Cold Equations

Goddamn for blast off. X-5, 4, 3, 2, X-1, Fire. From the far horizons of the unknown, come transcribed tales of new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the

future. Adventures in which you'll live in a million could be years on a thousand maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of a astounding science fiction presents. 1 Oneills Oneives The Night's Story Gold Equations.

There is no margin of safety along the rim of a frontier. There can't be any until a way is made for those who come later. Until then the penalty for mistakes is a grim one.

The laws of physical nature operate with irrevocable certainty with no room for mercy, kindness, or sentimentality. And space life becomes a cold equation. And the equal sign is often followed by death. I know. I'm the pilot of an EDS.

Come in. You said from E-Commander? Yes. Sit down, Barton. We just got an E.D. from the Territorial Space Station on Wolden. Uh, Wolden. That's in the Crab Nebula, isn't it? That's right. There are two exploration parties there on Manning's continent, eight men each.

Mm-hmm. They've got Califever in one of them and no serum. Oh, and I thought this was going to be a nice quiet passenger run. Computers are working out your payload and your course right now.

In exactly ten minutes, we'll drop in a normal space and launch your ship. I'll get it ready. One thing. What's happened? Loading is at the maximum payload limit for an EDS. Figuring the weight of the serum, we'll be able to give you just enough fuel to land on Manning's continent if you make it the first pass. Otherwise you'll burn out in mid-air.