The Winning of the Moon

General Finogenov notified Major Winship that the underground blast was scheduled for the following morning.

Major Winship, after receiving the message, discussed precautions with the three other Americans.

Next morning, before the sunlight exploded, the four of them donned their space suits and went and sat outside the dome, waiting. The sun rose with its bright, silent clap of radiance. Black pools of shadows lay in harsh contrast, their edges drawn with geometric precision.

Major Winship attempted unsuccessfully to communicate with Base Gagarin. "Will you please request the general to keep us informed on the 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 on emergency 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 four Americans. "How are we going to know when it's over?"

No one bothered to respond. They sat for a while in silence while the shadows evaporated. One by one they clicked on their cooling systems.

Ultimately, Lt. Chandler said, "This is a little ridiculous. I'm going to switch over to their channel. Rap if you want me." He sat transfixed for several minutes. "Ah, it's all Russian. Jabbering away. I can't tell a thing that's going on."

In the airless void of the moon, the blast itself would be silent. A moth'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's probably over by now."

"I'll try again," Major Winship said and switched to the emergency channel. "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 can talk to."

"I'll see them all in hell, first," Major Winship said.

Five minutes later, the perspiration was rivers across his face. "This is 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 down around all our ears." He stood. "Whew! You guys stay put."