CHAPTER XX
The Earthman
Rick came back to life briefly. He saw a patch of something white overhead, and after much staring decided it was a ceiling. He turned his head an inch and saw a festoon of rubber tubes and hanging bottles. Thinking was too difficult. He closed his eyes and drifted off again.
When he again awoke the rubber tubes and bottles were gone. Grinning faces were grouped around him. Some he recognized, others were strangers. That was Scotty, and that was John Gordon, and that was Tom Preston. The others were doctors and nurses.
Rick said, "So we got down in one piece."
"Not exactly one piece." John Gordon smiled.
Scotty asked anxiously, "How do you feel?"
Rick thought about it. He didn't really know how he felt. "Sort of ... light. I'm floating." Probably he had been asleep for some time. "What time is it?" he asked.
John Gordon gave a relieved chuckle. "Time sense returns. He's improving. You should ask what day it is, Rick. You've been asleep a long time. Pegasus went up three days ago."