CHAPTER 8

 It was uncomfortable for Aron, climbing out of the airlock, but Jonner threw the ship into a full G acceleration¹. The Marscorp ships loomed² suddenly to each side, then faded behind them. A few futile³ flashes of gunfire blossomed from their noses. Then rings of fire appeared behind them as they gave chase.

"Strapped⁴ down!" called Aron, and Jonner gave the rockets full blast.

The ship leaped like a frantic⁵ old war-horse. Jonner was pressed down heavily in his control chair. Its beams and plates groaned⁶ as G was piled on G.

The Egg was gone from the rearward screens, released and floating free in an Earthward orbit. The Marscorp ships fell farther behind. Then they stopped receding⁷ and began to grow on the screens again. Newer and more powerful, they were overtaking the Rebel ship.

Suddenly the ship's rockets ceased firing again, and they were in free fall. A moment later, Aron popped up from below.

"Are we hit?" he asked.

"No, they aren't back in range yet," answered Jonner. "We're out of fuel. Maybe it's just as well they came along, because I don't believe this clunk had enough fuel to overtake Mars again, even if we hadn't blown it in that escape try."

The Marscorp attackers apparently⁸ interpreted the Rebel ship's dead rocket tubes as a surrender. Within half an hour they had drawn⁹ alongside, and armed men in spacesuits came through the airlock. Farlan was freed of his chains, and Jonner, Stein and Aron were herded¹⁰ onto the centerdeck of one of the Marscorp ships and secured to stanchions.

The Marscorp captain floated before them, looking them over quizzically.

"I don't know what you fellows were trying to prove, but you're lucky," he said. "If you hadn't cut your rockets when you did, we'd have blasted you out of space."

Jonner answered out of the knowledge that no ships which had accelerated as these two had in the past hour would have more than enough fuel left to get them back to Phobos. The Egg, trailing far behind Mars now, would overtake the planet gradually as the pull of the sun sped it up, but it would pass Mars well to sunward in its plunge¹¹ toward the orbit of Earth. Any ship that tried to intercept¹² it from Mars now would fight increasing solar gravity and would run the risk of not getting back to Mars.

"Well, we accomplished¹³ our mission, anyhow," Jonner said resignedly, "for whatever it's worth."

"A fool's mission," said the Marscorp captain, and Jonner was inclined to agree with him. "The Egg was an experimental laboratory and an auxiliary¹⁴ power station, and we can build another cheaper than we could recover it. As for you fellows, you're better off than you realize."

"How's that?" asked Stein.

"Why, if you aren't tried as war criminals, you ought to be freed pretty quickly. According to the latest news reports from Mars City, our armies are driving your people back into your underground base in the Isidis Desert. The war will be over as soon as we've cracked that."

1 acceleration   

n.加速，加速度

参考例句：

• All spacemen must be able to bear acceleration.所有太空人都应能承受加速度。
• He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。

2 loomed   

v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。
• The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 futile   

adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的

参考例句：

• They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。
• Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。

4 strapped   

adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带

参考例句：

• Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 frantic   

adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的

参考例句：

• I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
• He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

6 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 receding   

v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题

参考例句：

• Desperately he struck out after the receding lights of the yacht. 游艇的灯光渐去渐远，他拼命划水追赶。 来自辞典例句
• Sounds produced by vehicles receding from us seem lower-pitched than usual. 渐渐远离我们的运载工具发出的声似乎比平常的音调低。 来自辞典例句

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 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。

10 herded   

群集，纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 )； 放牧； （使）向…移动

参考例句：

• He herded up his goats. 他把山羊赶拢在一起。
• They herded into the corner. 他们往角落里聚集。

11 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

12 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。

13 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

14 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。