human
You're a fine friend! he growled cheerfully.
gpt
Here I'm having a first rate time for myself, swimming and planing along the Riviera, with two more weeks leave ahead of me--and I get a call from the Old Man to report to you. What excuse have you for your crime?
human
A junket to Jupiter, said Brand.
gpt
Would you call that a good excuse?
human
Jupiter! exclaimed Dex.
gpt
Wouldn't you know it? Of course you'd have to pick a spot four hundred million miles away from all that grand swimming I was having!
human
Would you like to go back on leave, and have me choose someone else?
gpt
Well, no, said Dex hastily.
human
Now that I'm here, I suppose I might as well go through with it.
gpt
Try and get you out of it! I know your attitude toward a real jaunt. And it's a real jaunt we've got ahead of us, too, old boy. We're going to the red spot. Immediately.
human
The red spot! That's where Coblenz and Heiroy were lost!
gpt
And Journeyman, added Brand.
human
He's the latest victim of whatever's in the hell-hole.
gpt
Journeyman too! Well, all I've got to say is that whatever's there must be strong medicine. Journeyman was a damn fine man, and as brave as they come. Have you any idea what it's all about?
human
Not an idea. Nobody has. We're to go and find out--if we can. Are you all ready?
gpt
All ready,
human
So am I. We'll start at eleven o'clock in one of the Old Man's best cruisers. Meanwhile, we might as well go and hunt up a dinner somewhere, to fortify us against the synthetic pork chops and bread we'll be swallowing for the next fortnight.