CAPTAIN JONATHAN LOOKED at him somberly. “In the Badlands,” he said. “And the term is not a loose one; they are bad lands, Mallory.” He pointed the hour hand of his wrist-watch at the pale mist of rising sunlight. “I don’t know exactly where we are, or how far from civilization, but it’s far enough.”
Tim said determinedly, “Then we’d better pack up, eh? Hit the trail?”
The skipper laughed scornfully. “What trail? We’d be committing suicide by heading into those marshes, those hills, or those jungles. Our only chance of survival is to stay close to the Orestes. Five of the sailors bailed out, you’ll remember. In safety-sleds. We’ve got to hope one or more of them will reach Venus City, start a rescue party out after us.”
“But you said ‘get going’?”
“To work, I meant. We’re going to need
