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.Alan Carter, called ‘Radio contact with Alpha imminent, Commander.’Koenig left his seat beside Helena and went through to be ready and waiting.Bob Mathias went on foot to Main Mission to sort it out with the top hand.There was an angry rasp in his voice as he said, ‘What the hell is going on Morrow?’‘There is nothing I can do.’‘If you maintain those cuts, you might as well shoot my patients.’‘All right, Doctor.I’m telling you there’s no way we can give you back that power.’‘God dammit, they’re sick people! They won’t survive at those temperatures!’‘Then I can tell you, they’ll be a little way ahead of the rest of us.If these power losses continue.none of us will survive.’He held Mathias’s angry glare for a beat.Mathias spun on his heel.At the hatch, he called out, ‘It’s on your conscience then, Morrow.’Sandra tried the monitor.It read POWER LOSS RATE 50%.Koenig’s voice sounded on the Eagle Command net.‘Come in Main Mission.’It was poor reception and Koenig’s face on the screen was distorting.‘This is John Koenig.Do you read me?’Morrow called, ‘We have you, Eagle One.’‘Situation, Paul?’‘Fifty percent power loss.’‘Listen carefully.We’re clearing, out.Put Operation Exodus into effect, immediately.Details later.’Calculations raced through Morrow’s head.Without normal power, it would be a mammoth task.Other staff were doing the sums.Grim faced, they watched him hit the PA button.‘This is Controller Paul Morrow.Stand by for an important announcement.We are putting Operation Exodus into immediate effect.’Sandra Benes checked the monitor.It told her again, POWER LOSS RATE 50%.She cleared the screen and went through the sequence for confirmation.Once more the screen glowed with POWER LOSS RATE 50%.She called, ‘Paul!’‘What is it?’‘Look.it’s stopped.Power has stabilized.’Disbelieving, Morrow checked the sequence for himself.She was right.He got it again, POWER LOSS RATE 50%.He called, ‘Kano.Computer check!’As Kano moved, Morrow called Eagle One ‘Commander.Something new.Power seems to have stabilized.’Koenig’s face was clearer.‘Stabilized? Are you sure?’Computer print-out was coming off the press and Kano read it out, ‘Computer confirms power loss, fifty per cent and stable.’Morrow said, ‘That’s it Commander, we’re not losing any more power.It’s holding at that.What about Exodus—do we go ahead?’‘Hold everything.Keep it on ice—if that isn’t a dirty word.Wait until we get back.’The first sign of a break in the all round gloom, it had Helena Russell and Bergman smiling at each other.Surely there was something they could work out? But the pair in the back seat took it another way.Faces grim, they looked at each other.Evacuation to Arkadia was no longer a sure thing.As Eagle One dropped to her pad and a boarding tube ran out, Morrow made a welcome announcement, ‘Phase Six power cuts cancelled.All other economies still stand.’It was a long walk to Main Mission.Koenig was still trying to think the thing through.He said, ‘Helena, check out the survival requirements for the base on the terms of a fifty per cent power loss.Rush it through.’Two by two, they were peeling off the group as they came to intersections.Left alone with Bergman, Koenig stopped at a communications post.‘What now.Paul?’‘Still fifty per cent and holding.’‘Do the instruments tell us anything?’‘Not the how or why, but it looks like it has really stabilized.’Bergman was due to turn off for his section, ‘The planetary data.do you want me to work on it?’‘Store it for now.When we have time we’ll process it.’Koenig walked on and stopped at the next post, ‘Paul, check the energy requirements for high priority areas.’‘That’s been done, Commander.We’ve just enough to keep them operational.Just.’When he reached Main Mission, he was welcome.He could see from their faces that they expected him to pull something out of the hat.‘How does it go?’Sandra pointed to her monitor, ‘No change.’‘Good.Paul, I’d like a talk.’In the command office, Koenig sank wearily into his command seat.It was wholly cold and cheerless.He said, ‘Morale?’‘Not good.They’ve worked it out for themselves.They know we’re stuck here.They know the power situation.They don’t know why or how long this will last.’‘Priority one is to keep personnel alive.’‘What’s the planet like?’‘Worse.’The command console bleeped and Helena Russell’s face joined the wake.But she had reasonably good news.‘John, if we hold at fifty per cent we have a viable system on food and life support.Not pleasant, but we could survive.’Koenig came to a decision, ‘Paul, call all sections.Cancel Exodus [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]