The happiness rock

Tired of joy pills? Liquor? The idiot box? Try a fleck from ...
By ALBERT TEICHNER
Illustrated by ADRAGNA
It was a particularly good asteroid, a great jagged rock roughly four miles square on one side and two miles at its thickest. Within five minutes of sighting it they knew that its flatter side turned away from the sun more than seven times an Earth day. That meant they should be able to land for mineral specimens and still be off in time to avoid the heating phase for which they were not equipped.
I'll go out, said Warrant Officer Cramer, a tan-skinned young man who was peering ahead even more earnestly than usual.
I'm Captain of this tin crate so it's up to me, said Hartley. Right?
Right in a wrong sort of way, sir . Just two men on board and you're pulling rank!
For a moment Hartley looked irritated, then his blue eyes twinkled with laughter. Give me one reason why I shouldn't.
I've never been on an asteroid and I've been a little nervous about it. I don't want to keep barrelling around space with that kind of a faze-factor bugging the back of my mind.
The great flat side had just turned into shadow and Hartley started to ease the ship down. He said, suddenly bitter, With all my experience the only thing the political brass lets me captain is a two-man scouter. Consider my rank unpulled—it's all yours Will.
Cramer gave him an appreciative glance and put on his outside gear.
Let the Boy Scout have the dirty jobs, Hartley muttered, a nervous sneer twisting one side of his mouth. He idly adjusted for the descent onto the sheared stone face and, once Cramer was in the exit chamber, exchanged a parting wave with him through the quartz window.