"All right, forget it." Wilson shrugged, as the dome flickered on again.
It made a flowing, over-and-over turn. Then the presentation spun
around some one of its personal axes of no particular coordinate,
like a planetarium being operated by a putterer who wants to see what
happens when he pushes any button at random.
It settled down.
Jones and Halligan set up their sighting devices in the center of the
big floor and began to project their line across the dome.
One of the techs came running up to Allison. "If we change the driver
response threshold by seven ultrachronic levels--"
"Go away, Magill. Maybe tomorrow."
"But look--"
"You look. I said--"
A white-yellow circle appeared on the dome with a red line cross on it
like a telescope reticule. Halligan was aiming a flashlight pointer at
the dome and talking into the floor mike at the same time.
"Hey, Allison! Maybe that's it?"
* * * * *
In the circle was a pinpoint that came and went. It danced now and
then, and it sloughed into flowing shapes as it merged with the
rest of the flickering on the dome. It would have been lost in the
ever-changing light pattern of the dome if there had been no reason
to suspect it. The spot lay on a dead line across the dome from the
course of the other spots.
"All right," Wilson said grimly. "We've got no more scouts to go look.
Turn this crate head-on for that trace and we'll barrel!"
Slowly the presentation in the dome shifted. The almost lost spot rose
until it was dead above.
"Pour on the coal!" yelled Wilson. "We've got to get there first!" He
grabbed for the infrawave phone and cried, "Hello, out there! Lifeship
Three, we've sighted you! We'll be with you in--" He glanced at
Allison. "How far are they?"
Allison shook his head. "That's one of the limitations. We can detect,
and display in solid angle azimuth, but we haven't got to the ranging
yet."
Wilson said a few words that should never have gone out over the
infrawave. Then he said into the phone, "Well, we've sighted you,
anyway, and we'll be with you soon." And to Manning he said, "I hope to
God they've got their receiver on...."
Linus Brein said, "I didn't catch part of that. New words for the
files, I guess."
Viggon Sarri said, "Probably a few words of condemnation over the fact
that their detector doesn't range."
"I'll catalogue them so."
"Do that. Maybe we can ask their specific meaning at some later date.
But I'd not be inclined to bark those words at one of them to see what
happens. It might happen. Linus, how do we stand with them?"
Linus consulted a chart. "They're a little closer to the life ship than
we are. But we're faster."
"Faren, can't we get any more speed?"
Faren Twill shrugged. "We've a destroyer escort," he said. "If we don't
mind leaving the destroyers behind."
"Pour it on," said Viggon Sarri sharply. "Then have the destroyers fan
out in an intercept pattern just in case...."
"Cold," said Alice in a thin voice.
But it was not really cold; it was the giving up of all hope, the
turning off of all will to live, that made her cold.
Norton cradled her in his arms and thought of how this would have been
if they had been snug and warm a-planet, instead of lost and alone
in space. Her slender body against him did not bring passion, but
compassion. He stroked her head and tried to warm her shivering body.
Andrews still lay in a coma.
Jock Norton looked over Alice's shoulder at a wall cabinet. In that
cabinet were some capsules that would bring a merciful end before
the real suffering began. Andrews probably wouldn't need one. But
maybe--maybe--
Slowly, as if doing something against his will, Norton disentangled
Alice's arms. Gently, lest she stir and cry out in fear, he broke her
hold on him and stroked her arms for a moment. He slipped his own arm
out from beneath her neck and held her with his other arm for a second
or two.
She was moaning faintly, staring at the ceiling and not really aware of
what he was doing. He slipped off the bunk and walked across the room
unsteadily.
Slowly he went, for the idea in his mind was against his determination.
He cursed the ruined transmitter, and snarled under his breath at the
broken receiver. Then he fiddled with the catch of the cabinet, his
fingers obeying his subconscious, instead of his not too firm will.
* * * * *
He took two capsules from the bottle and went back to Alice with them
in his hand. He had reached, was standing beside her, when he looked at
his closed fist and decided to wait it out one more minute before he
popped one into her mouth and took the other one himself.
For life, as poor and precarious as it was at this moment, and as
likely as it was to get worse, was still better than taking that long,
unknown and unpredictable step into the Long Dark.
His minute passed all too quickly.
Alice shuddered and pressed against him. "Ted," she pleaded weakly.
"Ted--hold me."
"Yes, darling," he said softly. There was no point in hurting her any
more. Let her think he was Ted, if that was the way she wanted it.
Andrews stirred, and groaned.
Norton looked at him, frowning thoughtfully. Maybe Andrews should have
his easy out, too. It would be tough on the guy to come to, and find
himself the only live one in the ship, and of course not know where to
find the remedy.
The pilot decided to stall for another minute. He'd get another capsule
and slip it to Andrews. Then he would hold Alice once more and keep her
happy, thinking he was Ted.
"One moment more, honey," he breathed into her ear, then kissed it
gently. "I've got to get you something."
"Hurry," she murmured.
Hurry? Yeah! Get it over with!
The trip across to the cabinet was longer this time, for the idea was
still rubbing him the wrong way.
"Aw, hell!" he grunted, as he reached for the bottle again.