Morrow huddled2 over the small computer, feeding in radar information as it came from his assistant.
"Rocket away!" Blared a radio speaker on the bulkhead. The same message carried to the four space-suited tugmen floating beyond the rim3 of the wheel, linked with life-lines.
Jones watched interestedly out the port.
"There she is!" he yelled.
Sunlight caught the ascending4 rocket, held it in a splash of light. The intercept5 technique was routine now, a matter of timing6, but for a moment Kevin succumbed7 to the frightening optical illusion that the rocket was approaching apex8 far below the station. Then, slowly, the slender cylinder9 matched velocity10 and pulled into the orbit, crept to its destination.
With deceptive11 ease, the four human tugs12 attached magnetic shoes and guided the projectile13 into the space station hub with short, expert blasts of heavy rocket pistols.
"Take over Bert," Morrow directed, "I guess I'm the official greeter." He hurried out of the control room, through a short connecting tube and emerged floating in the central space surrounding the hub where artificial gravity fell to zero. Air pressure was normal to transfer passengers without space suits.
The connecting lock clanked open. The rocket pilot stepped out.
"He got sick," the pilot whispered to Kevin. "I swabbed him off, but he's hoppin' mad."
The senator's mop of white hair appeared in the port. Kevin braced14 to absorb a tirade15, but McKelvie's deep scowl16 changed to an expression of bliss17 as he floated weightless into the tiny room.
"Why, this is wonderful!" he sputtered18. He waved his arms like a bird and kicked experimentally with a foot.
"Grab him!" Kevin shouted. "He's gone happy with it."
The pilot was too late. McKelvie's body sailed gracefully19 through the air and his head smacked20 the bulkhead. His eyes glazed21 in a frozen expression of carefree happiness.
Kevin swore. "Now he'll accuse us of a plot against his life. Help me get him to sick bay."
The two men guided the weightless form into a tube connecting with the outer ring. As they pushed outward, McKelvie's weight increased until they carried him the last 50 feet into the dispensary compartment22.
Max Gordon burst wild-eyed into the room.
"What have you done to the senator?" he shouted. "Why didn't you tell me he was coming up?" Morrow made sure McKelvie was receiving full medical attention before he turned to the junior officer.
"He went space happy and bumped his head," Kevin said curtly23, "and there was no more reason to notify you than the rest of the crew." He walked away. Gordon bent24 solicitously25 over his unconscious patron.
Kevin found Anderson in the passageway.
"I ordered them to start fueling Moonbeam," Bert said.
"Good. Is Mark awake?"
"Eating breakfast. The psycho's giving him a clinical chat."
"I wish it were over." Morrow brushed back his hair.
Morrow turned angrily and then tried to laugh.
"I'd sell my job for a nickel right now, Bert. This will be touch and go, without having the worst enemy of space flight aboard. If this ship fails, it's more than a rocket or the death of a man. It'll set the whole program back 50 years."
"I know," Bert answered, "but he'll make it."
Footsteps sounded in the tube outside the cabin. Mark Kramer walked in.
"Hi, chief," he grinned, "Moonbeam ready to go?"
"The techs are out now and fuel's aboard. How about you? Shouldn't you get some rest?"
"That's all I've had since they shipped me out here." Kramer laughed. "It'll be a snap. After all, I'll never make over two gees27 and pick up 7000 mph to leave you guys behind. Then I play ring around the rosy28, take a look at Luna's off side and come home. Just like that."
"Just like that," Kevin whispered meditatively29. The moon rocket, floating there outside the station's rim was ugly, designed never to touch a planet's atmosphere, but it was the most beautiful thing man had ever built, assembled in space from individual fragments boosted laboriously30 from the Earth's surface.
Another clatter31 of footsteps approached the hatch. Max Gordon entered and stood at attention as Senator McKelvie made a dignified32 entrance. The senator wore an adhesive33 patch on his high forehead. He turned to Kramer.
"Young man," he rumbled34, "are you the fool risking your life in that—that thing out there? You must know it'll never reach the moon. I know it'll never—"
Kramer's face paled slightly and he moved swiftly between the two men. Without using force, he backed the senator and Gordon through the hatch and slammed it behind him. Anger was a knot of green snakes in his belly35.
"I want to talk to that pilot," McKelvie said belligerently36.
"I'm sorry, senator. The best psychiatrists37 on Earth worked eight months to condition Kramer for this flight. He must not be emotionally disturbed. You can't talk to him."
"Gordon. I'm sure the senator would like a tour of the station. Will you escort him?"
McKelvie's face reddened and Max opened his mouth to object.
"Gordon!" Morrow said sharply. Max closed his mouth and guided the grumbling40 congressman41 up the tube.
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1
radar
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| n.雷达，无线电探测器 | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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timing
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| n.时间安排，时间选择 | |
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succumbed
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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apex
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| n.顶点，最高点 | |
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cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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deceptive
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| adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的 | |
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12
tugs
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| n.猛拉( tug的名词复数 )；猛拖；拖船v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的第三人称单数 ) | |
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projectile
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| n.投射物，发射体；adj.向前开进的；推进的；抛掷的 | |
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14
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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tirade
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| n.冗长的攻击性演说 | |
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scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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sputtered
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| v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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smacked
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| 拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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compartment
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| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
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curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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solicitously
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| adv.热心地，热切地 | |
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jitters
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| n.pl.紧张(通常前面要有the) | |
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gees
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| n.（美俚）一千元（gee的复数形式）v.驭马快走或向右（gee的第三人称单数形式） | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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laboriously
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| adv.艰苦地；费力地；辛勤地；（文体等）佶屈聱牙地 | |
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clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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adhesive
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| n.粘合剂；adj.可粘着的，粘性的 | |
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rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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belligerently
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psychiatrists
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| n.精神病专家，精神病医生( psychiatrist的名词复数 ) | |
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38
intercepted
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| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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Congressman
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| n.（美）国会议员 | |
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