Its power plant was different from those used on the Swifts’ various space crafts.
“His idea, of course, is to trip me up and make me look silly in front of the big brass,” Bud said, clenching his fist and confessing that he and Holbrook had almost come to blows the day before.
Tom watched uneasily as his husky friend got up and began to pace back and forth. “What’s behind Holbrook’s attitude?” Tom finally asked.
“He’s jealous. What else?” Bud snapped. “He figured all along he’d get the job as captain. You can’t blame him, I guess, for feeling sore-but what am I supposed to do about it?”
Tom realized that the situation was a potentially ugly one. Even under the best circumstances two crewmates thrown together in cramped quarters on a long space flight could easily get on each other’s nerves. If they started the trip as enemies, even before blast-off, their very lives-let alone the success of the Venus probe-might be endangered.
DANGERI 57
Tom got up to throw his arm around Bud’s shoulders. “Listen, pal,” he said quietly, “I can see you’re up against a tough problem, all right, but remember, this project is an important step forward in America’s space program. You can’t let the whole country down!”
“I sure don’t want to, Tom, but I just don’t see any other way out.” Bud sighed unhappily.
“Look at it this way,” Tom said. “Which one of you is better qualified to pilot that space crate -you or Chippy Holbrook?”
Bud looked embarrassed. “I’ve asked myself that a hundred times.
Holbrook’s a good rocket-man, but he’s never been outside the earth’s orbit.
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