Then, as Rip was enjoying the comfort of air during his off-watch hour in the boat compartment, Koa[pg 167] beat an alarm on the door.
Rip and the Planeteers with him hurriedly got into space suits and opened up.
"It's Terra base calling on the communicator, sir," Koa reported. "Urgent message, they said, and they want to talk to you, personally."
Rip hurried to the base cave. The communicator indicator light was glowing red. He plugged in his helmet circuit and said, "This is Lieutenant Foster. Go ahead."
A voice crackled across space from earth. "This is Terra base. Foster, a Consops cruiser has apparently been hiding behind the sun waiting for you. Our screens just picked it up, heading your way. We've sent orders to the Sagittarius on Mercury to give you cover, and the Aquila has taken off from here. But get this, Foster. The Consops cruiser will reach you first. You have about one hour. Do you understand?"
Rip understood all right. He understood too well. "Got you," he said shortly. "Now what?"
The communicator buzzed. "Take any appropriate action. You're on your own, Foster. Sorry. Sending the cruisers is all we can do. We'll stand by for word from you. If you think of any way we can help, let us know."
Rip asked, "How long before the cruisers arrive?"
"You're too close to us for them to move fast. They'll have to use time accelerating and decelerating. The Sagittarius should arrive in something less[pg 168] than two hours and the Aquila a few minutes later."
The communicator paused, then continued. "One thing more, Foster. The Connies know how badly we want that asteroid, but they also know we don't want it enough to start a war. Got that?"