Courage will be a big qualification for
the pilot who flies the first moon rocket. But
who decides if a man is brave--or a coward?...
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
April 1954
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
The base diner was hot and stuffy that night as Scotty Johnson sat
with Mitch and Jack and the other boys, sipping his last cup of
coffee before Zero Hour rolled around. Mitch and Jack had succeeded
in sneaking him out of town before the reporters had guessed what was
happening. Now they sat in silence, sipping their coffee, glancing at
him from time to time as though to make sure he were still there. It
annoyed Scotty. This was the time to laugh, and joke, and bull away as
if nothing was going to happen at all.
The waitress trotted over with a coffee pot, and Scotty gave her his
widest leer. "You know, I can't think of anything I'd rather have right
now than a cup of coffee from you," he said. "How about a date in about
ten days?"
The girl looked startled, and glanced away nervously. Mitch gave a
tight little laugh. "Better watch out. Scotty. She's liable to be
waiting on the landing field when you get back--"
They all laughed at that, and then silence fell again. They were
nervous. Scotty could sense it, even though they tried to cover it up.
All through these weeks of preparation in the hot New Mexico sun, the
tension had been growing. But _he_ should be the one to be nervous, not
these lads. After all, who was the star of this show? Scotty nuzzled
his coffee, and twisted his wiry five-foot-two inch frame around so
that he could see the door. "Better drink up," he said. "The jeep
should be here any minute."
Mitch nodded and emptied his cup as the jeep's tires screeched on the
pavement outside. The door of the coffeeshop burst open, and a head
with an MP's crash helmet popped in. "All set, Scotty? Let's go!"
Scotty nodded. His blue eyes were bright as he buttoned up his jacket
and winked at the waitress. Then he led the group to the door. "Love
that gal," he said.
The driver raced the motor as they piled in and the jeep took off down
the concrete strip with a roar. The driver turned an admiring glance
toward Scotty. "All set for the big trip, man?"