across at her. She sat with her head back on the rest and looked to be tired. Ghost ship or not, she’d had a harrowing experience of some sort and her hostility was at least partially shattered. There was weariness in her face. Pete could see it even behind the headpiece of her oxygen unit.
    â€œYou have to be hostile