"Let me try."
Norman gave way and Failles crouched down adjusting dials. He replaced a tube. The helio squawked savagely. The engineer fumbled over the knobs. The message clacked into his earphones.
"It's the freighter Dekorus," he shouted. "They're two days ahead of the others. Were on their way to Callisto when they got our distress helio from the Tellus. Couldn't reply. Their sender was out of order. They'll be here any time."
"For God's sake, stop that ship!" Norman screamed. "They'll get here just as that stuff blows...."
"I'm trying. They don't acknowledge my signals."
Like a racing moon, the wreck of the Tellus shot below the horizon. It seemed much closer than before.
"Calling Dekorus. Why don't you answer, Dekorus? Calling Dekorus...."
Two hours later, a solitary figure stumbled into the group around the helio. The instrument was silent. Men sat or crouched in stolid hopelessness. They had just pronounced sentence of death on themselves.
"We got through," Norman told Harald. "They aren't coming. Where's Merrill?"
Harald staggered and would have fallen, but Norman gripped him roughly.