Rocket to Luna

Ted stared at his friend, his arms hanging at his sides, a puzzled look on his face. “I don’t understand, Jack,” he said at length. “Why don’t you want me to get a doctor?”

“Brother, how stupid can you get?” A new spasm of pain ripped through Jack’s body. He ducked his head, his lips skinned back over his teeth. He bent slightly at the waist, as if the pain were too much to bear standing erect.

“I’m going,” Ted said suddenly. He started to move, and Jack reached out with one hand, sinking his fingers into Ted’s shoulder. He whirled Ted around, slammed him against the bulkhead, the effort bringing new agony to his face.

“Look,” he gasped, “keep... keep your silly... nose out of this. Understand?”

He drew back his arm suddenly, and Ted saw pain knifing his features again.

“When did you hurt yourself?” he asked.

Jack didn’t answer for a moment. He kept his head bent, his fingers pressed against his collarbone. “It’ll pass,” he murmured. “The pain only comes... every... now and then.”

Ted suddenly remembered the blastoff from Earth and the pain that had contorted Jack’s features. “Was it during blastoff?” he asked. “Was that when you hurt yourself?”

Jack nodded, swallowing hard. “That’s when. Yes. Yes.”

“Where?”

“My collarbone.”

“Is it broken?”

“I don’t think so. No.”

“I’m going to get a doctor,” Ted said again.

Jack lifted his head, his eyes blazing. “You’ll do nothing,” he whispered. “You’ll keep your mouth shut and forget all about this.”

“But you said...”

“Just forget everything I said. Just go about your business and forget you even know me. Until I’m on my way to the Moon.”

Ted pulled his brows together and looked at Jack huddled against the bulkhead, his fingers massaging his injured collarbone.

“You can’t go to the Moon like that,” he said. “Acceleration might break the bone — if it’s not broken already.”

“It’s not broken,” Jack insisted, “and I’m not worried about acceleration.”

“You’ll be endangering your life,” Ted said. “The Manual says no man should undergo acceleration unless he’s in top physical...”

“Stop harping on that Manual,” Jack said. “School days are school days, and this is something entirely different. You think I’m going to pass up a shot at the Moon because of a rules book? You think I’m crazy?”

Ted’s eyes narrowed. “You’re supposed to be going along as a possible replacement for any man in the crew. How can you replace anyone if you’re going to need replacement yourself?”

“Let me worry about that,” Jack said.

“Suppose something should go wrong? Suppose one of the men gets sick? How will you...”

“Look, Ted,” Jack interrupted, “I’m going to the Moon. I’ve come this far, and I’m going the rest of the way, collarbone or no collarbone.”

“You’re being downright selfish. You’re not only gambling with your own life; you’re endangering the life of every man in the crew.”

“Stop being a kid, for crying out loud! I’m due for pilot and navigator training after this hop. You know what this will mean? I’ll be made. I can write my own ticket anywhere after this. You think I’m going to let a bruised bone stop me? Grow up, will you?”

Ted considered this for a moment. “Suppose I tell the doctor anyway?”

“That’ll mean washout for me. I’ll be through as far as the Air Force is concerned.” He paused. “You wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?”

“I... I don’t know.”

Jack smiled. “This bone bruise is nothing, Ted, Acceleration won’t hurt it a bit. You’ll see.”

“If it’s nothing to worry about, why won’t you see a doctor?”

“Because I don’t want to get tangled up in a lot of red tape. By the rules book, I’d be out. But you know, as well as I do, that the rules don’t always apply.”

Ted passed a nervous hand over his face. “Jack, why don’t you...?”

The smile had left Jack’s face, and a scowl darkened his features now. “This is none of your business, Ted,” he warned. “Just keep out of it. Your job is to stay here at the Station for a year.” He paused. “My job is to reach the Moon.”

“But will you reach it? That’s just my point. With a bruised bone, you’re liable to...”

“That’s my worry,” Jack said again. He looked down at the suitcases on the deck. “I think you’d better carry these yourself. I don’t want to take any chances.”

He started down the corridor, leaving Ted with the baggage. At the end of the metal hall, he turned and said, “I’m going to the Moon, Ted, and no one’s going to stop me.”

His mouth set into a tight line, and there was no compromise on his face. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep your mouth shut!”

Chapter 5 Accident

Ted dreamed that night. The dream started with a screaming rocket that blazed a fiery trail across the blackness of his mind. The rocket tore up from Earth and disappeared into the clouds, its trail disintegrated into dead ashes among the stars.

And then the sky fell down.