And then even that point of light disappeared as Thom was swallowed by the huge drogue and an absolute darkness descended. Pascal braced himself for the impact when Thorn hit the rear of the drogue. He prayed that his safety lines would hold, that he wouldn’t be thrown off the deck. He dropped down and held on with both hands while he braced his feet against the traveler bar.
Contact was more like a soft kiss than a harsh crash. There was a slight bump, then a grinding noise as Thom swung around until her broad side rested against the wall of the drogue.
Pascal turned on his light so he could find his way back to the cockpit and noted that the deck was canted at an angle. This puzzled him for a moment until he remembered that the top of the mast was probably touching the low wall of the drogue and forcing the entire ship to one side. They must have come to rest in the very tip of the huge bucket, the very safest place he could be. Now he had only to wait for them to haul their catch up to the station. A piece of cake, as Louella would say.
The young elevator pilot who had delivered them to the station several weeks before smiled in recognition as Pascal and Louella climbed out of the connection tube and eased themselves into their seats.
“Have a good race?” he asked innocently as he readied his elevator for the long trip back up the cable to synchronous orbit where their transport back to Earth and Jerome Blacker’s wrath awaited.
Pascal glanced at Louella, smiled, and answered. “Let’s just say that this race was one of our best.”
Louella glared at him, “Pascal, you are so full of crap! The only one who came out ahead was Rams, God bless his grasping, greedy heart. Damn it, we lost the frigging race, gave away Thom, cost JBI a bundle, and almost killed ourselves. This race was an unmitigated disaster from the beginning to the end.”
Pascal continued to smile at her. Yes, the great Jupiter race had been all of that, and more. But without it he wouldn’t have become the man he now knew, and accepted. He reached over, took her hand, and squeezed it gently.
“It was all of that, Louella, and,” he added sincerely, “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!”
Editor’s Note: This is a sequel to “Primrose and Thom” in the May 1996 issue.