“Six months?” Merola began chuckling softly. “Pardon me, sir, but we can hold out for six years. Man is on the Moon to stay.”
“Good. Excellent. Wonderful. By thunder, Merola, that’s... that’s...” The general paused, and they heard him shout to someone, “Did you hear that, Charlie? Get on your confounded relay and broadcast that to Earth. Tell them the crew is safe and the Moon is ours. Tell them... tell them this is just the beginning. By jove, tell them... tell them... what are you standing there for, Charlie? Get moving.”
The general came back to the microphone and asked, “Is Baker there, Merola?”
Ted’s heart stopped beating for an instant.
“Yes, sir,” Merola answered.
“There’s someone here who’d like to talk to him. Put him on, will you?”
“Yes, sir.”
Ted took the microphone from Merola and said, “Baker, sir.”
“Just a moment, Baker.”
Ted gripped the hand microphone tightly, the sweat beginning to bead his forehead again. This was it. This was probably some big-shot general, or maybe the President of the United States. It was all over. Finished. Good-by, Baker, it was nice having you.
“Hello, Ted.”
Ted tried to place the voice. It sounded vaguely familiar, but he wasn’t sure because of the distortion.
“Hello,” he said meekly.
“This is Jack. Jack Talbot.”
“Who?” Ted leaned forward closer to the receiver, his eyes wide in surprise.
“Jack Talbot. I... I wanted to apologize, Ted. I wanted to tell you that you were right. The Moon trip was too important for someone like me to spoil. I’ve told them all about it down here, Ted. Everything. They’re releasing all charges against you.”
“What about you, Jack. I wouldn’t want you to...”
“I don’t deserve it, but they’re giving me another chance. I... I think maybe they feel I’ve learned a little something, Ted. Something a guy like you knew all along.”
“Well, well, Jack...”
“Baker!” the general’s voice snapped. “He’s right. What he said about all charges being dropped is true. And Baker?”
“Yes, sir?”
“You’re a good man, Baker. We won’t forget what Merola’s told us about you.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“All right, we’re going to sign off now. You men get a good night’s sleep. You can call us in the morning again.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
“Out.”
They didn’t go straight to sleep. They sat around talking for a long time, planning everything they would do, planning every move now that their time on the Moon was unlimited.
And at last, when they were too tired to talk any further, they crawled into their couches and bid each other good night.
Ted lay back, his arms behind his head, his eyes fastened to the viewport.
Far off in the distance, like a pale blue globe hung against the sky, he could see Earth.
It was strange, but it didn’t seem very far away any more.