Flight Perilous!
By Ray C. Noll
As Captain of the ship, Hiller knew full
responsibility was his, if he ordered Marship III
through the uncharted asteroid belt—to death!...
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
May 1955
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
As Fred Hiller slid back the door to his quarters in answer to their knock, he found them lined up tensely against the bulkheads of the companionway.
It was the best assembly area the jammed ship could offer. Here the commander with a short turn of his head could meet any pair of eyes in the nine-man crew. They had met here before, in a more friendly atmosphere, soon after acceleration stopped and once for planning. He considered it more effective for personal communication than the ship speaker system.
But this assembly was different: it was their idea. They wanted a decision. They stood without moving, waiting for him to speak. Their discussions by this time probably had narrowed the alternatives to two.
As commander, of course, he was paid to make decisions on Marship III. And he began to realize by their faces which alternative the consensus expected. Their expressions indicated that in a degree every damn one of them was scared, scared enough to unitize their thinking.