"What
are you trying to do? Get the little guy space happy, or something?"
"Look at him!" said Astro. "I'm twice his size. He figures if a big guy
like me is scared, then he's got a right to be scared too!"
Roger grunted in appreciation of the way Astro had treated Alfie's
fears and turned back to the loading of the fuel.
Major Connel walked over and watched them transfer the last of the fuel
into the tanks.
"How much have you got there, Astro?" he asked.
"I'd say enough to sustain flight for about three hours, sir.
Considering we'll have such a big load."
"Ummmmh," mused Connel. "You know we're up against big odds, don't you?"
Roger and Astro nodded.
"If Tom doesn't come back soon, we'll be so far into the pull of the
sun, even a ship the size of the _Polaris_ wouldn't be able to break
out."
"How much time have we got, sir?" asked Roger.
"Not too much, Manning," said Connel. "Of course we can blast off in the
jet boat and get up a few hundred miles, in case Tom does come back.
Then he won't have to bring the _Polaris_ down here. But if time runs
out on us up there, we'll have to come back and take our chance on
Junior being blasted out of the sun's grip.
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