Tom squinted through the twin telescopes of the sighting mechanism again, then pushed away and floated free, staring at the Earth bathed in pale moonlight.
What do I do now? For an instant he was close to panic, but he forced it down. Think, he said to himself. You're supposed to be a Homo Sapiens ... use that brain. Think!
The long night ended. The sun swung around from behind the bulk of Earth. Tom looked at it as he felt its warmth penetrating the insulated suit, and he knew it was the last time he would see the sun. He felt no more anger—even his hatred of Jason was drained out of him now. In its place was a sense of—finality.
He spoke into his helmet mike. "Jason."
"He is in conference with the astronomers." Dr. Arnoldsson's voice.
"Get him for me, please."
A few minutes of silence, broken only by the star-whisperings in his earphones.
Jason's voice was carefully modulated. "Tom, you made it."
"I made it. And the satellite's finished."
"It's finished? Good. Now, what we have to do...."