Captain Junius Robb stood outside the Ajax XX. His eyes scanned the
great circular plain that stretched for fifty miles in all directions.
The distant jagged rises of the crater's rim resembled the lower half of
a gigantic bear trap.

The moon in all its splendor--wasn't there a song that went something
like that?--the moon in all its splendor, or lack of it was Robb's mute
opinion. The scientists, as usual, were right about the place. To all
intents and purposes the moon was as dead as The Roman Empire. True they
had found scattered vegetation; there were even two or three volcanoes
spewing carbonic acid, but they spewed it as though it were life's last
breath.

Nothing more. The fires of the moon had given way to soft lifeless
ashes.

Robb was glad he had allowed the men to look for souvenirs. After all,
it wasn't a hell of a lot to ask for. A man could cut press clippings
and collect medals and frame citations; and probably these things would
impress grandchildren someday. But it seemed that nothing would be quite
as effective as for a man to be able to produce something tangible, an
authentic piece of the moon itself.

Captain Robb had always tried to be a humble man. He recalled an
interview held by the three wire services a week before take-off. One of
the reporters had asked the obvious question, "Why do you want to go to
the moon?" He could have given all of the high sounding, aesthetic
reasons, but instead his answer was indirect, given with a modest smile.
"To get to the other side, I guess," he had told them.

Like the chicken crossing the road, that was how simple and
uncomplicated Robb's life had been. But now he stood, his feet spread
apart, beside his mighty ship, a quarter of a million miles away from
home. He was the first! And he could not fight back the feeling of pride
and accomplishment that welled in him. The word "first" in this instance
conjured up names like Balboa, Columbus, Peary, Magellan--and Junius
Robb.

The crew members deserved the hero's welcome they would receive. They
could have the banquets, parades and honorary degrees. But it was Junius
Robb who had commanded the flight. It would be Junius Robb's name for
the history books.

He wouldn't be needing any souvenirs.

* * * * *

Kingsley and Anderson were the first to return. They both carried small
leather bags. Inside the ship they revealed the contents to Robb. He
examined them carefully.