The orders were conditional. If possible, they were to set up an outpost on Venus, as others had done several years before on Mars. Consisting mainly of scientists, the crew was to find out all it could about the new world. In one year the second ship would follow, bringing engineers and laborers. The scientists were to have, by that time, the information required to form the first colony quickly, wisely, and safely.
If confronted with insurmountable obstacles, they were to return at once to Earth with whatever information they might have as to the nature of the obstacles.
McBride grinned in spite of his regret over the loss of his ship and looked at the wreckage. That sort of made the orders unconditional.
Things could have been worse, he thought. Not one of the ten men in the expedition had been lost or even badly injured. And, Venus being the land of plenty that it had turned out to be, it was beginning to look as if the stay here would be a pleasant one.
He was just starting to get some of his old spunk back when Jeff Flaunders came up to him with a worried frown on his face.
Because of the limited space aboard the ship, Flaunders was a combination of several men, as were most of the others. Specially trained for the expedition, he handled anything that went under the heading of botany, biology or zoology.
Now he was looking worried.
"You look a lot like bad news," McBride said as Flaunders drew near. "Might have known there'd be a catch to this world."
"More than a catch," Flaunders said. "I hope none of the men has eaten anything native to Venus."
McBride shook his head. "They haven't if they've followed orders. I told them not to touch anything until you had made a report." He looked at the other questioningly. "Poison?"