"Arthur Tofte - Crash Landing on Iduna" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tofte Arthur)

to show she was not afraid. Even Bretta and Sven, five and four years old,
were trying their best not to show the terror they had every right to feel.

"Peder," Inga called out to me, "what's happening?"

From our main cabin in the center of the ship, we had no way to see
what was going on in the control room. All we knew was that the craft was
gyrating wildly. My only possible answer to Inga's question was a
half-hearted smile of reassurance.

The yacht was of latest design, loaded with safety devices. Our father
was an experienced pilot.

I had no way of knowing what had caused the trouble. A malfunction of
the retro-jets at the moment they were put into operation to slow our
descent? That was the most likely explanation.

ThenтАФfor what seemed like an eternityтАФthe ship plunged and twisted,
obviously completely out of control. Intuitively I braced myself for the
inevitable crash.

When it came, my first thought was that father had really pulled it off
successfully. We came to a bone-shaking stop that all but snapped the
heavy braces that held us in our pod-cradles. But we still lived!

Quickly I released my fastenings. Then Inga's. Together we gathered up
Sven and Bretta. They were wide-eyed with wonder, but unhurt.
 I tried the bulkhead door leading to the control section where our
parents were. It was jammed. I strode across the somewhat tilted flooring
to the panel door leading to our supply section and power plant at the
rear. With Inga's help I managed to get it open. I started to step forward.
Instead I jumped back. Inga came up and stood behind me, peering over
my shoulder.

Where the supply section had been, there was nothing! The whole rear
part of the ship had been sheared off. And with it went our power source
and practically all of our supplies.

Due to the slight tilt of the ship, the panel door was not far above the
ground. At least it was a way out.

I knew I had to get around to the control section quickly. The front of
the ship had taken the brunt of the blow upon landing. Our parents might
need help.

I turned to Inga. "Stay here with the children. I'll try to get around to
the front and see if father and mother are safe."

I peered out of the narrow bulkhead doorway. Only a short distance
away to my right a vast body of water stretched to the horizon. We must