As soon as order had been restored aboard the station, search
parties had been sent out to look for survivors.
Carefully Tom slowed the space craft in response to Stefens' brief
commands and soon came to a dead halt in space. There, hovering right
above them, visible through the crystal dome of the jet boat, Tom could
see two space-suited figures floating effortlessly. A moment later
Scott's craft came alongside, and the two small ships were lashed
together with magnetic lines. Tom and Stefens hurriedly pulled on their
space helmets. They adjusted the valves regulating the oxygen supply in
their suits, and Stefens slipped back the sliding top of the jet boat.
Out on the hull he secured a line to a projecting ring, and ordering Tom
to stand by, he pushed himself off the ship into the bottomless void of
space.
The line trailing behind him, Stefens drifted toward the two helpless
figures. He reached them in less than a minute, secured the line to
their belts, and signaled Tom to haul in.
Near by, Terry Scott and Astro watched as the three figures were pulled
to safety.
Quickly the top of the jet boat was closed, oxygen pressure in the craft
was restored, and the four men took off their helmets.
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