Have Space Suit—Will Travel by Heinlein Robert A

Author:Heinlein, Robert A. [Heinlein, Robert A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Classics, Fantasy, Adventure
ISBN: 9781416505495
Amazon: 1416505490
Goodreads: 20417
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 1958-09-01T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

I was jarred out of useless brain-cudgeling by an explosion, a sharp crack—a bass rumble—then a whoosh! of reduced pressure. I bounced to my feet—anyone who has ever depended on a space suit is never again indifferent to a drop in pressure. I gasped, “What the deuce!”

Then I added, “Whoever is on watch had better get on the ball—or we’ll all be breathing thin cold stuff.” No oxygen outside, I was sure—or rather the astronomers were and I didn’t want to test it.

Then I said, “Somebody bombing us? I hope.”

“Or was it an earthquake?”

This was not an idle remark. That Scientific American article concerning “summer” on Pluto had predicted “sharp isostatic readjustments” as the temperature rose—which is a polite way of saying, “Hold your hats! Here comes the chimney!”

I was in an earthquake once, in Santa Barbara; I didn’t need a booster shot to remember what every Californian knows and others learn in one lesson: when the ground does a jig, get outdoors!

Only I couldn’t.

I spent two minutes checking whether adrenalin had given me the strength to jump eighteen feet instead of twelve. It hadn’t. That was all I did for a half-hour, if you don’t count nail biting.

Then I heard my name! “Kip! Oh, Kip!”

“Peewee!” I screamed. “Here! Peewee!”

Silence for an eternity of three heartbeats—“Kip?”

“Down HERE!”

“Kip? Are you down this hole?”

“Yes! Can’t you see me?” I saw her head against the light above.

“Uh, I can now. Oh, Kip, I’m so glad!”

“Then why are you crying? So am I!”

“I’m not crying,” she blubbered. “Oh Kip…Kip.”

“Can you get me out?”

“Uh—” She surveyed that drop. “Stay where you are.”

“Don’t go ’way!” She already had.

She wasn’t gone two minutes; it merely seemed like a week. Then she was back and the darling had a nylon rope!

“Grab on!” she shrilled.

“Wait a sec. How is it fastened?”

“I’ll pull you up.”

“No, you won’t—or we’ll both be down here. Find somewhere to belay it.”

“I can lift you.”

“Belay it! Hurry!”

She left again, leaving an end in my hands. Shortly I heard very faintly: “On belay!”

I shouted, “Testing!” and took up the slack. I put my weight on it—it held. “Climbing!” I yelled, and followed the final “g” up the hole and caught it.

She flung herself on me, an arm around my neck, one around Madame Pompadour, and both of mine around her. She was even smaller and skinnier than I remembered. “Oh, Kip, it’s been just awful.”

I patted her bony shoulder blades. “Yeah, I know. What do we do now? Where’s W—”

I started to say, “Where’s Wormface?” but she burst into tears.

“Kip—I think she’s dead!”

My mind skidded—I was a bit stir-crazy anyhow. “Huh? Who?”

She looked as amazed as I was confused. “Why, the Mother Thing.”

“Oh.” I felt a flood of sorrow. “But, honey, are you sure? She was talking to me right up to the last—and I didn’t die.”

“What in the world are you talk—Oh. I don’t mean then, Kip; I mean now.”

“Huh? She was here?”

“Of course. Where else?”

Now that’s a silly question, it’s a big universe.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.