Bart strode over and yanked the log's keyboard out. He banged furiously on the keys for a moment, and then read aloud. "At 1430 this date, discovered McDonald's planet, an Earth class planet, signed, Bart McDonald, Captain." He slammed the log shut.
Tom snorted.
Bart gave him a dirty look and went over and sat in the control board chair. Pudge had disappeared in the galley as he always did when there was an argument. There were a few minutes of strained silence as they worked over the instruments.
Bart turned from the control board. "As long as this place has no life, we'd be safe in landing. Suppose we earn the bonus by bringing back a full report on whether it's fit for a colony or not?"
Willie's head jerked up, his face white.
Tom frowned, and said nothing. He wanted to land but he didn't want to agree with Bart on anything.
"What say?" Bart said. "I'll even put it up for a vote."
"Okay," Tom said, thinking of walking in the sun, feeling firm ground under his feet. "It would be a shame to come all this way and then not be able to say we had explored the country."
"No," Willie said quickly. "It's dangerous. And—and besides, we'd have to go in quarantine when we got back."
"So we go in quarantine," Bart said. "We'll get paid for it." He turned to the control board. "Buzz Pudge, so he can get ready." He began punching buttons.