“We looked for the opening in the place you’d indicated, but found no evidence of any kind that there was an airlock. We even tried locating it with radar, but the entrance is concealed so effectively that we could find no trace of it. We needed the personnel at this end, so we abandoned the search. Getting to the power plant through the complex here is the long way around, but we knew that we could do it and just couldn’t take the time to look further on the surface for the shortest means of ingress.”
“We’ll have to find some way to open the airlock from the outside when we’re not so rushed,” responded Zip. “We haven’t kept up with the time limit. What’ve we got?”
Madera sighed. “If we can’t move the asteroid, impact with Earth will take place on Thursday, September 8, at 2:33 p.m. That’s about six days from now. It will strike in the Atlantic Ocean just north of the West Indies.”
“How much time have we got to turn it aside?”
“Just a coupla days. After that time, no matter what we do the asteroid will still strike the Earth somewhere. But we’ll be able to move it.”
“You sound confident, Mr. Madera,” said Joe turning his head briefly as the four of them approached the elevators.
“Don’t worry, Joe,” said Madera. “Earth is not ready yet for its Judgment Day.”
Somehow the Starmen believed him. He was not a Starman nor a reputed scientist, but he was a man of deep dignity who exuded confidence and easily won the affections of the people around him.
Moments later, they were at the site of the activity. The last portable power pack had been set up and connected to the closest console in the power plant.
“Set?” asked Madera of the technician who had overseen the procedure.