Sally moved quickly. She looked up, tense. But Joe said, "They're going
to get the Moonship up, sir. We came back--my gang and me--to help train
the crew. We only have a week to do it in, but we've got some combat
tactics to show them on the training gadget in the Shed." He added
anxiously, "And, sir--they'll have to take the Moonship off in a spiral
orbit. She can't go straight up! That means she's got to pass over enemy
territory, and--we've got to have a real escort for her. A fighting
escort. It's planned for the space tug to take off a few minutes after
the Moonship and blast along underneath. We'll dump guided missiles
out--like drones--and if anything comes along we can start their rockets
and fight our way through. And we four have had more experience than
anybody else. We're needed!"
"You've done enough, surely!" Sally cried.
"The United States," said Joe awkwardly, "is going to take over the
Moon. I--can't miss having a hand in that! Not if it's at all possible!"
"I'm afraid you will miss it, Joe," Major Holt said detachedly. "The
occupation of the Moon will be a Navy enterprise. Space Exploration
Project facilities are being used to prepare for it, but the Navy won
the latest battle of the Pentagon. The Navy takes over the Moon."