“Yes, it’s inspiring,” answered Zip, but he was already in motion, walking and scanning the ground on both sides of him. George followed. Their asteroid boots gripped the surface of the asteroid.
“What are you looking for, Zip?”
“Evidence of the pirates. I’ve got a plan for escaping them, but our exit point here can’t be too close to their entrance.”
“We’ve walked a dozen miles through the asteroid from their headquarters—they can’t be too close.”
“I’m sure you’re right, but there may be other entrances. We found one, didn’t we?”
“Even if there were other entrances, they’re bound to be as invisible to the eye as the one we just came out of.”
“Right again, I’m sure, George, but I don’t want to take any chances. Our escape depends on our being unseen—at least for most of the time. Then I want to be seen.”
“What do you mean, Zip? I—” George suddenly stopped talking, almost as if his communicator had been turned off. Zip looked over.
“What’s wrong, George?” Through his helmet, George’s eyes were opened wide and his mouth was agape. “What is it?” Zip repeated.
“We, we, we’re not in the Asteroid Belt,” George stammered. “Look, there’s the Belt over there.” He raised his hand and pointed. The slow rotation of the asteroid that gave it its slight gravity had brought the Belt into view over the horizon. Motionless on the asteroid’s surface, Zip and George were slowly moving into the dawn. A pale sun far away was coming into view, and a golden line of light began to grow over the 45-mile-long chunk of almost pure iron. The spacesuits’ faceplates automatically darkened slightly. The sunlight came through a scattering of asteroids orbiting at least a thousand miles away.