rocket talk, and it meant the moment when all the fuel in a rocket burned
out. It had come into common use because the English "burn out" could
also mean that the engine itself had burned out. The German word meant
only the one thing. Now, in nuclear drive ships, the same word was used
for the moment when power was cut off.

Words interested him. He started to mention it to Koa just as the
telescreen lit up. An officer's face appeared. "Send that Planeteer
officer to the commander," the face said. "Tell him to show an exhaust."

Rip called instantly to the safety officer. "Where's his office?"

The safety officer motioned to a spaceman. "Show him, Nelson."

Rip followed the spaceman through a maze of passages, growing more
weightless with each step. The closer to the center of the ship they
went, the less he weighed. He was drawing himself along by plastic pull
cords when they finally reached the door marked COMMANDER.

The spaceman left without a word or a salute. Rip pushed the lock bar and
pulled himself in by grabbing the door frame. He couldn't help thinking
it was a rather undignified way to make an entrance.

Seated in an acceleration chair, a safety belt across his middle,
was Space Commander Kevin O'Brine, an Irishman out of Dublin. He was
short, as compact as a deto-rocket, and obviously unfriendly. He had a
mathematically square jaw, a lopsided nose, green eyes, and sandy hair.
He spoke with a pronounced Irish brogue.

Rip started to announce his name, rank, and the fact that he was