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for me.”
    “What!” For a second, he thought his hearing was playing tricks on him. “What did you say, Gramps. I didn’t hear it.” His grandfather came on screen them and gave him a wan smile.
    “You heard me right, son. Close the hatch. It’ll keep the stray radiation out. I’ll be right there.”
    “Radiation! Like hell, I’m leaving the hatch open. You have a couple of minutes to get here!”
    “Close the hatch, Mike.” In the confusion, Mike looked at the hatch control, then back at his grandfather, unsure.
    “Do it, Mike.” With a growl of protest, he stomped across the short space and hit the close button. The hatch hissed shut, and the moment it did the launch sequence started. Mike looked at it in horror, throwing himself across the pod to try and stop the launch. Nothing he did worked, and the seconds to launch continued counting down.
    “You need to get into the shock frame, Mike.”
    “Gramps!” It’s launching! I… I… I can’t stop it!”
    “I know, son.”
    “Wait… What do you mean you know…!”
    “I’m not coming with you.”
    “What!” He stammered. “I don’t understand.”
    “Like I told Charlie, I had to pull out all the stops.” He held up his rad badge. It was solid black instead of white.
    “Oh god!”
    “Go, Mike, and may God’s speed be with you.”
    “Gramps, I can’t stop the launch!” He screamed. Without thinking, he started scrambling for the exit hatch, but he knew it was useless. Once the launch sequence had started, there was no way to unlock the hatch.
    “I know, son. I’m controlling it from here.” Mike beat on the hatch, then the cycle control to no avail.
    “GRAMPS! Don’t do this…” He screamed. “We can get you treatment…”
    “Too late for that, son. Massive radiation overdose.” Mike froze in horror. Gramps knew it, knew it when he’d pulled the rods all the way out. The shielding had failed and he knew it. That flash he’d seen was the radiation warning alarm, but Gramps must have killed it the moment it went off. He sat on the acceleration couch and cried.
    “Why, Gramps?” He said at length.
    “I had to do it to have any chance of getting the Queen Ann to safety.”
    “But you could have put on a rad suit or…”
    “I did put the rad suit on, and or what? Disengage the tow, and run for safety?”
    “Oh god!” Mike then had a moment of perfect clarity. The decision, to disengage and run, leaving 300 passengers and crew to their fate, or stay and run the pile to the max knowing it would kill you.
    “Gramps!” Was all he could say pass the lump in his throat.
    “I know, son. And I love you too. Have done from the moment I brought you back from the hospital.”
    “Ready to take up tow, Prometheus .” Charlie Jenkins voice was soft, almost sad.
    “Breaking tow, Titan .” Mike felt a lurch as the Prometheus broke away, bucking and twisting without the drag of the Queen Ann .
    “Have the tow, Prometheus .”
    “Thank you, Captain Jenkins. Take them to safety.”
    “Aye aye, Sir.” Charlie snapped formally.
    Mike just sat and stared at the bulkhead, unable to move or say a word.
    AUTOMATIC LAUNCH IN THIRTY SECONDS – PLEASE STRAP IN AND REMAIN IN YOUR ACCELERATION COUCH UNTIL AFTER LAUNCH. Mike’s eye flicked up to the counter, watching the numbers spin down. He didn’t move, or lay down, he didn’t care.
    “Gramps.” He whispered.
    “Lay down, son, and strap yourself in.”
    “Gramps!”
    “I uploaded a chip to your personal comp. When you get time you might want to play it.” The old face smiled at him. “You made the second half of my life even more interesting than the first half, son, and I love you for it.”
    TEN SECONDS TO LAUNCH’ . His body seemed to have a will of its own, and without conscious thought, he lay down and strapped in.
    “Go with God, Mike.”
    “GRAMPS!” He screamed one last time before the thrusters kick in and boosted the life pod clear of the Prometheus .
    Up and out,