high speed idiot. Kano read off, ‘The gyromagnetic ratio has an anomolous factor two when applied to electron spin. The Landay g-factor expresses the . . . That’s all there is, Commander.’
It was no help and Kano looked ashamed for his friend. There was more trouble on the big screen. The picture of the huge spacer was distorted and out of focus. They were blind as well as powerless.
Koenig returned to Morrow’s Command console and heard Carter, voice edgy and disgusted, ‘Eagle One to Base. Still no joy. What’s happening there?’
Koenig said, ‘Alan, we’re getting unusual interference. It’s bugging all communication systems—’ There was a growing crackle of static and Carter, seen on his personal monitor, was obviously having difficulty with reception. Taking it slowly Koenig went on, ‘It’s probably some kind of ultrasonic or magnetic emission that’s finding a harmonic of our control patterns.’
Only just audible, Carter said, ‘Eagle One to base. I do not read you. Repeat I do not read you. Come In base,’
Morrow made a refined tuning ploy and momentarily Carter was loud and clear, ‘Eagle One to base. For god-sake get your fingers out. You must get us lift off. We’re running out of time.’ A rising tide of static drowned out the channel.
Bitterly, Koenig accepted it. He had no other line of defence. Whatever the spacer was aiming to do, they would have to sit tight and endure it. He called sharply to Sandra, ‘Are the screens holding?’
‘Commander, I’m losing contact. I don’t know. They were all running at max, but now the monitors have gone dead.’
‘Keep trying.’
Events were crowding him. Helena Russell hurried into Main Mission, ‘John, I’ve been trying to get through. I have equipment failure in the wards. Can I have emergency power?’
Even as she spoke, the lights in Main Mission dropped to a low, red glow. Koenig said, ‘Paul. Emergency power.’
‘Yes, Commander.’
It was better, but it was still sombre. Lighting stabilised at half the lumen count they were used to. Main Mission was eerily full of shadows.
Koenig tried to make it sound as though he believed there was a chance, ‘If there’s any change and you can get the Eagles away, do that.’
‘Yes, Commander.’
Not deceived, Helena Russell said quietly, ‘How much trouble are we in?’
‘You tell me.’
She looked from the monitors to the big screen. It was the same story. There was nothing to see. Koenig picked up a pair of binoculars and they both moved to a direct vision port.
Outside, the familiar moonscape was still as death. Victor Bergman joined them. It could have been any day in the long succession of days on Moonbase Alpha. The racing spacer was still out of direct sight.
Koenig said, ‘I wish I knew what was going on.’
‘What do you see?’
‘Nothing.’
Bergman had a magnetic board with small models and held it out. ‘At least before the computer packed in I was getting some useful information on that solar system.’
Intellectual curiosity was a fine thing, but more than half Koenig’s, attention was on the window. Helena did her best, but she kept looking away at Koenig.
Victor Bergman, undeterred, warmed to his exposition—‘It seems that the sun is similar in size and characteristics to our own. The two planets are slightly smaller than Earth and each revolves on its own axis once every twenty-five hours, giving, presumably, a slightly longer day and a slightly longer night.’ He shoved the models round the board with a lecturer’s simple pleasure and went on, ‘Each planet revolves around the sun once every ten months in an elliptical orbit. They are always on opposing sides of the sun in relation to each other. Their summers would be shorter than ours, likewise their winters.’
He looked up, at a time when neither of them happened to be looking at him, ‘I’m not boring you am I?’
Helena, being kinder or less honest, said quickly, ‘No, Victor,
It was no help and Kano looked ashamed for his friend. There was more trouble on the big screen. The picture of the huge spacer was distorted and out of focus. They were blind as well as powerless.
Koenig returned to Morrow’s Command console and heard Carter, voice edgy and disgusted, ‘Eagle One to Base. Still no joy. What’s happening there?’
Koenig said, ‘Alan, we’re getting unusual interference. It’s bugging all communication systems—’ There was a growing crackle of static and Carter, seen on his personal monitor, was obviously having difficulty with reception. Taking it slowly Koenig went on, ‘It’s probably some kind of ultrasonic or magnetic emission that’s finding a harmonic of our control patterns.’
Only just audible, Carter said, ‘Eagle One to base. I do not read you. Repeat I do not read you. Come In base,’
Morrow made a refined tuning ploy and momentarily Carter was loud and clear, ‘Eagle One to base. For god-sake get your fingers out. You must get us lift off. We’re running out of time.’ A rising tide of static drowned out the channel.
Bitterly, Koenig accepted it. He had no other line of defence. Whatever the spacer was aiming to do, they would have to sit tight and endure it. He called sharply to Sandra, ‘Are the screens holding?’
‘Commander, I’m losing contact. I don’t know. They were all running at max, but now the monitors have gone dead.’
‘Keep trying.’
Events were crowding him. Helena Russell hurried into Main Mission, ‘John, I’ve been trying to get through. I have equipment failure in the wards. Can I have emergency power?’
Even as she spoke, the lights in Main Mission dropped to a low, red glow. Koenig said, ‘Paul. Emergency power.’
‘Yes, Commander.’
It was better, but it was still sombre. Lighting stabilised at half the lumen count they were used to. Main Mission was eerily full of shadows.
Koenig tried to make it sound as though he believed there was a chance, ‘If there’s any change and you can get the Eagles away, do that.’
‘Yes, Commander.’
Not deceived, Helena Russell said quietly, ‘How much trouble are we in?’
‘You tell me.’
She looked from the monitors to the big screen. It was the same story. There was nothing to see. Koenig picked up a pair of binoculars and they both moved to a direct vision port.
Outside, the familiar moonscape was still as death. Victor Bergman joined them. It could have been any day in the long succession of days on Moonbase Alpha. The racing spacer was still out of direct sight.
Koenig said, ‘I wish I knew what was going on.’
‘What do you see?’
‘Nothing.’
Bergman had a magnetic board with small models and held it out. ‘At least before the computer packed in I was getting some useful information on that solar system.’
Intellectual curiosity was a fine thing, but more than half Koenig’s, attention was on the window. Helena did her best, but she kept looking away at Koenig.
Victor Bergman, undeterred, warmed to his exposition—‘It seems that the sun is similar in size and characteristics to our own. The two planets are slightly smaller than Earth and each revolves on its own axis once every twenty-five hours, giving, presumably, a slightly longer day and a slightly longer night.’ He shoved the models round the board with a lecturer’s simple pleasure and went on, ‘Each planet revolves around the sun once every ten months in an elliptical orbit. They are always on opposing sides of the sun in relation to each other. Their summers would be shorter than ours, likewise their winters.’
He looked up, at a time when neither of them happened to be looking at him, ‘I’m not boring you am I?’
Helena, being kinder or less honest, said quickly, ‘No, Victor,
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