Chapter 47 47. The second passenger

As if he had lifted a mountain on his shoulders, Morgan felt filled with indescribable confidence.Up to now, "No Ji Tai Lai", everything will go smoothly! However, he did not leave the spot until all the tiniest details had been thought through; and when Kingsley advised him again to hurry down—this time with a certain concern in his voice, Nor was his answer straightforward.No more needless disappointment to those who remain on Earth and those in orbital towers. "I want to do a little experiment," Morgan said tactfully, "give me a few minutes, please." He pulled out that little superfiber winch.It was this which, many years ago, had allowed him to descend from the cliff ledge of Mount Jacques to the bottom.Since then, a minor modification has been made to its construction for safety reasons - the first meter of thin wire is coated with a protective plastic so that it can be seen , and it can be held even with bare hands.

Looking at the locket in the palm of his hand, Morgan realized how much he trusted this unique "talisman".Of course, he didn't really believe in such things.However, he always found some valid reason to keep the "tape measure" with him.For example, in today's play, it's uniquely high intensity that keeps Morgan out of trouble.To be honest, he almost forgot that there are other uses for this thing... He climbed out of the cockpit again, kneeling on the small grid-shaped platform.The bolt that caused the trouble stayed about ten centimeters below the grille. After six or seven attempts, it was quite tiring, if not irritating.Inspired by the spirit of "not giving up until the goal is reached", Morgan finally put the loop of thin wire on the bolt body, just behind the clip where the bolt is stuck.And now, the most difficult thing is...

He ran out a length of thread from the "tape measure," which was needed so that the exposed fibers would touch the bolt and catch it; then he pulled the thread taut until he felt it cut into the groove of the thread.Morgan had never worked with a centimeter thick hardened steel before, and he didn't know how long it would take to complete this operation.It shouldn't be too long!He set to work with his invisible saw. Five minutes later he was sweating, but hadn't figured out if he'd made any progress.He dared not loosen the taut thread lest it fall out of the equally invisible gap through which--as he wished--the bolt would be severed.

Warren contacted him several times, each time becoming more anxious, and Morgan just told him not to worry in a few words.Now, he was going to rest for a while, intending to explain the whole thing after taking a breath.It was his duty to his agitated old friends. "Fan, what are you doing there?" Kingsley asked. "The people in the orbital tower have been looking for me several times. What should I tell them?" "Give me a few more minutes. I'm trying to figure out how to saw off the bolt..." A calm and commanding female voice interrupted Morgan's words, so frightened that he almost didn't drop the precious "tape measure" in his hand.The cosmic sealer muffled the voice a bit, but it didn't have much of an effect.Although it had been many months since the last time I heard this voice, it was all too familiar after all.

"Dr. Morgan," Cora said, "please lie down and rest for ten minutes." "Can you agree to just take a five-minute break?" he pleaded with Cora. ​​"I'm busy right now." Cora didn't answer him—some devices were capable of extremely simple conversations, but this model wasn't in that category. Morgan kept his word, and for the full five minutes he took deep, even breaths.Then, start sawing again.He alternately pulled the superfiber back and forth, while his body leaned against the grid at an altitude of four hundred kilometers away from the earth.He felt a rather strong resistance—meaning that the tough steel had finally yielded.But to what extent did you surrender? — It is impossible to be certain of this.

"Dr. Morgan," Cora said, "you absolutely need to lie down and rest for half an hour." Morgan cursed under his breath. "You're wrong, miss!" he retorted. "I feel great about myself." He was lying, and Cora knew that there was a dull pain in his chest... "Who are you talking to over there?" Kingsley asked. "That's what happened, an angel flew by... Sorry, I forgot to turn off the microphone. I'm going to take another rest." Morgan made up a very ugly lie. "How are you doing?" "I don't know. But I believe the gap is already very deep. It should be very deep..." Morgan replied very uncertainly.

If only Cora had been turned off.But even if she wasn't securely tucked between Morgan's rib cage and the fabric of the "jacket" she must not have done so.You know, it is not impossible to force the sensors of heart activity to be silenced, but the consequences of doing so are very serious-the side effects it produces are simply dangerous. "Dr. Morgan," Cora said, obviously angry this time: "I seriously request you: You must take a complete rest for more than half an hour." This time Morgan didn't talk back.He knew Cora was right, but he didn't understand that it wasn't just his life that was at stake... Besides, he believed—like the bridges he built—that there was a certain degree of safety.Its diagnosis will always be a pessimistic view of the problem, which is not necessarily as serious as she would have you believe.At least, that's what he's pinning his hopes on for now.

The pain in the chest did not intensify further.He decided to ignore the chest pain and Cora and continue sawing slowly and resolutely. The new warnings did not follow.When the useless burden weighing a quarter of a ton was unloaded from the "spider", the space capsule trembled violently, so that Morgan almost didn't fall top-heavy into the bottomless abyss. The "tape measure" flew out of his hand, and Morgan himself was jerked by the seat belt. All this happened slowly, as if in a dream.There is no fear, just a fearless determination not to surrender to the effects of gravity without a fight.However, he couldn't find the seat belt anyway - it must have been thrown into the cockpit...

Morgan suddenly became aware that his left hand was clutching the hatch cover.However, he didn't climb into the cockpit right away—the falling battery hypnotized him: it was like a strange celestial body, slowly spinning and gradually receding from view.After a long time, it completely disappeared from Morgan's field of vision, at this time, he struggled to climb back into the cockpit and fell into the driver's seat. He sat for a long time, waiting for Cora's new angry protest: the heart was beating wildly.It was silent, however, as if more frightened than Morgan himself.How to do it?Just don't give it a reason to blame anymore...

He finally calmed down and got in touch with Warren. "I've got rid of the battery." He heard cheering voices: "Now I'm going to close the hatch and move on. Please tell Saisuyi that they will be ready to pick me up in an hour. Please also thank 'Golden Jet' for sending Come light. I don't need it now." After Morgan made the cockpit into a sealed state, he opened the helmet of the spacesuit and took a sip of cool orange juice.Then start the motor, release the brake, and when the Spider reaches full speed, he leans back in the driver's seat with great ease.

It was only after a few minutes that he realized that something was missing.He knew it was hopeless, but he still looked at the small grid-shaped platform.No, it's not there.No matter, he must find a way to get himself a new "tape measure" to replace the one that is now falling with the thrown away battery.In fact, this is not such a high price for what has been achieved.So, why can't he indulge in the joy of his victory? He felt as if he had lost an old and faithful friend...