L. Ron Hubbard

“ In the dank corridor behind the second airtight men were standing around in various stages of relaxation and undress. They kept halting to gloat over the supplies which left one Russian still in helmet but without pack or gloves, another stripped to underwear, a third in pack and all. Nobody glanced at them.
Their guard shoved them into another tunnel and they wound down a gentle grade between basalt walls until they came to another series of airtights. At the end they were shoved into a chamber walled all in metal, a sort of giant strongbox with doors at each of the five sides. ”

“ The landscape was a study in Old Dutch cleanser and broken basalt. A mountain range thrust startlingly sharp and high to the west. A king-size grand canyon dived away horribly to their south. A great low plain, once miscalled a sea, stretched endlessly toward Tycho.
Two miles away a meteor landed with a crash which made the pumice ripple like waves. A great column of the stuff, stiffly formed in an explosion pattern, almost stroboscopic, stood for some time, having neither gravity nor wind to disperse it. ”

“ Space travel was to begin with seeming to create a demand for a race of small men. But he didn't tell the general this and they came to the end of the ride.
The aide expertly ushered Angel out into the bleak blackness of the take-off field, where every officer and newspaperman who could wangle it was all buttoned up to the ears and massed about the whitish blob of the ship.
The flight surgeon took over and protected Angel from the back swats and got him through to the ladder. The two smallish master sergeants—Whittaker and Boyd—were waiting at the top in the open door of the ship. ”

“ Just as he finished a small bespectacled man entered timidly, his hands full of reports. "Ruler, I have just checked the supplies and I find them safe. I began when the first case entered and have just finished. The food is not poisoned."
"So!" said Slavinsky to Boyd. "You knew better than to trip us up, did you. Ha!"
"I got to send my report to the President," said Boyd.
"I am afraid," said Slavinsky, "that I shall have to attend to that. Now, to business. You will be separated from your men, of course. And then men we need in our labor gangs. We have all too few men, you see. ”

“ A rocket missile shook the ground near them and covered them with dust. They dived headlong into a crater.
Whittaker lifted his head above the rim. "Emplacement to repel ground troops. On that crater rim."
"They must keep one manned continually as an alert," said Angel. He thoughtfully sat down. Somewhere a meteor shook ground. The tip of the last rocket explosion was still rising, catching the sunlight in a turning glitter.
"The only available entrance into the tunnels must be through that guarded emplacement," said Angel. He looked up. "There's very little sun left. ”

“ Angel got up and would have mopped his brow until his hand, striking against the helmet, reminded him where he was. He turned to find that Whittaker was already slinging the string of grenades over his shoulder.
From the third packet they took the Tommy-guns and ammunition. Armed then and in haste they started the backtrack.
Had they been able to afford more oxygen they would not have been so tired. Weightless walking took little energy and their burdens were feathers. It was rather insecure to feel a Tommy-gun so light. ”

“ A potted palm fell down and became a general.
"Fine morning, fine morning, lieutenant. You look fit. Fit, sir. No clouds and a splendid full Moon."
The aide was brilliant. Angel knew him well. The aide had been an Upperclassman when Angel was at the Point.
"Beg pardon, sir," said the aide sidewise to the general. "But we've just time to brief him as we ride down. Here, this way, lieutenant."
When they were in the car the aide said, "You have been thoroughly briefed before. But there must be a quick resumé unless you think you are thoroughly cognizant of your duties." ”

“ Boyd set the wave lengths and called.
When they had Washington as though they were Russians, Angel took the aircraft code from his kit and began to give them news that Russia wouldn't know in time.
"We have met Slavinsky," he coded. "I am in possession of this objective and require reinforcements immediately. The enemy is dead except for stragglers outside who will die. Tell the highest in command to send force quickly. We are victorious!"
Whittaker put an affectionate hand on Angel's shoulder and shook it gently. Angel felt terrible.
"Lieutenant," said the surgeon, "you'd better come around. ”

“ Slavinsky holds the Moon and is armed with plentiful atom rockets. And he who holds the Moon, we learn too late, controls all the earth below.
"We are asking you," he continued, "to take the supplies to the Moon. We have secretly loaded a space-ship with the required items and need only one officer and two men as crew.
"The reason we send you at all is to ensure the arrival of the supplies in case of breakage on the way and, more important, in the hope that Slavinsky will let you go and you can bring back data which, if accurate enough, may possibly aide us to destroy Slavinsky and his men." ”

“ They confronted the first series of doors which led to Slavinsky. In the first, second and third chambers they found no one. The fourth was locked.
Angel waved Whittaker back and from the second chamber sighted with the bazooka on the locked door.
"Look alive in case anybody comes," said Angel.
Whittaker placed the missile and then stepped aside, Tommy-gun ready.
The trajectory of the rocket flamed out. Smoke and dust dissolved the far door. The echoing concussion buffeted them, unheard through their suits. ”

“ He threw on his chest lights and the metal escape door gleamed.
They lifted it swiftly and plunged down the steps, closing it behind them. An airlock was before them.
"Keep your helmet on," said Angel. He went through.
At the third door they paused and took the safeties off their Tommy-guns. They went through alertly. But no one barred their way and they entered the main tunnel. To their right they could see their big ports beyond which stood their ship.
Supplies were scattered along the walls. Space suits hung on pegs. Weapons were racked.
"Come along," said Angel. ”

“ I think Lieutenant May should be so warned."
"Yes, yes," said the President. "This is of the utmost importance. You are only to return if Slavinsky permits it. You are to attempt no heroics. For if you failed in them we would pay the price. Am I understood in that, lieutenant?"
Angel said he was.
"Now then," said the president, "the space-ship is waiting and, when you have picked your two crewmen and Commander Dawson gives the word, you can leave. These despatches"—and he took up a sheaf of them—"are for General Slavinsky and may be considered important only as routine diplomatic exchanges." ”

“ No less than nineteen frail, charming and truly startling young ladies, all professing undying passion and future faithfulness, had turned up one after the other and it was something of a task making each one unaware of the other eighteen and confirmed in her belief in his lasting fidelity. ”

“ One, immediately to prepare a land, sea and air attack on Russia—one city in the United States or one city in Russia to pay for the first use of atom bombs by either—in order to secure the government of that nation to Slavinsky. And two, to send instantly a long list of needed supplies by one of the space-ships known to be ready in the United States. Angel knew that he was to be interested in "two." ”

“ Whittaker nodded inside his lucite casque. "It'll get awful dark, lootenant."
"Fine," said Angel. "Take bearings on the emplacement from the two rims of the crater. A man could get hurt stumbling around here without lights."
Whittaker got busy with the engineer's companion, an azimuth compass. It worked fairly well, though heaven knows where the magnetic pole of the Moon might be. He made a small chart of prominent land marks which would be easy to find in the dark. ”

“ It was balanced off in his mind whether he would kill Slavinsky by slow fire or small knife cuts.
For Angel had very far from enjoyed being cheated of the glory of being the first man to fly to the Moon and he distinctly disliked a man who would make a slave country of the United States. Prejudiced perhaps, but the Angel believed America was a fine country and should stay free.
Boyd raked up three packages, tying a line and a C ration can, buoy-like, upon it. Whittaker got a port open, inside pane only, and looked at the scenery. ”

“ Most of them were of the Moon gang, destined to go, once upon a time, in various capacities on the abandoned expedition. None of them looked very cheerful.
There was hardly a ripple or a glance when the big Cadillac drew up at the curb. Their senior barked attention and the officers drew up. Only then, when ordered to see nothing and be robot, did Angel note that the car had the SecNav's flag on it.
Four civilians, namely the secretary of state, the secretaries of defense, war and the navy, alighted, followed by a five star admiral and a five star general. ”

“ Such strains should not be placed upon young men about to fly two hundred and forty thousand miles straight up. And it takes hours to say a proper good-by. And it takes more hours to be respectful to brass. And it takes time, time, time to drink up all the toasts shoved at one. All in all it was a very exhausting evening.
Not until zero one zero six did Colonel Anthony manage to catch the collapsing Angel in such a way as to keep him. Wrapped in the massive grip of Colonel Anthony, Angel said, "Candrin four oh eigh—snore!" ”