Mark moaned again, blinked, then opened his eyes. He stared up at the ceiling, appearing not to see anything. Then suddenly he began to struggle.
“Hey! Hey, what’re you doing?” he cried out. “Put me down!”
“Easy, Mark,” said Zip. “You had a shock, but you’ll be okay!”:
“I’m okay now! Put me down! I have to fix the panel! Where are you taking me?”
“Everything’s fine, Mark,” said Mr. Madera. “The system leveled out and the power is back on and controlled.”
Mark sank back with another sigh. “Great,” he said. “Put me down, though. I’m all right.” The men set him on his feet, but supported him as he wobbled, trying to get his balance.
“Wow! Am I tired!” he said at last. “Somebody help me to my bunk and wake me when it’s over.”
“I’ll go with you, Mark,” said Joe. With Joe trying to support the larger of the two Starmen, the two of them walked slowly across the quad to the airlock that led to the launching pad.
“We’re still not finished,” said Madera. “We have to steer the asteroid out of its collision course. For that, I think we’ll need some help from an unlikely source.”
“Gene,” stated Zip.