"That'll get them there a little while after the crash," Elmer said. "In time to get in on the marsquakes and the dust storms."
"Yeah," said Artie, "if they make it through the atmosphere while it's still being churned."
"Why don't you guys stow the chatter," I said brusquely. "Let us hear what's going on."
The announcer was saying, "... in ninety seconds. All hope of regaining control of the ship is past. The entire crew is now in the four lifeboats ready to leave." Then he started a long countdown, a full sixty seconds.
The scope magnified the ship more.
I found myself holding my breath. The countdown neared an end—ended.
And two lifeboats sprang from each side of the freighter.
The scope lost them for a moment, then picked up one pair. They were almost invisible specks in the background.
In another five minutes they had joined the other pair of lifeboats, and all four were now headed slowly toward Mars, apparently well behind the mother ship.
The scope shifted back to the abandoned ship. The announcer was saying: