... Exactly at two o'clock in the morning has poorly slapped a shot, and in the black sky the bright red rocket has slowly risen.
Motors also have now begun to roar. On filled in prozhektornym light airdrome people ran out, hasty clambered on aluminium
ladders and disappeared in cabins. The last in the first plane on start admiral Brejv has risen. He has inspected airdrome, has
spat out an extinct cigarette and has slammed behind itself a door. One more rocket, this time the green has risen. Planes,
hard rolling over, crept out on a runway, headlong rushed to impenetrable darkness over ocean and headed for the north.
Admiral, constantly glancing at a chronometre, sat near to the navigator.
Behind his back authors and examiners of the newest nuclear weapon - scientists and engineers pottered about at the
devices. In the plane of their admiral was five (others ten flied, by other planes). In a cabin scraps разговоров:Включите
Gejgera were audible...
Usual background... About three hundred kauntov... (Kaunt - a tally of the charged particles passing through devices by
which measure radiation.) space beams, certainly...
What height? Twenty thousand foots. (Six thousand metres) whether Much? Be not afraid, the colleague...
Has passed half an hour. The automatic device drawing a course, has led a line bypassing the doomed atoll on distance
about two hundred kilometres from it.
Approach kilometres on fifty more close, - an admiral has through clenched teeth filtered.
I obey, the sir, - has responded the navigator and has transferred a command to pilots.
Now the plane has gone round object "15" on a narrowed spiral, gradually coming nearer to it. An admiral has looked at a
chronometre. Even minutes fifteen... It was straightened, that the shirt has lagged behind a wet back. Has begun to smoke a
cigarette and at once has thrown. Voices have behind ceased. Even ten minutes... And suddenly will be nothing? What, if
these scientists have mixed something? Remains five minutes.
What wind, the navigator? - An admiral has asked.
The West-northwest, the sir.
Do not forget: to keep only with navetrennoj the parties... All to put on points! Three minutes, two... The Person of the
navigator in black glasses seems deathly pale. An admiral hasty puts on points-canned food.
Attention! Zastrekotali movie cameras. Also it became immediately light.
Through is dense-black eyepieces the hardened persons, devices and equipment in a cabin, a speckled surface of ocean
and grey strips of layered clouds behind a window were distinctly visible. Light beat because of east horizon. In some
seconds it has grown dim, and again all has darkened. An admiral has broken points, has grunted and has covered eyes.
So, possibly, happens to that who looks in a blast furnace.
The first minute; Over horizon dazzling yellow-orange sphere quickly increasing in sizes has risen.
The second minute. The sphere has risen above. Its diameter about kilometre, height - about three kilometres. To look at it
without points still difficultly, but it is possible to make out dark layers on its surface.