Wearing their space-suits constantly, the Planeteers and their helpers soon melted down a mass of the solid asterium into liquid state. Then three of their flexible metal space-suits were dipped into the molten black asterium.
The glassite helmets, immune to all heat and cold, were also coated with the black element. Before it hardened on the helmets, Thorn scraped two spots thin, making them semi-transparent for vision.
"It means dim visions but I dare not remove it completely from the eye plates of the helmets,” he muttered. “Anything more would be dangerous, in the hell of radiation that must rage out there."
The asterium coating on the suits and helmets hardened rapidly. When it was cool, they took the ray-proofed suits into the Venture., and put them on in place of the ones they wore.
"Hell, it's as stiff as a suit of armor,” muttered Gunner Welk, as he moved in his new suit.
"And these eyeholes can scarcely be seen through,” complained Sual Av as he donned the helmet.
"Will you two stop chattering and hurry?” John Thorn demanded violently.
His two comrades stared at him. And Thorn realized that he had shouted at them.
"Sorry,” he said hoarsely, “but I'm half out of my head, thinking of Lana out there with Cheerly.",
"We understand,” Sual Av nodded. But we'll find them, sure, before anything happens to Lana. And we're sure of the radite now, if all goes well."