With all the negative factors taken into consideration, it was not that bad a landing. They hit the right continent and were only a few degrees off in latitude, though they entered the atmosphere earlier than they liked. Without ground control of any kind it was an almost miraculously good landing.
As the capsule screamed down through the thickening air its immense velocity was slowed and the airspeed began to indicate a reasonable figure. Far below, the ground was visible through rents in the cloud cover.
"Late afternoon," Gino said. "It will be dark soon after we hit the ground."
"At least it will still be light. We could have been landing in Peking at midnight, so let's hear no complaints. Stand by to let go the parachutes."
The capsule jumped twice as the immense chutes boomed open. They opened their face-plates, safely back in the sea of air once more.
"Wonder what kind of reception we'll get?" Dan asked, rubbing the bristle on his big jaw.
With the sharp crack of split metal a row of holes appeared in the upper quadrant of the capsule: air whistled in, equalizing their lower pressure.
"Look!" Gino shouted, pointing at the dark shape that hurtled by outside. It was egg-shaped and stub-winged, black against the afternoon sun. Then it twisted over in a climbing turn and for a long moment its silver skin was visible to them as it arched over and came diving down. Back it came, growing instantly larger, red flames twinkling in its wing roots.
Grey haze cut off the sunlight as they fell into a cloud. Both men looked at each other: neither wanted to speak first.