Chapter 2

 The Secretary looked at Wade¹. His face was tight and drawn². "What do you think, Wade. Are we getting through?"

"It's hard to say. He's moving pretty fast. He could outrun the signal. We've never had a practical voice test."

Lowe's face had a worried expression covering it. "Didn't you have communications with the test rocket?"

"That was unmanned ... remember?"

"This silence doesn't worry you?" the Secretary asked with amazement³.

"Ackerson was trained for this. He knows there is nothing we can do for him. He's on his own. Communications would be to our advantage, to be sure. But Ackerson knows that ship like you know the back of your hand. Besides ... perhaps he is too busy to answer right now. He has to be sure there is no wobble."

"Wobble!"

"Sure. The ship could begin to oscillate. If it does that he is done. He has to keep his eye on the gyro."

The Secretary's eyes penetrated⁴. "I can't help but feel that you would be more concerned if Tomer were in the Starfrost instead of Ackerson. Wade ... don't let the fact that you hate Ackerson cloud the issue. He is doing us a great service."

"Stop it, Harry⁵!"

"After all. The first man to circle the Moon is entitled to a place in the history books. I can share his feelings, in a way. It's a great thing he's doing."

"Others have done more," Wade said sharply.

"Of course they have. But remember one thing. If Ackerson succeeds we will get the appropriations⁶ we need to build up there on that cold chunk⁷ of rock. We need that ... need it badly."

"I tell you we have nothing to worry about yet," Wade said quickly.

"Have it your way, Wade. But remember, we can't land on the Moon until we have appropriations for installations. It all takes money; landing sites, protection against the elements, and most important, take-off facilities. It's a big order. Ackerson can give us all of that if he is successful. The public will back us to the limit if we prove we have mastered space travel." The Secretary watched Wade carefully. "Ackerson is important!"

"I never said he wasn't."

"I know, Wade." The Secretary toyed with his tie. "But did you let your feelings toward Tomer interfere⁸ with your attitude toward Ackerson? He came to me you know, about halfway⁹ through the course. He said you were babying Tomer to the point where it was interfering¹⁰ with his instruction."

"He lied," Wade cut in. He threw down the cigarette he was holding and ground his heel into it. "You know me better than that!"

"Of course. But perhaps Ackerson did have something. Perhaps you spent more time with Tomer than you intended. Unconsciously you may have favored him to the point where Ackerson did suffer."

Wade let his eyes wander over to the small television screen. It was still operating. Flat, empty sand and a burned out area was all that remained of the Starfrost. He wondered: Did I do that? Did I forget to teach Ackerson something while I was working with Tomer?

The loud-speaker crackled.

"Mother. This is Starfrost. Over."

The operations room came alive. Wade and Lowe hurried over to stand beneath the speaker, as if that would put them closer to the Starfrost.

"Go ahead, Starfrost. This is Mother." The communications man held the mike in a hand that wasn't quite as steady as it should be.

"This is Starfrost. Everything in the green. Repeat, everything in the green. Over."

Wade took the mike. "How is the gyro, Starfrost!"

The loud-speaker laughed. "Tsk, tsk, Colonel. Where is your radio procedure? You forgot to say over." There was a pause and Boeman knew why. "Don't tell me you're worrying about ole Ack. I've got this thing sewed up. Why don't you take a walk around the park and see if you can find that little guy? What was his name? You know the one I mean. The one who got cold feet and dropped out before you finished feeding him. Over."

Wade handed the mike back to the commo man without a word. He looked at the Secretary. Lowe's eyes cautioned him. Wade swallowed the things he was going to say. Orders. Damn them. He wanted to stick a pin in Ackerson's ego¹². And it would be so easy. So damn easy. Orders. He gave them and he had taken them.

Wade turned and got the mike again. "This is Mother. Keep an eye on the hull¹³ temperature. Watch that gyro. If you feel the slightest vibration¹⁴ be sure to start the auxiliary¹⁵ immediately. Over."

"Romeo, Mother. Take care of my letter. I—" the speaker became silent.

Major Gormely moved like a blur¹⁶ of light. Wade knew what was wrong the instant he looked at the pip on the radar¹⁷ scope. Major Gormely hurriedly began checking instruments. But he had seen too. The equipment was in order. It was the Starfrost. It had all indications of a "wobble".

"This is serious, isn't it, Wade?"

Boeman didn't look at the Secretary when he answered. His eyes were glued to the radar scanner. "Pretty much. It could be the end if he doesn't catch it in time."

"What can we do?"

"Nothing but wait. He isn't finished yet. He has the extra gyro. That should do it. If not he can try the fuel as a last resort. It's only theory plus but he might be able to blast something with substance against the dorsel fin¹¹. If he plays it carefully he might be able to give the gyro a hand. It will be tricky¹⁸ but we think it can be done."

"What effect will that have on the mission? He has only so much fuel!"

"He can waste thirty seconds. After that he is cutting himself short on the leg home."

"The wobble stopped," Major Gormely said quickly.

It was true. The course was slightly erratic¹⁹ but Ackerson had the Starfrost back under control. Wade wiped the back of his hand over his lips. Suddenly he felt tired and old. He wanted to sit down. "Keep trying on the radio, Mike," he said.

He walked over to the small table with the television set on it. He switched it off. He didn't want to look at that empty sand. He lighted another cigarette. Then he reached inside his blouse and withdrew the letter Ackerson had left for him. He didn't want to read it. For the first time he had felt close to the blond man ... felt sorry for him. The letter could say something to change that.

"Why don't you read it, Wade?" the Secretary said.

Wade looked up quickly. The Secretary was smiling with that know-all look of his. Wade reached in his pocket and brought out the pack of cigarettes. Then he caught himself. But the older man hadn't missed the one smoldering²⁰ in the ashtray²¹.

A tight smile creased²² Wade's face. He felt like a small boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I know a nice quiet spot in upper New York. Phonecia! There's a nice trout²³ stream beside the only hotel. The people are simple and tolerant. And there is a small, private bar where a man can really relax. I think I'll go up there for a few years when this is all over."

"Now you're reading my mind," the Secretary said.

They both laughed.

"Seriously, Wade. I think you should take a long rest when this is over. A man with your knowledge of the human body should realize that you're fighting fatigue²⁴. In fact I've already spoken to General Dominick about it."

Wade shook his head. "You know I can't do that. I've got another job I have to take care of first."

"Tomer?"

"Of course."

"I thought we settled on that. Someone else can take over in your place and handle that. You can supervise if you wish. But not until after you've had a rest."

"You know better, Harry. This is my baby and I'll handle it. It isn't that I haven't tried to keep him out of my mind. I have. Yet he always comes back to haunt me. If not because of my own feelings, then it's Ackerson reminding me. It's no use. I can't rest with him on my mind."

"Not even when you've had orders?"

Wade snuffed out the cigarette. "I'm finding out that feelings can sometimes rebel against orders."

"That isn't a good trait for an Army Officer to acquire."

Wade's face took on a sardonic²⁵ expression. "No. It isn't, is it?" he said softly.

1 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

2 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

3 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

4 penetrated   

adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The knife had penetrated his chest. 刀子刺入了他的胸膛。
• They penetrated into territory where no man had ever gone before. 他们已进入先前没人去过的地区。

5 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

6 appropriations   

n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• More commonly, funding controls are imposed in the annual appropriations process. 更普遍的作法是，拨款控制被规定在年度拨款手续中。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Should the president veto the appropriations bill, it goes back to Congress. 假如总统否决了这项拨款提案，就把它退还给国会。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

7 chunk   

n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量）

参考例句：

• They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
• The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。

8 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

9 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

10 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

11 fin   

n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼

参考例句：

• They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。
• The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

12 ego   

n.自我，自己，自尊

参考例句：

• He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。
• She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。

13 hull   

n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳

参考例句：

• The outer surface of ship's hull is very hard.船体的外表面非常坚硬。
• The boat's hull has been staved in by the tremendous seas.小船壳让巨浪打穿了。

14 vibration   

n.颤动，振动；摆动

参考例句：

• There is so much vibration on a ship that one cannot write.船上的震动大得使人无法书写。
• The vibration of the window woke me up.窗子的震动把我惊醒了。

15 auxiliary   

adj.辅助的，备用的

参考例句：

• I work in an auxiliary unit.我在一家附属单位工作。
• The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of blackout.这家医院装有备用发电系统以防灯火管制。

16 blur   

n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚

参考例句：

• The houses appeared as a blur in the mist.房子在薄雾中隐隐约约看不清。
• If you move your eyes and your head,the picture will blur.如果你的眼睛或头动了，图像就会变得模糊不清。

17 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

18 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

19 erratic   

adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的

参考例句：

• The old man had always been cranky and erratic.那老头儿性情古怪,反复无常。
• The erratic fluctuation of market prices is in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。

20 smoldering   

v.用文火焖烧，熏烧，慢燃( smolder的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The mat was smoldering where the burning log had fallen. 燃烧的木棒落下的地方垫子慢慢燃烧起来。 来自辞典例句
• The wood was smoldering in the fireplace. 木柴在壁炉中闷烧。 来自辞典例句

21 ashtray   

n.烟灰缸

参考例句：

• He knocked out his pipe in the big glass ashtray.他在大玻璃烟灰缸里磕净烟斗。
• She threw the cigarette butt into the ashtray.她把烟头扔进烟灰缸。

22 creased   

（使…）起折痕，弄皱( crease的过去式和过去分词 )； （皮肤）皱起，使起皱纹； 皱皱巴巴

参考例句：

• You've creased my newspaper. 你把我的报纸弄皱了。
• The bullet merely creased his shoulder. 子弹只不过擦破了他肩部的皮肤。

23 trout   

n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属)

参考例句：

• Thousands of young salmon and trout have been killed by the pollution.成千上万的鲑鱼和鳟鱼的鱼苗因污染而死亡。
• We hooked a trout and had it for breakfast.我们钓了一条鳟鱼，早饭时吃了。

24 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

25 sardonic   

adj.嘲笑的，冷笑的，讥讽的

参考例句：

• She gave him a sardonic smile.她朝他讥讽地笑了一笑。
• There was a sardonic expression on her face.她脸上有一种嘲讽的表情。