O'Brine waved in the general direction of the wall. "Out there somewhere
in the asteroid belt, Foster, there is a little chunk of matter about one
thousand yards in diameter. A very minor planet. We know its approximate
coordinates as of two days ago, but we don't know much else. It happens
to be a very important minor planet."
Rip waited, intent on the commander's words.
"It's important," O'Brine continued, "because it happens to be pure
thorium."
Rip gasped. Thorium! The rare, radioactive element just below uranium in
the periodic table of the elements, the element used to power this very
ship! "What a find!" he said in a hushed voice. No wonder the job was
Federation priority A, with Space Council security! "What do I do about
it?" he asked.
O'Brine grinned. "Ride it," he said. "Your orders say you're to capture
this asteroid, blast it out of its orbit, and drive it back to Earth!"