Rip Foster Rides the Gray Planet Part 33

A new voice said, "Now that's real wisdom!"

Rip turned quickly and looked through a helmet at the grinning face of Major Joe Barris.

Barris spoke as though to himself, but Rip turned red as his hair. "Funny how fast a man ages in s.p.a.ce," the Planeteer major remarked. "Take Foster.

A few weeks ago he was just a cadet, a raw recruit who had never met high vack. Now he's talking like the grandfather of all s.p.a.ce. I don't know how the Special Order Squadrons ever got along before he became an officer."

Rip had been feeling a little too proud of himself.

"It's good to get back," Rip said.

CHAPTER TWENTY - ON THE PLATFORM

There were two things Rip could see from his hospital bed on the s.p.a.ce platform. One was the great curve of earth. He was anxious to get out of the hospital and back to Terra.

The second thing was the asteroid. s.p.a.cemen were at work on it, slowly cutting it to pieces. The pieces were small enough to be carried back to earth in supply rockets. It would be a long time before the asteroid was completely cut up and transported to Terra base.

Sergeant-major Koa came into the hospital ward and sat on Rip's bed. The plastifoam mattress compressed under his weight. "How are you feeling, sir?"

"Pretty good," Rip replied. The worst of the radiation sickness was over and he was mending fast. Here and there were little blood stains just below the surface of his skin, and he had no more hair than a plastic ball. Otherwise he looked normal. The stains would go away and his hair would grow back within a matter of weeks.

Santos, now officially a sergeant, was in the same condition. The rest of Rip's Planeteers had resumed duties on the s.p.a.ce platform. He saw them frequently because they made a point of dropping in whenever they were near the hospital area.

Koa looked out at the asteroid. "I sort of hate to see that rock cut up.

There isn't much about a chunk of thorium to get sentimental over, but after fighting for it the way we did, it doesn't seem right to cut it into blocks."

"I know how you feel," Rip admitted, "but after all, that's what we brought it back for."

He studied Koa's brown face. The big Hawaiian had something on his mind.

"Got vack worms chewing at you?" he asked. Vack worms were a s.p.a.ceman's equivalent of "the blues."

"Not exactly, sir. I happened to overhear the doctor talking today. You're due for a leave in a week."

"That's good news!" Rip exclaimed. "You're not unhappy about it, are you?"

Koa shrugged. "We were all hoping we'd be together on our next a.s.signment.

The gang liked serving under you. But we're overdue for s.h.i.+pment to somewhere, and if you take eight weeks' leave, we'll be gone by the time you come back to the platform."

"I liked serving with all of you, too." Rip replied. "I watched the way you all behaved when the s.p.a.ce-flap was getting tough and it made me proud to be a Planeteer."

Major Joe Barris came in. He was carrying an envelope in his hand.

"h.e.l.lo, Rip. How are you, Koa? Am I interrupting a private talk?"

"No, Major," Koa replied. "We're just pa.s.sing the time. Want me to leave?"

"Stay here," Barris said. "This concerns you, too. I've been rea.s.signed.

My eight years on the platform are up, and that's all an instructor gets.

Now I'm off for s.p.a.ce on another job."

Rip knew that instructors were a.s.signed for eight-year periods. And he knew that the major's specialty was the Planeteer science of exploration.

Barris's specialty required him to be an expert in biology, zoology, anthropology, navigation and astrogation, and in land fighting. Not to mention a half dozen other lesser things. Only ten Planeteers rated expert in exploration and all were captains or majors.

"Where are you going?" Rip asked. "Off to explore something?"

"That's it." Major Barris smiled. "Remember once I said that when they gave me the job of cleaning up the goopies on Ganymede I'd ask for you as a platoon leader?"

Rip stared. "Don't tell me that's your a.s.signment!"

"Almost. Tell me, would you recommend any more of your men for promotion?

I'll need a new sergeant and two more corporals."

Rip thought it over. "Koa can check me on this. I'd suggest making Pederson a sergeant and Dowst and Dominico corporals. Kemp and Santos already have promotions."

"That would be my choice, too," Koa agreed.

"Fine." Barris tapped the envelope. "I'll correct the orders in here and recommend the promotions. We'll get sixteen new recruits from the graduating cla.s.s at Luna and that will complete the platoon I'm supposed to organize. Two full platoons are waiting, and the new platoon will give me a full-strength squadron. Except for new officers. How about Flip Villa for a platoon commander, Rip?"

Rip knew the Mexican officer was among the best of his own graduating cla.s.s. "I have to admit prejudice," he warned. "Flip is a pal of mine. But I don't think you could do better." His curiosity got the best of him and he asked, "Can you tell me what this is all about?"

Joe Barris reached over and rubbed Rip's bald head. "By the time fur grows back on that irradiated dome of yours, I'll be on my way with Koa, Pederson, and the new recruits. Santos and the rest of your crew will report to Terra base. Flip Villa will join them there. You'll be on earth-leave for eight weeks, but it will take about that much time for Flip and the men to a.s.semble the supplies and equipment we'll need."

He pulled a sheaf of papers out of the envelope. "Koa, here are orders for you and your men. They say you're to report to Special Order Squadron Seven, on Ganymede. SOS Seven is a new squadron, the first one organized exclusively for exploration duties, and I'm its commanding officer. Koa, you'll be my senior noncommissioned officer. I want you and Pederson with me because you can organize the new recruits enroute. They have a lot more to learn from you than they got in their two years of training. You'll make real Planeteers out of 'em."

He picked a paper from the sheaf and waved it at Rip. "This is for you, Lieutenant Foster." He read, "Foster, R.I.P., Lieutenant, SOS. Serial seven-nine-four-three. Authorized eight weeks' earth-leave upon discharge from hospital. Upon completion of leave subject officer will report to Terra base for transportation to SOS Seven on Ganymede."

Joe Barris handed Rip his new orders. "You'll be on the same s.h.i.+p with Flip Villa and your men. Flip will be another of my platoon leaders. I'll be waiting for you on Ganymede. The moons of Jupiter will be our home for quite a while, Rip. Our first a.s.signment is to explore Callisto from pole to pole."

Rip didn't know what to say. To serve under Barris, to have his own men in a regular squadron platoon, to have Flip Villa in the same outfit, and to be a.s.signed to exploration duty-dirtiest but most exciting of all Planeteer jobs-it was just too much. He couldn't say anything. He could only grin.

Major Joe Barris looked at Rip's s.h.i.+ny head and chuckled. "From what I hear of Callisto, we're in for a rough time. Your hair will probably grow back just in time to turn gray!"

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