The Winning of the Moon
BY KRIS NEVILLE
The enemy was friendly enough.
Trouble was—their friendship
was as dangerous as their hate!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Worlds of If Science Fiction, September 1962.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
General Finogenov notified Major Winship that the underground blast wasscheduled for the following morning.
Major Winship, after receiving the message, discussed precautions withthe three other Americans.
Next morning, before the sunlight exploded, the four of them donnedtheir space suits and went and sat outside the dome, waiting. The sunrose with its bright, silent clap of radiance. Black pools of shadowslay in harsh contrast, their edges drawn with geometric precision.
Major Winship attempted unsuccessfully to communicate with BaseGagarin. "Will you please request the general to keep us informed onthe progress of the countdown?"
"Is Pinov," came the reply. "Help?"
"Nyet," said Major Winship, exhausting his Russian. "Count down.Progress. When—boom?"
"Is Pinov," came the reply.
"Boom! Boom!" said Major Winship in exasperation.
"Boom!" said Pinov happily.
"When?"
"Boom—boom!" said Pinov.
"Oh, nuts." Major Winship cut out the circuit. "They've got Pinov onemergency watch this morning," he explained to the other Americans."The one that doesn't speak English."
"He's done it deliberately," said Capt. Wilkins, the eldest of the fourAmericans. "How are we going to know when it's over?"
No one bothered to respond. They sat for a while in silence while theshadows evaporated. One by one they clicked on their cooling systems.
Ultimately, Lt. Chandler said, "This is a little ridiculous. I'm goingto switch over to their channel. Rap if you want me." He sat transfixedfor several minutes. "Ah, it's all Russian. Jabbering away. I can'ttell a thing that's going on."
In the airless void of the moon, the blast itself would be silent. Amoth's wing of dust would, perhaps, rise and settle beyond the horizon:no more.
"Static?"
"Nope."
"We'll get static on these things."
A small infinity seemed to pass very slowly.
Major Winship shifted restlessly. "My reefer's gone on the fritz."Perspiration was trickling down his face.
"Let's all go in," said the fourth American, Capt. Lawler. "It'sprobably over by now."
"I'll try again," Major Winship said and switched to the emergencychannel. "Base Gagarin? Base Gagarin?"
"Is Pinov. Help?"
"Nyet."
"Pinov's still there," Major Winship said.
"Tell him, 'Help'," said Capt. Wilkins, "so he'll get somebody we cantalk to."
"I'll see them all in hell, first," Major Winship said.
Five minutes later, the perspiration was rivers across his face. "Thisis it," he said. "I'm going in."
"Let's all—"
"No. I've got to cool off."
"Hell, Charlie, I feel stupid sitting out here," Capt. Lawler said."The shot probably went off an hour ago."
"The static level hasn't gone up much, if at all."
"Maybe," Lt. Chandler said, "it's buried too deep."
"Maybe so," Major Winship said. "But we can't have the dome fall downaround all our ears." He stood. "Whew! You guys stay put."
He crossed with the floating moon-motion to the airlock and entered,closing the door behind him. The darkness slowly filled with air, andthe tempe