Koa grabbed the atmosphere control on Bradshaw's belt and turned it. The suit puffed up. Rip watched the repair anxiously in the light from Koa's belt. It held.
Rip reconnected his light as he asked swiftly, "Anyone else hurt? Answer by name."
There were quick replies; No one else had been injured.
"Run for the cave," Rip commanded. "Follow Koa. Santos and Pederson drag Bradshaw."
The Englishman's voice sounded bubbly. "I can make it."
"Good for you!" Rip exclaimed. "Call for help if you need it."
Koa was already out of the craft and leading the way. Rip went out through a window and saw the cause of the trouble. Dowst had been a hair too close to the asteroid. A particularly high crystal of thorium had snagged the craft.
Rip looked for the Connie and saw it starting another turn. They had only a moment or two before the next run. "Show an exhaust," he called. The Connie must have blasted the opposite side of the asteroid while they were hung up.
The cave was a quarter of the asteroid away. Rip stayed in the rear, watching for stragglers. But even Bradshaw was moving rapidly. Koa reached the cave well ahead of the rest, reached for a rack of rockets,[pg 115] and slapped it into the launcher.
Rip urged the men on. The Connie was squared off for another run.