the only sound was the swish of the jets against the sand as the big ship came down. slowly, nose pointed skyward, a yellow tail streaming out behind the tubes, it settled to the ground like a cat nuzzling its haunches against a velvet pillow.
dave langley peered through the viewport.
"i feel kind of funny," he said.
a tremor of excitement flooded through cal manners' thin frame. "mars," he whispered. "we made it."
gently, the fins probed the sand, poking into it. cal cut the power and the big ship shuddered and relaxed, a huge metal spider with a conical head.
cal peered through the viewport, his eyes scanning the planet. behind him, dave shrugged into a space suit, gathered up his instruments.
"i'll make the tests," dave said. "keep the starboard guns trained on me."
cal nodded. he walked dave to the airlock and lifted the toggles on the inner hatch. dave stepped into the small chamber, and cal snapped the hatch shut.
he walked quickly to the starboard guns, wiggled into the plastic seat behind them and pitched his shoulders against the braces. outside, like a grotesque balloon, dave stumbled around on weighted feet, taking his readings.
what's out there? cal wondered. just exactly what?
he tightened his grip on the big blasters, and trained the guns around to where dave puttered in the sand. dave suddenly stood erect, waved at cal, and started lumbering back toward the ship. cal left the guns and went to the airlock. he stepped into the chamber closed the toggles on the hatch behind him, and twirled the wheel on the outer hatch. he was ready to move back into the ship again when dave stepped through the outer hatch, his helmet under his arm.
"it's okay, cal. breathable atmosphere. and the pressure is all right, too."
cal let out a sigh of relief. "come on," he said. "get out of that monkey suit. then we'll claim the planet for earth."
they went back into the ship, and dave took off the suit, hanging it carefully in its locker. both men strapped on holsters and drew stun guns from the munitions locker. they checked the charges in their weapons, holstered them, and stepped out into the martian night.
it was cold, but their clothing was warm and the air was invigorating. cal looked up at the sky.
"phobos," he said, pointing.
"and deimos," dave added.
"ike and mike."
"yeah." dave smiled.
"how do you feel, dave?" cal asked suddenly.
"how do you mean?"
"mars. i mean, we're the first men to land on mars. the first, dave!"
they were walking aimlessly, in no particular hurry.
"it's funny," dave said. "i told you before. i feel kind of—"
