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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/23882-h.zip b/23882-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7f447a6 --- /dev/null +++ b/23882-h.zip diff --git a/23882-h/23882-h.htm b/23882-h/23882-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e39c983 --- /dev/null +++ b/23882-h/23882-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5403 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Gold In The Sky, by Alan E. Nourse. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: dashed 1px;} + + .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + .br {border-right: solid 2px;} + .bbox {border: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Gold in the Sky, by Alan Edward Nourse + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Gold in the Sky + +Author: Alan Edward Nourse + +Illustrator: Llewellyn + +Release Date: December 17, 2007 [EBook #23882] +Last updated: January 21, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOLD IN THE SKY *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a href="images/cover.jpg"><img src="images/cover.jpg" alt=""/></a> +</div> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<h1>GOLD IN THE SKY</h1> + +<h2>By ALAN E. NOURSE</h2> + +<h3>ILLUSTRATOR LLEWELLYN</h3> + +<h4>BOOK-LENGTH NOVEL COMPLETE IN THIS ISSUE</h4> + +<h4>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Science +Fiction Stories September 1958. Extensive research did not uncover any +evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</h4> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#c1_Trouble_Times_Two"><b>1. Trouble Times Two</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c2_Jupiter_Equilateral"><b>2. Jupiter Equilateral</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c3_Too_Many_Warnings"><b>3. Too Many Warnings</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c4_Between_Mars_and_Jupiter"><b>4. "Between Mars and Jupiter...."</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c5_The_Black_Raider"><b>5. The Black Raider</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c6_The_Last_Run_of_the_Scavenger"><b>6. The Last Run of the Scavenger</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c7_Prisoners"><b>7. Prisoners</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c8_The_Scavengers_of_Space"><b>8. The Scavengers of Space</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c9_The_Invisible_Man"><b>9. The Invisible Man</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c10_The_Trigger"><b>10. The Trigger</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c11_The_Haunted_Ship"><b>11. The Haunted Ship</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c12_The_Sinister_Bonanza"><b>12. The Sinister Bonanza</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c13_Pinpoint_in_Space"><b>13. Pinpoint in Space</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c14_The_Missing_Asteroid"><b>14. The Missing Asteroid</b></a><br /> +<a href="#c15_The_Final_Move"><b>15. The Final Move</b></a><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>YOU WILL MEET—</h2> + + +<p><b>Greg Hunter.</b> Test pilot—happy only when his life hung in the balance.</p> + +<p><b>Tom Hunter.</b> A pioneer—his frontier was hidden in test tubes.</p> + +<p><b>Johnny Coombs.</b> A prospector—he returned from the asteroids too soon.</p> + +<p><b>Merrill Tawney.</b> An industrialist—he sought plunder even beyond the +stars.</p> + +<p><b>Major Briarton.</b> A government man—his creed was law and order.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<div class="figleft"> +<a name="frontis_1" id="frontis_1"></a> +<img src="images/frontis_1.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<div class="figright"> +<a name="frontis_2" id="frontis_2"></a> +<img src="images/frontis_2.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>They fought with whatever was handy, not bothering to +figure the odds.</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c1_Trouble_Times_Two" id="c1_Trouble_Times_Two"></a>1. Trouble Times Two</h2> + + +<p>The sun was glowing dull red as it slipped down behind the curving +horizon of Mars, but Gregory Hunter was not able to see it.</p> + +<p>There was no viewscreen in the ship's cabin; it was too tiny for that. +Greg twisted around in the cockpit that had been built just big enough +to hold him, and shifted his long legs against the brace-webbing, trying +to get them comfortable.</p> + +<p>He knew he was afraid ... but nobody else knew that, not even the +captain waiting at the control board on the satellite, and in spite of +the fear Greg Hunter would not have traded places at this moment with +anyone else in the universe.</p> + +<p>He had worked too hard and waited too long for this moment.</p> + +<p>He heard the count-down monitor clicking in his ears, and his hands +clenched into fists. How far from Mars would he be ten minutes from now? +He didn't know. Farther than any man had ever traveled before in the +space of ten minutes, he knew, and faster. How far and how fast would +depend on him alone.</p> + +<p>"All set, Greg?" It was the captain's voice in the earphones.</p> + +<p>"All set, Captain."</p> + +<p>"You understand the program?"</p> + +<p>Greg nodded. "Twenty-four hours out, twenty-four hours back, ninety +degrees to the ecliptic, and all the accelleration I can stand both +ways."</p> + +<p>Greg grinned to himself. He thought of the months of conditioning he had +gone through to prepare for this run ... the hours in the centrifuge to +build up his tolerance to accelleration, the careful diet, the rigorous +hours of physical conditioning. It was only one experiment, one tiny +step in the work that could someday give men the stars, but to Gregory +Hunter at this moment it was everything.</p> + +<p>"Good luck, then." The captain cut off, and the blastoff buzzer sounded.</p> + +<p>He was off. His heart hammered in his throat, and his eyes ached +fiercely, but he paid no attention. His finger crept to the air-speed +indicator, then to the cut-off switch. When the pressure became too +great, when he began to black out, he would press it.</p> + +<p>But not yet. It was speed they wanted; they had to know how much +accelleration a man could take for how long and still survive, and now +it was up to him to show them.</p> + +<p>Fleetingly, he thought of Tom ... poor old stick-in-the-mud Tom, working +away in his grubby little Mars-bound laboratory, watching bacteria grow. +Tom could never have qualified for a job like this. Tom couldn't even go +into free-fall for ten minutes without getting sick all over the place. +Greg felt a surge of pity for his brother, and then a twinge of +malicious anticipation. Wait until Tom heard the reports on <i>this</i> run! +It was all right to spend your time poking around with bottles and test +tubes if you couldn't do anything else, but it took something special to +pilot an XP ship for Project Star-Jump. And after this run was over, +even Tom would have to admit it....</p> + +<p>There was a lurch, and quite suddenly the enormous pressure was gone.</p> + +<p>Something was wrong. He hadn't pushed the cut-off button, yet the ship's +engines were suddenly silent. He jabbed at the power switch. Nothing +happened. Then the side-jets sputted, and he was slammed sideways into +the cot.</p> + +<p>He snapped on the radio speaker. "Control ... can you hear me? +Something's gone wrong out here...."</p> + +<p>"Nothing's wrong," the captain's voice said in his earphones. "Just sit +tight. I'm bringing you back in. There's a call here from Sun Lake City. +They want you down there in a hurry. We'll have to scratch you on this +run."</p> + +<p>"<i>Who</i> wants me down there?"</p> + +<p>"The U.N. Council office. Signed by Major Briarton himself and I can't +argue with the Major. We're bringing you in."</p> + +<p>Greg Hunter sank back, disappointment so thick he could taste it in his +mouth. Sun Lake City! That meant two days at least, one down, one back, +maybe more if connections weren't right. It meant that the captain would +send Morton or one of the others out in his place. It meant....</p> + +<p>Suddenly he thought of what else it meant, and a chill ran up his back.</p> + +<p>There was only one reason Major Briarton would call him in like this. +Something had happened to Dad.</p> + +<p>Greg leaned back in the cot, suddenly tense, as a thousand frightful +possibilities flooded his mind. It could only mean that Dad was in some +kind of trouble.</p> + +<p>And if anything had happened to Dad....</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The sun was sinking rapidly toward the horizon when the city finally +came into sight in the distance, but try as he would, Tom Hunter could +not urge more than thirty-five miles an hour from the huge lurching +vehicle he was driving.</p> + +<p>On an open paved highway the big pillow-wheeled Sloppy Joe would do +sixty in a breeze, but this desert route was far from a paved road. +Inside the pressurized passenger cab, Tom gripped the shock-bars with +one arm and the other leg, and jammed the accelerator to the floor. The +engine coughed, but thirty-five was all it would do.</p> + +<p>Through the windshield Tom could see the endless rolling dunes of the +Martian desert stretching to the horizon on every side. They called Mars +the Red Planet, but it was not red when you were close to it. There were +multitudes of colors here ... yellow, orange, brown, gray, occasional +patches of gray-green ... all shifting and changing in the fading +sunlight. Off to the right were the worn-down peaks of the Mesabi II, +one of the long, low mountain ranges of almost pure iron ore that helped +give the planet its dull red appearance from outer space. And behind +him, near the horizon, the tiny sun glowed orange out of a blue-black +sky.</p> + +<p>Tom fought the wheel as the Sloppy Joe jounced across a dry creek bed, +and swore softly to himself. Why hadn't he kept his head and waited for +the mail ship that had been due at the Lab to give him a lift back? He'd +have been in Sun Lake City an hour ago ... but the urgency of the +message had driven caution from his mind.</p> + +<p>A summons from the Mars Coordinator of the U.N. Interplanetary Council +was the same as an order ... but there was more to Tom's haste than +that. There was only one reason that Major Briarton would be calling him +in to Sun Lake City, and that reason meant trouble.</p> + +<p>Something was wrong. Something had happened to Dad.</p> + +<p>Now Tom peered up at the dark sky, squinting into the sun. Somewhere out +there between Mars and Jupiter was a no-man's-land of danger, a great +circling ring of space dirt and debris, the Asteroid belt. And somewhere +out there, Dad was working.</p> + +<p>Tom thought for a moment of the pitiful little mining rig that Roger +Hunter had taken out to the Belt ... the tiny orbit-ship to be used for +headquarters and storage of the ore; the even tinier scout ship, Pete +Racely's old <i>Scavenger</i> that he had sold to Roger Hunter for back taxes +and repairs when he went broke in the Belt looking for his Big Strike. +It wasn't much of a mining rig for anybody to use, and the dangers of a +small mining operation in the Asteroid Belt were frightening. It took +skill to bring a little scout-ship in for a landing on an asteroid rock +hardly bigger than the ship itself; it took even more skill to rig the +controlled-Murexide charges to blast the rock into tiny fragments, and +then run out the shiny magnetic net to catch the explosion debris and +bring it in to the hold of the orbit-ship....</p> + +<p>Tom Hunter scowled, trying to shake off the feeling of uneasiness that +was nibbling at his mind. Asteroid mining was dangerous ... but Dad was +no novice. Nobody on Mars knew how to handle a mining rig better than +Roger Hunter did. He knew what he was doing out there, there was no real +danger for him or was there....</p> + +<p>Roger Hunter, a good man, a gentle and peaceful man, had finally seen +all he could stomach of Jupiter Equilateral and its company mining +policies six months before. He had told them so in plain, simple +language when he turned in his resignation. They didn't try to stop +him ... a man was still free to quit a job on Mars if he wanted to, even +a job with Jupiter Equilateral. But it was an open secret that the big +mining outfit had not liked Roger Hunter's way of resigning, taking half +a dozen of their first-rate mining engineers with him. There had been +veiled threats, rumors of attempts to close the markets to Roger +Hunter's ore, in open violation of U.N. Council policies on Mars....</p> + +<p>Tom fought the wheel as the big tractor lumbered up another rise, and +the huge plastic bubble of Sun Lake City came into view far down the +valley below.</p> + +<p>He thought of Greg. Had Greg been summoned too? He closed his lips +tightly as a wave of anger passed through his mind. If anything had +happened, no matter what, he thought, Greg would be there. Taking over +and running things, as usual. He thought of the last time he had seen +his brother, and then deliberately blocked out the engulfing bitterness.</p> + +<p>That had been more than a year ago. Maybe Greg had changed since then.</p> + +<p>But somehow, Tom didn't think so.</p> + +<p>The Sloppy Joe was on the valley floor now, and ahead the bubble +covering the city was drawing closer. The sun was almost gone; lights +were appearing inside the plastic shielding. Born and raised on Mars, +Tom had seen the teeming cities of Earth only once in his life ... but +to him none of the splendors of the Earth cities could match the simple, +quiet beauty of this Martian outpost settlement. There had been a time +when people had said that Sun Lake City could never be built, that it +could never survive if it were, but with each successive year it grew +larger and stronger, the headquarters city for the planet that had +become the new frontier of Earth.</p> + +<p>The radiophone buzzed, and the airlock guard hailed him when he returned +the signal. Tom gave his routine ID. He guided the tractor into the +lock, waited until pressure and atmosphere rose to normal, and then +leaped out of the cab.</p> + +<p>Five minutes later he was walking across the lobby of the Interplanetary +Council building, stepping into the down elevator. Three flights below +he stepped out into the office corridor of the U.N. Interplanetary +Council on Mars.</p> + +<p>If there was trouble, this was where he would find it.</p> + +<p>He paused for a minute before the gray plastic door marked MAJOR FRANK +BRIARTON in raised stainless steel letters. Then he pushed open the door +and walked into the ante-room.</p> + +<p>It was empty. Suddenly he felt a touch on his shoulder. Behind him, a +familiar voice said, "Hello, Twin."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>At first glance they looked like carbon copies of each other, although +they were no more identical than identical twins ever are. Greg stood a +good two inches taller than Tom. His shoulders were broad, and there was +a small gray scar over one eye that stood out in contrast to the healthy +tanned color of his face. Tom was of slighter build, and wirier, his +skin much more pale.</p> + +<p>But they had the same dark hair, the same gray eyes, the same square, +stubborn line to the jaw. They looked at each other for a moment without +speaking. Then Greg grinned and clapped his brother on the shoulder.</p> + +<p>"So you got here, finally," he said. "I was beginning to think I'd have +to go out on the desert and find you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I got here, all right," Tom said. "I see you did too."</p> + +<p>"Yes," Greg said heavily. "Can't argue with the major, you know."</p> + +<p>"But what does he want?"</p> + +<p>"How should I know? All he said was to get down here fast. And now he +isn't even here himself."</p> + +<p>"Is Dad on Mars?" Tom asked.</p> + +<p>Greg looked at him. "I don't know."</p> + +<p>"We could check the register."</p> + +<p>"I already checked it. He has not logged in, but that doesn't mean +anything."</p> + +<p>"I suppose not," Tom said glumly.</p> + +<p>They were silent for a moment. Then Greg said, "Look, what are you +worried about? Nothing could have happened to Dad. He's been mining the +Belt for years."</p> + +<p>"I know. I just wish he were here, that's all. If he's in some kind of +trouble...."</p> + +<p>"What kind of trouble? You're looking for spooks."</p> + +<p>"Spooks like Jupiter Equilateral, maybe," Tom said. "They could make +plenty of trouble for Dad."</p> + +<p>"With the U.N. in the driver's seat here? They wouldn't dare. Why do you +think the major rides them so hard with all the claim-filing +regulations? He'd give his right arm for a chance to break that outfit +into pieces."</p> + +<p>"I still wish somebody had gone out to the Belt with Dad," Tom said.</p> + +<p>Just then the door opened. The newcomer was a tall, gray-haired man with +U.N. Council stripes on his lapel, and major's rockets on his shoulders. +"Sorry I'm late, boys," Major Briarton said. "I'd hoped to be here when +you arrived. I'm sorry to pull you in here like this, but I'm afraid I +had no choice. When did you boys hear from your father last?"</p> + +<p>They looked at each other. "I saw him six weeks ago," Tom said. "Just +before he left to go out to the Belt again."</p> + +<p>"Nothing since then?"</p> + +<p>"Not a word."</p> + +<p>The major chewed his lip. "Greg?"</p> + +<p>"I had a note at Christmas, I think. But what...."</p> + +<p>"What did he say in the note?"</p> + +<p>"He said Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Dad isn't much of a letter +writer."</p> + +<p>"Nothing at all about what he was doing?"</p> + +<p>Greg shook his head. "Look, Major, if there's some sort of trouble...."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'm afraid there's trouble," the major said. He looked up at them, +and spread his hands helplessly. "There isn't any easy way to tell you, +but you've got to know. There's been an accident, out in the Belt."</p> + +<p>"Accident?" Greg said.</p> + +<p>"A very serious accident. A fuel tank exploded in the scooter your +father was riding back to the <i>Scavenger</i>. It must have been very +sudden, and by the time help arrived...." The major broke off, unable to +find words.</p> + +<p>For a long moment there was utter silence in the room. Outside, an +elevator was buzzing, and a typewriter clicked monotonously somewhere in +the building.</p> + +<p>Then Tom Hunter broke the silence. "Who was it, Major?" he said. "Who +killed Dad? Tell us, or we'll find out!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c2_Jupiter_Equilateral" id="c2_Jupiter_Equilateral"></a>2. Jupiter Equilateral</h2> + + +<p>For a moment, Major Briarton just stared at him. Then he was on his +feet, shaking his head as he came around the desk. "Tom, use your head," +he said. "It's as much of a shock to me as it is to you, but you can't +afford to jump to false conclusions...."</p> + +<p>Tom Hunter looked up bitterly. "He's dead, isn't he?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he's dead. He must have died the instant of the explosion...."</p> + +<p>"You mean you don't know?"</p> + +<p>"I wasn't there at the time it happened, no."</p> + +<p>"Then who was?"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Major Briarton spread his hands helplessly. "Nobody was. Your father was +alone. From what we could tell later, he'd left the <i>Scavenger</i> to land +on one of his claims, using the ship's scooter for the landing. He was +on the way back to the <i>Scavenger</i> when the rear tank exploded. There +wasn't enough left of it to tell what went wrong ... but it was an +accident, there was no evidence to suggest anything else."</p> + +<p>Tom looked at him. "You really believe that?"</p> + +<p>"I can only tell you what we found."</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't believe it for a minute," Tom said angrily. "How long +have you and Dad been friends? Twenty years? Twenty-five? Do you really +think Dad would have an accident with a mining rig?"</p> + +<p>"I know he was an expert engineer," the major said. "But things can +happen that even an expert can't foresee, mining in the Belt."</p> + +<p>"Things like a fuel tank exploding? Not to Dad, they would never happen. +I don't care what anybody says...."</p> + +<p>"Easy, Tom," Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Well, I won't take it easy. Dad was too careful for something like that +to happen. If he had an accident, somebody <i>made</i> it happen."</p> + +<p>Greg turned to the major. "What was Dad doing out there?"</p> + +<p>"Mining."</p> + +<p>"By himself? No crew at all?"</p> + +<p>"No, he was alone."</p> + +<p>"I thought the regulations said there always had to be at least two men +working an asteroid claim."</p> + +<p>"That's right. Your father had Johnny Coombs with him when he left Sun +Lake City. They signed out as a team ... and then Johnny came back to +Mars on the first shuttle ship."</p> + +<p>"How come?"</p> + +<p>"Not even Johnny knows. Your father just sent him back, and there was +nothing we could do about it then. The U.N. has no jurisdiction in the +belt, unless a major crime has been committed." Major Briarton shook his +head helplessly. "If a man is determined to mine a claim all by himself +out there, he can find a dozen different ways to wiggle out of the +regulations."</p> + +<p>"But Dad would never be that stupid," Greg said. "If he was alone when +it happened, who found him?"</p> + +<p>"A routine U.N. Patrol ship. When Roger failed to check in at the +regular eight-hour signal, they went out to see what was wrong. But by +the time they reached him, it was too late to help."</p> + +<p>"I just don't get it," Greg said. "Dad had more sense than to try to +mine out there all by himself."</p> + +<p>"I know," the major said. "I don't know the answer. I had the Patrol +ship go over the scene of the accident with a comb after they found what +had happened, but there was nothing there to find. It was an accident, +and that's that."</p> + +<p>"What about Jupiter Equilateral?" Tom said hotly. "Everybody knows they +were out to get Dad ... why don't you find out what <i>they</i> were doing +when it happened, bring them in for questioning...."</p> + +<p>"I can't do that, I haven't a scrap of evidence," the major said +wearily.</p> + +<p>"Why can't you? You're the Mars Coordinator, aren't you? You act like +you're scared of them."</p> + +<p>Major Briarton's lips tightened angrily. "All right, since you put it +that way ... I <i>am</i> scared of them. They're big, and they're powerful. +If they had their way, there wouldn't be any United Nations control on +Mars, there wouldn't be <i>anybody</i> to fight them and keep them in check. +There wouldn't be any independent miners out in the Belt, either, +because they'd all be bought out or dead, and Earth would pay through +the nose for every ounce of metal that they got from the Asteroid Belt. +That company has been trying to drive the U.N. off Mars for thirty +years, and they've come so close to it that it scares me plenty." He +pushed his chair back sharply and rose to his feet. "And that is +exactly why I refuse to stir up a mess over this thing, unhappy as +it is, without something more than suspicions and rumors to back me +up ... because all Jupiter Equilateral needs is one big issue to make us +look like fools out here, and we're through."</p> + +<p>He crossed the room to a wall cabinet, opened it, and pulled out a +scarred aluminum box. "We found this in the cabin of the <i>Scavenger</i>. I +thought you boys might want it."</p> + +<p>They both recognized it instantly ... the battered old spacer's pack +that Roger Hunter had used for as long as they could remember. It seemed +to them, suddenly, as if a part of him had appeared here in the room +with them. Greg looked at the box and turned away. "You open it," he +said to Tom in a sick voice.</p> + +<p>There was nothing much inside ... some clothing, a pipe and tobacco +pouch, a jack knife, half a dozen other items so familiar that Tom could +hardly bear to touch them. At the bottom of the pack was the heavy +leather gun case which had always held Roger Hunter's ancient .44 +revolver. Tom dropped it back without even opening the flap. He closed +the box and took a deep breath. "Then you really believe that it was an +accident and nothing more?" he said to the major.</p> + +<p>Major Briarton shook his head. "What I think or don't think doesn't make +any difference. It just doesn't matter. In order to do anything, I've +got to have evidence, and there just isn't any evidence. I can't even +take a ship out there for a second look, with the evidence I have, and +that's all there is to it."</p> + +<p>"But you think that maybe it wasn't an accident, just the same," Tom +pursued.</p> + +<p>The major hesitated. Then he shook his head again. "I'm sorry, but I've +got to stand on what I've said. And I think you'd better stand on it, +too. There's nothing else to be done."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It should have been enough, but it wasn't. As Tom Hunter walked with his +brother down the broad Upper Ramp to the business section of Sun Lake +City, he could not shake off the feeling of helpless anger, the growing +conviction that Roger Hunter's death involved something more than the +tragic accident in space that Major Briarton had insisted it was.</p> + +<p>"He didn't tell us everything he knew," Tom said fiercely. "He didn't +say everything he wanted to say, either. He doesn't think it was an +accident any more than I do."</p> + +<p>"How do you know, are you a mind reader?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Well, Dad wasn't a superman, either. He was taking an awful risk, +trying to work a mining rig by himself, and he had a bad break. Why do +you have to have somebody to blame for it?"</p> + +<p>"Keep talking," Tom said. "You'll convince yourself yet."</p> + +<p>Greg just jammed his hands in his pockets, and they walked in silence +for a moment.</p> + +<p>For Tom and Greg Hunter, Sun Lake City had always been home. Now they +walked along the Main Concourse, Tom with the aluminum box under his +arm, Greg with his own spacer's pack thrown over his shoulder. They +didn't talk; rather than being drawn closer by the news of the tragedy, +it seemed that they had drawn farther apart, as though the one common +link that had held them together had suddenly been broken.</p> + +<p>Finally Tom broke the silence. "At least there's one thing we can do," +he said. "I'm going to call Johnny Coombs."</p> + +<p>He shortly found a phone booth and dialed a number. Johnny had been a +friend of the family for years; he and Roger Hunter had been partners in +many mining ventures in the Asteroid Belt before Roger had taken his +position with Jupiter Equilateral. If Johnny had any suspicions that +Roger Hunter's accident had been more than an accident, he certainly +would not hesitate to voice them....</p> + +<p>After a dozen rings, Tom hung up, tried another number. There was no +answer there, either. Frowning, Tom rang the city's central paging +system. "Put in a personal call for Johnny Coombs," he said when the +"record" signal flashed on. "Tell him to contact the Hunters when he +comes in. We'll be at home...."</p> + +<p>They resumed their silent walk. When they reached H wing on the fourth +level, they turned right down an apartment corridor, and stopped in +front of a familiar doorway. Tom pressed his palm against the +lock-plate, and the door swung open.</p> + +<p>It was home to them, the only home they had ever known. Soft lights +sprang up on the walls of the apartment as the door opened. Tom saw the +old bookcases lining the walls, the drafting-board and light at the far +end of the room, the simple chairs and dining table, the door which led +into the bedroom and kitchen beyond. The room had the slightly +disheveled look that it had had ever since Mom had died ... a slipper on +the floor here, a book face down on the couch there....</p> + +<p>It looked as though Dad had just stepped out for an hour or so.</p> + +<p>Tom was three steps into the room before he saw the visitor.</p> + +<p>The man was sitting comfortably in Roger Hunter's easy chair, a short, +fat man with round pink cheeks that sagged a little and a double chin +that rested on his neck scarf. There were two other men in the room, +both large and broad-shouldered; one of them nodded to the fat man, and +moved to stand between the boys and the door.</p> + +<p>The fat man was out of his seat before the boys could speak, smiling at +them and holding out his hand. "I wanted to be sure to see you before +you left the city," he was saying, "so we just came on in to wait. I +hope you don't mind our ... butting in, so to speak." He chuckled, +looking from one twin to the other. "You don't know me, I suppose. I'm +Merrill Tawney. Representing Jupiter Equilateral, you know."</p> + +<p>Tom took the card he was holding out, looked at the name and the tiny +gold symbol in the corner, a letter "J" in the center of a triangle. He +handed the card to Greg. "I've seen you before," he told the fat man. +"What do you want with us?"</p> + +<p>Tawney smiled again, spreading his hands. "We've heard about the +tragedy, of course. A shocking thing ... Roger was one of our group so +recently. We wanted you to know that if there is anything at all we can +do to help, we'd be only too glad...."</p> + +<p>"Thanks," Greg said. "But we're doing just fine."</p> + +<p>Tawney's smile tightened a little, but he hung onto it. "I always felt +close to your father," he said. "All of us at Jupiter Equilateral did. +We were all sorry to see him leave."</p> + +<p>"I bet you were," Greg said, "he was the best mining engineer you ever +had. But Dad could never stand liars, or crooked ways of doing +business."</p> + +<p>One of the men started for Greg, but the fat man stopped him with a wave +of his hand. "We had our differences of opinion," he said. "We saw +things one way, your father saw them another way. But he was a fine man, +one of the finest...."</p> + +<p>"Look, Mr. Tawney, you'd better say what you came to say and get out of +here," Greg said dangerously, "before we give your friends here +something to do."</p> + +<p>"I merely came to offer you some help," Tawney said. He was no longer +smiling. "Since your father's death, you two have acquired certain +responsibilities. I thought we might relieve you of some of them."</p> + +<p>"What sort of responsibilities?"</p> + +<p>"You have an unmanned orbit-ship which is now a derelict in the Asteroid +Belt. You have a scout-ship out there also. You can't just leave them +there as a navigation hazard to every ship traveling in the sector. +There are also a few mining claims which aren't going to be of much +value to you now."</p> + +<p>"I see," Greg said. "Are you offering to buy Dad's mining rig?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I doubt very much that we'd have any use for it, as such. But we +could save you the trouble of going out there to haul it in."</p> + +<p>"That's very thoughtful," Greg said. "How much are you offering?"</p> + +<p>Tom looked up in alarm. "Wait a minute," he said. "That rig's not for +sale...."</p> + +<p>"How much?" Greg repeated.</p> + +<p>"Forty thousand dollars," Merrill Tawney said. "Ship, rig and claims. +We'll even pay the transfer tax."</p> + +<p>Tom stared at the man, wondering if he had heard right. He knew what +Roger Hunter had paid for the rig; he had been with Dad when the papers +were signed. Tawney's offer was three times as much as the rig was +worth.</p> + +<p>But Greg was shaking his head. "I don't think we could sell at that +price."</p> + +<p>The fat man's hands fluttered. "You understand that those ships are +hardly suited to a major mining operation like ours," he said, "and the +claims...." He dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Still, we'd want +you to be happy with the price. Say, forty-five thousand?"</p> + +<p>Greg hesitated, shook his head again. "I guess we'd better think it +over, Mr. Tawney."</p> + +<p>"Fifty thousand is absolutely the top," Tawney said sharply. "I have the +papers right here, drawn up for your signatures, but I'm afraid we can't +hold the offer open."</p> + +<p>"I don't know, we might want to do some mining ourselves," Greg said. +"For all we know, Dad might have struck some rich ore on one of those +claims."</p> + +<p>Tawney laughed. "I hardly think so. Those claims were all Jupiter +Equilateral rejects. Our own engineers found nothing but low grade ore +on any of them."</p> + +<p>"Still, it might be fun to look."</p> + +<p>"It could be very expensive fun. Asteroid mining is a dangerous +business, even for experts. For amateurs...." Tawney spread his hands. +"Accidents occur...."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we've heard about those accidents," Greg said coldly. "I don't +think we're quite ready to sell, Mr. Tawney. We may never be ready to +sell to you, so don't stop breathing until we call you. Now if there's +nothing else, why don't you take your friends and go somewhere else?"</p> + +<p>The fat man scowled; he started to say something more, then saw the look +on Greg's face, and shrugged. "I'd advise you to give it some careful +thought," he said as he started for the door. "It might be very foolish +for you to try to use that rig."</p> + +<p>Smiling, Greg closed the door in his face. Then he turned and winked at +Tom. "Great fellow, Mr. Tawney. He almost had me sold."</p> + +<p>"So I noticed," Tom said. "For a while I thought you were serious."</p> + +<p>"Well, we found out how high they'd go. That's a very generous outfit +Mr. Tawney works for."</p> + +<p>"Or else a very crooked one," Tom said. "Are you wondering the same +thing I'm wondering?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Greg said slowly. "I think I am."</p> + +<p>"Then that makes three of us," a heavy voice rumbled from the bedroom +door.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Johnny Coombs was a tall man, so thin he was almost gangling, with a +long nose and shaggy eyebrows jutting out over his eyes. With his rudely +cropped hair and his huge hands, he looked like a caricature of a +frontier Mars-farmer, but the blue eyes under the eyebrows were not +dull.</p> + +<p>"Johnny!" Tom cried. "We were trying to find you."</p> + +<p>"I know," Johnny said. "So have a lot of other people, includin' your +friends there."</p> + +<p>"Well, did you hear what Tawney wanted?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not so quick on my feet any more," Johnny Coombs said, "but I got +nothin' wrong with my ears." He scratched his jaw and looked up sharply +at Greg. "Not many people nowadays get a chance to bargain with Merrill +Tawney."</p> + +<p>Greg shrugged. "He named a price and I didn't like it."</p> + +<p>"Three times what the rig is worth," Coombs said.</p> + +<p>"That's what I didn't like," Greg said. "That outfit wouldn't give us a +break like that just for old times' sake. Do you think they would?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't know," Johnny said slowly. "Back before they built the +city here, they used to have rats getting into the grub. Came right down +off the ships. Got rid of most of them, finally, but it seems to me +we've still got some around, even if they've got different shapes now." +He jerked his thumb toward the bedroom door. "In case you're wondering, +that's why I was standin' back there all this time ... just to make sure +you didn't sell out to Tawney no matter what price he offered."</p> + +<p>Tom jumped up excitedly. "Then you know something about Dad's accident!"</p> + +<p>"No, I can't say I do. I wasn't there."</p> + +<p>"Do you really think it was an accident?"</p> + +<p>"Can't prove it wasn't."</p> + +<p>"But at least you've got some ideas," Tom said.</p> + +<p>"Takes more than ideas to make a case," he said at length. "But there's +one thing I do know. I've got no proof, not a shred of it, but I'm sure +of one thing just as sure as I'm on Mars." He looked at the twins +thoughtfully. "Your dad wasn't just prospecting, out in the Belt. He'd +run onto something out there, something big."</p> + +<p>The twins looked at him. "Run onto something?" Greg said. "You mean...."</p> + +<p>"I mean I think your dad hit a Big Strike out there, rich metal, a real +bonanza lode. Maybe the biggest strike that's ever been made," the miner +said slowly. "And then somebody got to him before he could bring it in."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c3_Too_Many_Warnings" id="c3_Too_Many_Warnings"></a>3. Too Many Warnings</h2> + + +<p>For a moment, neither of the boys could say anything at all.</p> + +<p>From the time they had learned to talk, they had heard stories and tales +that the miners and prospectors told about the Big Strike, the pot of +gold at the end of the rainbow, the wonderful, elusive goal of every man +who had ever taken a ship into the Asteroid Belt.</p> + +<p>For almost a hundred and fifty years ... since the earliest days of +space exploration ... there had been miners prospecting in the +Asteroids. Out there, beyond the orbit of Mars and inside the orbit of +Jupiter, were a hundred thousand ... maybe a hundred million, for all +anybody knew ... chunks of rock, metal and debris, spinning in silent +orbit around the sun. Some few of the Asteroids were big enough to be +called planets ... Ceres, five hundred miles in diameter; Juno, Vesta, +Pallas, half a dozen more. A few hundred others, ranging in size from +ten to a hundred miles in diameter, had been charted and followed in +their orbits by the observatories, first from Earth's airless Moon, then +from Mars. There were tens of thousands more that had never been +charted. Together they made up the Asteroid Belt, spread out in space +like a broad road around the sun, echoing the age-old call of the +bonanza.</p> + +<p>For there was wealth in the Asteroids ... wealth beyond a man's wildest +dreams ... if only he could find it.</p> + +<p>Earth, with its depleted iron ranges, its exhausted tin and copper +mines, and its burgeoning population, was hungry for metal. Earth needed +steel, tin, nickel, and zinc; more than anything, Earth needed +ruthenium, the rare-earth catalyst that made the huge solar energy +converters possible.</p> + +<p>Mars was rich in the ores of these metals ... but the ores were buried +deep in the ground. The cost of mining them, and of lifting the heavy +ore from Mars' gravitational field and carrying it to Earth was +prohibitive. Only the finest carbon steel, and the radioactive metals, +smelted and purified on Mars and transported to Earth, could be made +profitable.</p> + +<p>But from the Asteroid Belt, it was a different story. There was no +gravity to fight on the tiny asteroids. On these chunks of debris, the +metals lay close to the surface, easy to mine. Ships orbiting in the +Belt could fill their holds with their precious metal cargoes and +transfer them in space to the interplanetary orbit-ships spinning back +toward Earth. It was hard work, and dangerous work; most of the ore was +low-grade, and brought little return. But always there was the lure of +the Big Strike, the lode of almost-pure metal that could bring a fortune +back to the man who found it.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>A few such strikes had been made. Forty years before a single claim had +brought its owner seventeen million dollars in two years. A dozen other +men had stumbled onto fortunes in the Belt ... but such metal-rich +fragments were grains of sand in a mighty river. For every man who found +one, a thousand others spent years looking and then perished in the +fruitless search.</p> + +<p>And now Johnny Coombs was telling them that their father had been one of +that incredible few.</p> + +<p>"You really think Dad hit a bonanza lode out there?"</p> + +<p>"That's what I said."</p> + +<p>"Did you see it with your own eyes?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"You weren't even out there with him!"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Then why are you so sure he found something?"</p> + +<p>"Because he told me so," Johnny Coombs said quietly.</p> + +<p>The boys looked at each other. "He actually <i>said</i> he'd found a rich +lode?" Tom asked eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Not exactly," Johnny said. "Matter of fact, he never actually told me +<i>what</i> he'd found. He needed somebody to sign aboard the <i>Scavenger</i> +with him in order to get a clearance to blast off, but he never did plan +to take me out there with him. 'I can't take you now, Johnny,' he told +me. 'I've found something out there, but I've got to work it alone for a +while.' I asked him what he'd found, and he just gave me that funny +little grin of his and said, 'Never mind what it is, it's big enough for +both of us. You just keep your mouth shut, and you'll find out soon +enough.' And then he wouldn't say another word until we were homing in +on the shuttle ship to drop me off."</p> + +<p>Johnny finished his coffee and pushed the cup aside. "I knew he wasn't +joking. He was excited, and I think he was scared, too. Just before I +left him, he said, 'There's one other thing, Johnny. Things might not +work out quite the way I figure them, and if they don't ... make sure +the twins know what I've told you.' I told him I would, and headed back. +That was the last I heard from him until the Patrol ship found him +floating in space with a torn-open suit and a ruined scooter floating a +few miles away."</p> + +<p>"Do you think that Jupiter Equilateral knew Dad had found something?" +Tom asked.</p> + +<p>"Who knows? I'm sure that <i>he</i> never told them, but it's awful hard to +keep a secret like that, and they sound awful eager to buy that rig," +Johnny Coombs said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and it doesn't make sense. I mean, if they were responsible for +Dad's accident, why didn't they just check in for him on schedule and +then quietly bring in their rig to jump the claim?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe they couldn't find it," Johnny said. "If they'd killed your dad, +they wouldn't have dared hang around very long right then. Even if +they'd kept the signal going, a Patrol ship might have come into the +region any time. And if a U.N. Patrol ship ever caught them working a +dead man's claim without reporting the dead man, the suit would really +start to leak." Johnny shook his head. "Remember, your Dad had a dozen +claims out there. They might have had to scout the whole works to find +the right one. Much easier to do it out in the open, with your +signatures on a claim transfer. But one thing is sure ... if they <i>knew</i> +what Roger found out there, and where it was, Tawney would never be +offering you triple price for the rig."</p> + +<p>"Then whatever Dad found is still out there," Tom said.</p> + +<p>"I'd bet my last dime on it."</p> + +<p>"There might even be something to show that the accident wasn't an +accident," Tom went on. "Something even the Major would have to admit +was evidence."</p> + +<p>Johnny Coombs pursed his lips, looking up at Tom. "Might be," he +conceded.</p> + +<p>"Well, what are we waiting for? We turned Tawney's offer down ... he +might be sending a crew out to jump the claim right now."</p> + +<p>"If he hasn't already," Johnny said.</p> + +<p>"Then we've got to get out there."</p> + +<p>Johnny turned to Greg. "You could pilot us out and handle the +navigation, and as for Tom...."</p> + +<p>"As for Tom, he could get sick all over the place and keep us busy just +taking care of him," Greg said sourly. "You and me, yes. Not Tom. You +don't know that boy in a spaceship."</p> + +<p>Tom started to his feet, glaring at his brother. "That's got nothing to +do with it...."</p> + +<p>"It's true, isn't it? You'd be a big help out there."</p> + +<p>Johnny looked at Tom. "You always get sick in free fall?"</p> + +<p>"Look, let's be reasonable," Greg said. "You'd just be in the way. There +are plenty of things you could do right here, and Johnny and I could +handle the rig alone...."</p> + +<p>Tom faced his brother angrily. "If you think I'm going to stay here and +keep myself company, you're crazy," he said. "This is one show you're +not going to run, so just quit trying. If you go out there, I go."</p> + +<p>Greg shrugged. "Okay, Twin. It's your stomach, not mine."</p> + +<p>"Then let me worry about it."</p> + +<p>"I hope," Johnny said, "that that's the worst we have to worry about. +Let's get started planning."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Time was the factor uppermost in their minds. They knew that even under +the best of conditions, it could take weeks to outfit and prepare for a +run out to the Belt. A ship had to be leased and fueled; there were +supplies to lay in. There was the problem of clearance to take care of, +claims to be verified and spotted, orbit coordinates to be computed and +checked ... a thousand details to be dealt with, anyone of which might +delay embarkation from an hour to a day or more.</p> + +<p>It was not surprising that Tom and Greg were dubious when Johnny told +them they could be ready to clear ground in less than twenty-four hours. +Even knowing that Merrill Tawney might already have a mining crew at +work on Roger Hunter's claims, they could not believe that the red tape +of preparation and clearance could be cut away so swiftly.</p> + +<p>They underestimated Johnny Coombs.</p> + +<p>Six hours after he left them, he was back with a signed lease giving +them the use of a scout-ship and fuel to take them out to the Belt and +back again; the ship was in the Sun Lake City racks waiting for them +whenever they were ready.</p> + +<p>"What kind of a ship?" Greg wanted to know.</p> + +<p>"A Class III Flying Dutchman with overhauled atomics and hydrazine +side-jets," Johnny said, waving the transfer order. "Think you can fly +it?"</p> + +<p>Greg whistled. "Can I? I trained in a Dutchman ... just about the +fastest scouter there is. What condition?"</p> + +<p>"Lousy ... but it's fueled, with six weeks' supplies in the hold, and it +doesn't cost us a cent. Courtesy of a friend. You'll have to check it +over, but it'll do."</p> + +<p>They inspected the ship, a weatherbeaten scouter that looked like a +relic of the '90's. Inside there were signs of many refittings and +overhauls, but the atomics were well shielded, and it carried a +surprising chemical fuel auxiliary for the cabin size. Greg disappeared +into the engine room, and Tom and Johnny left him testing valves and +circuits while they headed down to the U.N. Registry office in the +control tower.</p> + +<p>On the way Johnny outlined the remaining outfitting steps. Tom would be +responsible for getting the clearance permit through Registry; Johnny +would check out all supplies, and then contact the observatory for the +orbit coordinates of Roger Hunter's claims.</p> + +<p>"I thought the orbits were mapped on the claim papers," Tom said. "I +mean, every time an asteroid is claimed, the orbit has to be +charted...."</p> + +<p>"That's right, but the orbit goes all the way around the sun. We know +where the <i>Scavenger</i> was when the Patrol ship found her ... but she's +been travelling in orbit ever since. The observatory computer will +pinpoint her for us and chart a collision course so we can cut out and +meet her instead of trailing her for a week. Do you have the crew-papers +Greg and I signed?"</p> + +<p>"Right here."</p> + +<p>They were stepping off the ramp below the ship when a man loomed up out +of the shadows. It was a miner Tom had never seen before. Johnny nodded +as he approached. "Any news, Jack?"</p> + +<p>"Quiet as a church," the man said.</p> + +<p>"We'll be held up another eight hours at least," Johnny said. "Don't go +to sleep on us, Jack."</p> + +<p>"Don't worry about us sleepin'," the man said grimly. "There's been +nobody around but yourselves, so far ... except the clearance +inspector."</p> + +<p>Johnny looked up sharply. "You check his papers?"</p> + +<p>"<i>And</i> his prints. He was all right."</p> + +<p>Johnny took Tom's arm, and they headed through the gate toward the +control tower. "I guess I'm just naturally suspicious," he grinned, "but +I'd sure hate to have a broken cut-off switch, or a fuel valve go out of +whack at just the wrong moment."</p> + +<p>"You think Tawney would dare to try something here?" Tom said.</p> + +<p>"Never hurts to check. We've got our hands full for a few hours getting +set, so I just asked my friends to keep an eye on things. Always did say +that a man who's going to gamble is smart to cover his bets."</p> + +<p>At the control tower they parted, and Tom walked into the clearance +office. Johnny's watch-man had startled him, and for the first time he +felt a chill of apprehension. If they were right ... if this trip to the +Belt were not a wild goose chase from the very start ... then Roger +Hunter's accident had been no accident at all.</p> + +<p>Quite suddenly, Tom felt very thankful that Johnny Coombs had +friends....</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"I don't like it," the Major said, facing Tom and Greg across the desk +in the U.N. Registry office below the control tower. "You've gotten an +idea in your heads, and you just won't listen to reason."</p> + +<p>Somewhere above them, Tom could hear the low-pitched rumble of a +scout-ship blasting from its launching rack. "All we want to do is go +out and work Dad's claim," he said for the second time.</p> + +<p>"I know perfectly well what you want to do, that's why I told the people +here to alert me if you tried to clear a ship. You don't know what +you're doing ... and I'm not going to sign those clearance papers."</p> + +<p>"Why not?" Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Because you're going out there asking for trouble, that's why not."</p> + +<p>"But you told us before that there wasn't any trouble. Dad had an +accident, that was all. So how could we get in trouble?"</p> + +<p>The Major's face was an angry red. He started to say something, then +stopped, and scowled at them instead. They met his stare. Finally he +threw up his hands. "All right, so I can't legally stop you," he said. +"But at least I can beg you to use your heads. You're wasting time and +money on a foolish idea. You're walking into dangers and risks that you +can't handle, and I hate to see it happen.</p> + +<p>"Mining in the Belt is a job for experienced men, not rank novices."</p> + +<p>"Johnny Coombs is no novice."</p> + +<p>"No, but he's lost his wits, taking you two out there."</p> + +<p>"Well, are there any other dangers you have in mind?"</p> + +<p>Once more the Major searched for words, and failed to find them. "No," +he sighed, "and you wouldn't listen if I did."</p> + +<p>"It seems everybody is warning us about how dangerous this trip is +likely to be," Greg said quietly. "Last night it was Merrill Tawney. He +offered to buy us out, he was so eager for a deal that he offered us a +fantastic price. Then Johnny tells us that Dad mined some rich ore when +he was out there on his last trip, but never got a chance to bring it in +because of his ... accident. Up until now I haven't been so sure Dad +<i>didn't</i> just have an accident, but now I'm beginning to wonder. Too +many people have been warning us...."</p> + +<p>"You're determined to go out there, then?"</p> + +<p>"That's about right."</p> + +<p>The Major picked up the clearance papers, glanced at them quickly, +and signed them. "All right, you're cleared. I hate to do it, but I +suppose I'd go with you if the law would let me. And I'll tell you one +thing ... if you can find a single particle of evidence that will link +Jupiter Equilateral or anybody else to your father's death, I'll use all +the power I have to break them." He handed the papers back to Tom. "But +be careful, because if Jupiter Equilateral is involved in it, they're +going to play dirty."</p> + +<p>At the door he turned. "Good trip, and good luck."</p> + +<p>Tom folded the papers and stuck them thoughtfully into his pocket.</p> + +<p>They met Johnny Coombs in the Registry offices upstairs; Tom patted his +pocket happily. "We're cleared in forty-five minutes," he said.</p> + +<p>Johnny grinned. "Then we're all set." They headed up the ramp, reached +ground level, and started out toward the launching racks.</p> + +<p>At the far end of the field a powerful Class I Ranger, one of the +Jupiter Equilateral scout fleet, was settling down into its slot in a +perfect landing maneuver. The triangle-and-J-insignia gleamed brightly +on her dark hull. She was a rich, luxurious-looking ship. Many miners on +Mars could remember when Jupiter Equilateral had been nothing more than +a tiny mining company working claims in the remote "equilateral" cluster +of asteroids far out in Jupiter's orbit. Gradually the company had grown +and flourished, accumulating wealth and power as it grew, leaving behind +it a thousand half-confirmed stories of cheating, piracy, murder and +theft. Other small mining outfits had fallen by the wayside until now +over two-thirds of all asteroid mining claims were held by Jupiter +Equilateral, and the small independent miners were forced more and more +to take what was left.</p> + +<p>They reached the gate to the Dutchman's launching slot and entered.</p> + +<p>Inside the ship Tom and Johnny strapped down while Greg made his final +check-down on the engines, gyros and wiring. The cabin was a tiny vault, +with none of the spacious "living room" of the orbit-ships. Tom leaned +back in the accelleration cot, and listened to the count-down signals +that came at one minute intervals now. In the earphones he could hear +the sporadic chatter between Greg and the control tower. No hint that +this was anything but a routine blastoff....</p> + +<p>But there was trouble ahead, Tom was certain of that. Everybody on Mars +was aware that Roger Hunter's sons were heading out to the Belt to pick +up where he had left off. Greg had secured a leave of absence from +Project Star-Jump ... unhappily granted, even though his part in their +program had already been disrupted. Even they had heard the rumors that +were adrift....</p> + +<p>And if there was trouble now, they were on their own. The Asteroid Belt +was a wilderness, untracked and unexplored, and except for an almost +insignificant fraction, completely unknown. If there was trouble out +there, there would be no one to help.</p> + +<p>Somewhere below the engines roared, and Tom felt the weight on his +chest, sudden and breath-taking.</p> + +<p>They were on their way.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c4_Between_Mars_and_Jupiter" id="c4_Between_Mars_and_Jupiter"></a>4. "Between Mars and Jupiter...."</h2> + + +<p>After all the tension of preparing for it, the trip out seemed +interminable.</p> + +<p>They were all impatient to reach their destination. During blastoff and +accelleration they had watched Mars dwindle to a tiny red dot; then time +seemed to stop altogether, and there was nothing to do but wait.</p> + +<p>For the first eight hours of free fall, after the engines had cut out, +Tom was violently ill. He fought it desperately, gulping the pills +Johnny offered and trying to keep them down. Gradually the waves of +nausea subsided, but it was a full twenty-four hours before Tom felt +like stirring from his cot to take up the shipboard routine.</p> + +<p>And then there was nothing for him to do. Greg handled the navigation +skilfully, while Johnny kept radio contact and busied himself in the +storeroom, so Tom spent hours at the viewscreen. On the second day he +spotted a tiny chunk of rock that was unquestionably an asteroid moving +swiftly toward them. It passed at a tangent ten thousand miles ahead of +them, and Greg started work at the computer, feeding in the data tapes +that would ultimately guide the ship to its goal.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Pinpointing a given spot in the Asteroid Belt was a gargantuan task, +virtually impossible without the aid of the ship's computer to compute +orbits, speeds, and distances. Tom spent more and more time at the +viewscreen, searching the blackness of space for more asteroid +sightings. But except for an occasional tiny bit of debris hurtling by, +he saw nothing but the changeless panorama of stars.</p> + +<p>Johnny Coombs found him there on the third day, and laughed at his sour +expression. "Gettin' impatient?"</p> + +<p>"Just wondering when we'll reach the Belt, is all," Tom said.</p> + +<p>Johnny chuckled. "Hope you're not holdin' your breath. We've already +been <i>in</i> the Belt for the last forty-eight hours."</p> + +<p>"Then where are all the asteroids?" Tom said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, they're here. You just won't see many of them. People always think +there ought to be dozens of them around, like sheep on a hillside, but +it just doesn't work that way." Johnny peered at the screen. "Of course, +to an astronomer the Belt is just loaded ... hundreds of thousands of +chunks, all sizes from five hundred miles in diameter on down. But +actually, those chunks are all tens of thousands of miles apart, and the +Belt <i>looks</i> just as empty as the space between Mars and Earth."</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't see how we're ever going to find one particular rock," +Tom said, watching the screen gloomily.</p> + +<p>"It's not too hard. Every asteroid has its own orbit around the sun, and +everyone that's been registered as a claim has the orbit charted. The +one we want isn't where it was when your Dad's body was found ... it's +been travelling in its orbit ever since. But by figuring in the fourth +dimension, we can locate it."</p> + +<p>Tom blinked. "Fourth dimension?"</p> + +<p>"Time," Johnny Coombs said. "If we just used the three linear +dimensions ... length, width and depth ... we'd end up at the place where +the asteroid <i>was</i>, but that wouldn't help us much because it's been +moving in orbit ever since the Patrol Ship last pinpointed it. So we +figure in a fourth dimension ... the time that's passed since it was last +spotted ... and we can chart a collision course with it, figure out just +where <i>we'll</i> have to be to meet it."</p> + +<p>It was the first time that the idea of time as a "dimension" had ever +made sense to Tom. They talked some more, until Johnny started bringing +in fifth and sixth dimensions, and problems of irrational space and +hyperspace, and got even himself confused.</p> + +<p>"Anyway," Tom said, "I'm glad we've got a computer aboard."</p> + +<p>"And a navigator," Johnny added. "Don't sell your brother short."</p> + +<p>"Fat chance of that. Greg would never stand for it."</p> + +<p>Johnny frowned. "You lads don't like each other very much, do you?" he +said.</p> + +<p>Tom was silent for a moment. Then he looked away. "We get along, I +guess."</p> + +<p>"Maybe. But sometimes just gettin' along isn't enough. Especially when +there's trouble. Give it a thought, when you've got a minute or two...."</p> + +<p>Later, the three of them went over the computer results together. Johnny +and Greg fed the navigation data into the ship's drive mechanism, +checking and rechecking speeds and inclination angles. Already the +Dutchman's orbital speed was matching the speed of Roger Hunter's +asteroid ... but the orbit had to be tracked so that they would arrive +at the exact point in space to make contact. Tom was assigned to the +viewscreen, and the long wait began.</p> + +<p>He spotted their destination point an hour before the computer had +predicted contact ... at first a tiny pinpoint of reflected light in the +scope, gradually resolving into two pinpoints, then three in a tiny +cluster. Greg cut in the rear and lateral jets momentarily, stabilizing +their contact course; the dots grew larger.</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later, Tom could see their goal clearly in the +viewscreen ... the place where Roger Hunter had died.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It was neither large nor small for an asteroid, an irregular chunk of +rock and metal, perhaps five miles in diameter, lighted only by the dull +reddish glow from the dime-sized sun. Like many such jagged chunks of +debris that sprinkled the Belt, this asteroid did not spin on any axis, +but constantly presented the same face to the sun.</p> + +<p>Just off the bright side the orbit-ship floated, stable in its orbit +next to the big rock, but so small in comparison that it looked like a +tiny glittering toy balloon. And clamped on its rack on the orbit-ship's +side, airlock to airlock, was the <i>Scavenger</i>, the little scout ship +that Roger Hunter had brought out from Mars on his last journey.</p> + +<p>While Greg maneuvered the Dutchman into the empty landing rack below the +<i>Scavenger</i> on the hull of the orbit-ship, Johnny scanned the blackness +around them through the viewscope, a frown wrinkling his forehead.</p> + +<p>"Do you see anybody?" Tom asked.</p> + +<p>"Not a sign ... but I'm really looking for other rocks. I can see three +that aren't too far away, but none of them have claim marks. This one +must have been the only one Roger was working."</p> + +<p>They stared at the ragged surface of the planetoid. Raw veins of +metallic ore cut through it with streaks of color, but most of the +sun-side showed only the dull gray of iron and granite. There was +nothing unusual about the surface that Tom could see. "Could there be +anything on the dark side?"</p> + +<p>"Could be," Johnny said. "We'll have to go over it foot by foot ... but +first, we should go through the orbit-ship and the <i>Scavenger</i>. If the +Patrol ship missed anything, we want to know it."</p> + +<p>The interior of the orbit-ship was dark. It spun slowly on its axis, +giving them just enough weight so they would not float free whenever +they moved. Their boots clanged on the metal decks as they climbed up +the curving corridor toward the control cabin.</p> + +<p>Then Johnny threw a light switch, and they stared around them in +amazement.</p> + +<p>The cabin was a shambles. Everything that was not bolted down had been +ripped open and thrown aside.</p> + +<p>Greg whistled through his teeth. "The Major said the Patrol crew had +gone through the ship ... but he didn't say they'd wrecked it."</p> + +<p>"They didn't," Johnny said grimly. "No Patrol ship would ever do this. +Somebody else has been here since." He turned to the control panel, +flipped switches, checked gauges. "Hydroponics are all right. Atmosphere +is still good; we can take off these helmets. Fuel looks all right, +storage holds ..." He shook his head. "They weren't looting, but they +were looking for something, all right. Let's look around and see if they +missed anything."</p> + +<p>It took them an hour to survey the wreckage. Not a compartment had been +missed. Even the mattresses on the accelleration cots had been torn +open, the spring-stuffing tossed about helter-skelter. Tom went through +the lock into the <i>Scavenger</i>; the scout ship too had been searched, +rapidly but thoroughly.</p> + +<p>But there was no sign of anything that Roger Hunter might have found.</p> + +<p>Back in the control cabin Johnny was checking the ship's log. The old +entries were on microfilm, stored on their spools near the reader. More +recent entries were still recorded on tape. From the jumbled order, +there was no doubt that marauders had examined them. Johnny ran through +them nevertheless, but there was nothing of interest. Routine +navigational data; a record of the time of contact with the asteroid; a +log of preliminary observations on the rock; nothing more. The last tape +recorded the call-schedule Roger Hunter had set up with the Patrol, a +routine precaution used by all miners, to bring help if for some reason +they should fail to check in on schedule.</p> + +<p>There was no hint in the log of any extraordinary discovery.</p> + +<p>"Are any tapes missing?" Greg wanted to know.</p> + +<p>"Doesn't look like it. There's one here for each day-period."</p> + +<p>"I wonder," Tom said. "Dad always kept a personal log. You know, a sort +of a diary, on microfilm." He peered into the film storage bin, checked +through the spools. Then, from down beneath the last row of spools he +pulled out a slightly smaller spool. "Here's something our friends +missed, I bet."</p> + +<p>It was not really a diary, just a sequence of notes, calculations and +ideas that Roger Hunter had jotted down and microfilmed from time to +time. The entries on the one spool went back for several years. Tom fed +the spool into the reader, and they stared eagerly at the last few +entries.</p> + +<p>A series of calculations, covering several pages, but with no notes to +indicate what, exactly, Roger Hunter had been calculating. "Looks like +he was plotting an orbit," Greg said. "But what orbit? And why? Nothing +here to tell."</p> + +<p>"It must have been important, though, or Dad wouldn't have filmed the +pages," Tom said. "Anything else?"</p> + +<p>Another sheet with more calculations. Then a short paragraph written in +Roger Hunter's hurried scrawl. "No doubt now what it is," the words +said. "Wish Johnny were here, show him a <i>real</i> bonanza, but he'll know +soon enough if...."</p> + +<p>They stared at the scribbled, uncompleted sentence. Then Johnny Coombs +let out a whoop. "I told you he found something! And he found it <i>here</i>, +not somewhere else."</p> + +<p>"Hold it," Greg said, peering at the film reader. "There's something +more on the last page, but I can't read it."</p> + +<p>Tom blinked at the entry. "'Inter Jovem et Martem planetam interposui,'" +he read. He scratched his head. "That's Latin, and it's famous, too. +Kepler wrote it, back before the asteroids were discovered. 'Between +Jupiter and Mars I will put a planet.'"</p> + +<p>Greg and Johnny looked at each other. "I don't get it," Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Dad told me about that once," Tom said. "Kepler couldn't understand +the long jump between Mars and Jupiter, when Venus and Earth and Mars +were so close together. He figured there ought to be a planet out +here ... and he was right, in a way. There wasn't any one planet, unless +you'd call Ceres a planet, but it wasn't just empty space between Mars +and Jupiter either. The asteroids were here."</p> + +<p>"But why would Dad be writing that down?" Greg asked. "And what has it +got to do with what he found out here?" He snapped off the reader switch +angrily. "I don't understand any of this, and I don't like it. If Dad +found something out here, where is it? And who tore this ship apart +after the Patrol ship left?"</p> + +<p>"Probably the same ones that caused the 'accident' in the first place," +Johnny said.</p> + +<p>"But why did they come back?" Greg protested. "If they killed Dad, they +must have known what he'd found before they killed him."</p> + +<p>"You'd think so," Johnny conceded.</p> + +<p>"Then why take the risk of coming back here again?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe they <i>didn't</i> know," Tom said thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I mean maybe they killed him too soon. Maybe they thought they knew +what he'd found and where it was ... and then found out that they +didn't, after all. Maybe Dad hid it...."</p> + +<p>Johnny Coombs shook his head. "No way a man can hide an ore strike."</p> + +<p>"But suppose Dad did, somehow, and whoever killed him couldn't find it? +It would be too late to make him tell them. They'd <i>have</i> to come back +and look again, wouldn't they? And from the way they went about it, it +looks as though they weren't having much luck."</p> + +<p>"Then whatever Dad found would still be here, somewhere," Greg said.</p> + +<p>"That's right."</p> + +<p>"But where? There's nothing on this ship."</p> + +<p>"Maybe not," Tom said, "but I'd like to take a look at that asteroid +before we give up."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>They paused in the big ore-loading lock to reclamp their pressure +suit helmets, and looked down at the jagged chunk of rock a hundred +yards below them. In the lock they had found scooters ... the little +one-man propulsion units so commonly used for short distance work in +space ... but decided not to use them. "They're clumsy," Johnny said, +"and the bumper units in your suits will do just as well for this +distance." He looked down at the rock. "I'll take the center section. +You each take an edge and work in. Look for any signs of work on the +surface ... chisel marks, Murexide charges, anything."</p> + +<p>"What about the dark side?" Greg asked.</p> + +<p>"If we want to see anything there, we'll either have to rig up lights or +turn the rock around," Johnny said. "Let's cover this side first and see +what we come up with."</p> + +<p>He turned and leaped from the airlock, moving gracefully down toward +the surface, using the bumper unit to guide himself with short bursts +of compressed CO<sub>2</sub>, from the nozzle. Greg followed, pushing off +harder and passing Johnny halfway down. Tom hesitated. It looked easy +enough ... but he remembered the violent nausea of his first few hours +of free fall.</p> + +<p>Finally he gritted his teeth and jumped off after Greg. Instantly he +knew that he had jumped too hard. He shot away from the orbit-ship like +a bullet; the jagged asteroid surface leaped up at him. Frantically he +grabbed for the bumper nozzle and pulled the trigger, trying to break +his fall.</p> + +<p>He felt the nozzle jerk in his hand, and then, abruptly, he was spinning +off at a wild tangent from the asteroid, head over heels. For a moment +it seemed that asteroid, orbit-ship and stars were all wheeling crazily +around him. Then he realized what had happened. He fired the bumper +again, and went spinning twice as fast. The third time he timed the +blast, aiming the nozzle carefully, and the spinning almost stopped.</p> + +<p>He fought down nausea, trying to get his bearings. He was three hundred +yards out from the asteroid, almost twice as far from the orbit-ship. He +stared down at the rock as he moved slowly away from it. Before, from +the orbit-ship, he had been able to see only the bright side of the huge +rock; now he could see the sharp line of darkness across one side.</p> + +<p>But there was something else....</p> + +<p>He fired the bumper again to steady himself, peering into the blackness +beyond the light-line on the rock. He snapped on his helmet lamp, aimed +the spotlight beam down to the dark rock surface. Greg and Johnny were +landing now on the bright side, with Greg almost out of sight over the +"horizon" ... but Tom's attention was focussed on something he could see +only now as he moved away from the asteroid surface.</p> + +<p>His spotlight caught it ... something bright and metallic, completely +hidden on the dark side, lying in close to the surface but not quite on +the surface. Then suddenly Tom knew what it was ... the braking jets of +a Class I Ranger, crouching beyond the reach of sunlight in the shadow +of the asteroid....</p> + +<p>Swiftly he fired the bumper again, turning back toward the orbit-ship. +His hand went to the speaker-switch, but he caught himself in time. Any +warning shouted to Greg and Johnny would certainly be picked up by the +ship. But he had to give warning somehow.</p> + +<p>He tumbled into the airlock, searching for a flare in his web belt. It +was a risk ... the Ranger ship might pick up the flash ... but he had to +take it. He was unscrewing the fuse cap from the flare when he saw Greg +and Johnny leap up from the asteroid surface.</p> + +<p>Then he saw what had alarmed them. Slowly, the Ranger was moving out +from its hiding place behind the rock. Tom reached out to catch Greg as +he came plummeting into the lock. There was a flash from the Ranger's +side, and Johnny Coombs' voice boomed in his earphones: "Get inside! Get +the lock closed, fast ... hurry up, can't waste a second."</p> + +<p>Johnny caught the lip of the lock, dragged himself inside frantically. +They were spinning the airlock door closed when they heard the +thundering explosion, felt the ship lurch under their feet, and all +three of them went crashing to the deck.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c5_The_Black_Raider" id="c5_The_Black_Raider"></a>5. The Black Raider</h2> + + +<p>For a stunned moment they were helpless as they struggled to pick +themselves up. The stable airlock deck was suddenly no longer +stable ... it was lurching back and forth like a rowboat on a heavy sea, +and they grabbed the shock-bars along the bulkheads to steady themselves. +"What happened?" Greg yelped. "I saw a ship...."</p> + +<p>As if in answer there was another crash belowdecks, and the lurching +became worse. "They're firing on us, that's what happened," Johnny +Coombs growled.</p> + +<p>"Well, they're shaking us loose at the seams," Greg said. "We've got to +get this crate out of here." He reached for his helmet, began unsnapping +his pressure suit.</p> + +<p>"Leave it on," Johnny snapped.</p> + +<p>"But we can't move fast enough in these things...."</p> + +<p>"Leave it on all the same. If they split the hull open, you'll be dead +in ten seconds without a suit."</p> + +<p>Somewhere below they heard the steady <i>clang-clang-clang</i> of the +emergency-station's bell ... already one of the compartments somewhere +had been breached, and was pouring its air out into the vacuum of space. +"But what can we do?" Greg said. "They could tear us apart!"</p> + +<p>"First, we see what they've already done," Johnny said, spinning the +wheel on the inner lock. "If they plan to tear us apart, we're done for, +but they may want to try to board us.... We'll wait and see."</p> + +<p>An orbit-ship under fire was completely vulnerable. One well-placed +shell could rip it open like a balloon.</p> + +<p>Tom and Greg followed Johnny to where the control cabin was located. In +control they found alarm lights flashing in three places on the +instrument panel. Another muffled crash roared through the ship, and a +new row of lights sprang on along the panel.</p> + +<p>"How are the engines?" Greg said, staring at the flickering lights.</p> + +<p>"Can't tell. Looks like they're firing at the main jets, but they've +ripped open three storage holds, too. They're trying to disable us...."</p> + +<p>"What about the <i>Scavenger</i>?"</p> + +<p>Johnny checked a gauge. "The airlock compartment is all right, so the +scout ships haven't been touched. They couldn't fire on them without +splitting the whole ship down the middle." Johnny leaned forward, +flipped on the viewscreen, and an image came into focus.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It was a Class I Ranger, and there was no doubt of its origin. Like the +one they had seen berthing at the Sun Lake City racks, this ship had a +glossy black hull, with the golden triangle-and-J insignia standing out +in sharp relief in the dim sunlight.</p> + +<p>"It's our friends, all right," Johnny said.</p> + +<p>"But what are they trying to do?" Tom said.</p> + +<p>Even as they watched, a pair of scooters broke from the side of the +Ranger and slid down toward the sun side of the asteroid. "I don't +know," Johnny said. "I think they intended to stay hidden, until Tom +lost control of his bumper, and got far enough around there to spot +them." He frowned as the first scooter touched down on the asteroid +surface.</p> + +<p>"Can't we fire on them?" Greg said angrily.</p> + +<p>"Not the way this tub is lurching around. They've got our main gyros, +and the auxilliaries aren't powerful enough to steady us. Another blast +or two could send us spinning like a top, and we'd have nothing to +stabilize us...."</p> + +<p>There was another flash from the Ranger's hull, and the ship jerked +under their feet. "Well, we're a sitting duck here," Greg said. "Maybe +those engines will still work." He slid into the control seat, flipped +the drive switches to fire the side jets in opposite pairs. They fired, +steadying the lurching of the ship somewhat, but there was no response +from the main engines. "No good. We couldn't begin to run from them. +We're stuck here."</p> + +<p>"They could outrun us anyway," Tom said, watching the viewscreen. "And +they're moving in closer now."</p> + +<p>"They're going to board us," Tom said.</p> + +<p>Johnny nodded, his eyes suddenly bright. "I think you're right. And if +they do, we may have a chance. But we've got to split up.... Greg, you +take the control cabin here, try to keep them out if you can. Tom can +cover the main corridor to the storage holds, and I'll take the engine +room section. That will sew up the entrances to control, here, and give +us a chance to stop them."</p> + +<p>"They may have a dozen men," Tom said. "They could just shoot us down."</p> + +<p>"I don't think so," Johnny said. "They want <i>us</i>, not the ship, or they +wouldn't bother to board us. We may not be able to hold them off, but we +can try."</p> + +<p>"What about making a run for it in the <i>Scavenger</i>?" Greg said.</p> + +<p>Johnny chuckled grimly. "It'd be a mighty short run. That Ranger's got +homing shells that could blow the <i>Scavenger</i> to splinters if we tried +it. Our best bet is to put up such a brawl that they think twice about +taking us."</p> + +<p>They parted in the corridor outside control, Johnny heading down for the +engine room corridors, while Tom ran up toward the main outer-shell +corridor, a Markheim stunner in his hand. The entire outer shell of the +ship was storage space, each compartment separately sealed and connected +with the two main corridors that circled the ship. On each side these +corridors came together to join the short entry corridors from the +scout-ship airlocks.</p> + +<p>Tom knew that the only way the ship could be boarded was through those +locks; a man stationed at the place where the main corridors joined +could block any entry from the locks ... as long as he could hold his +position. Tom reached the junction of the corridors, and crouched close +to the wall. By peering around the corner, he had a good view of the +airlock corridor.</p> + +<p>Tom gripped the Markheim tightly, and he dialed it down to a narrow +beam. Nobody had ever been killed by a stunner ... but a direct hit with +a narrow beam could paralyze a man for three days.</p> + +<p>There was movement at the far end of the airlock corridor. A helmeted +head peered around the turn in the corridor; then two men in pressure +suits moved into view, walking cautiously, weapons in hand. Tom shrank +back against the wall, certain they had not seen him. He waited until +they were almost to the junction with the main corridor; then he took +aim and pressed the trigger stud on his Markheim. There was an ugly +ripping sound as the gun jerked in his hand. The two men dropped as +though they had been pole-axed.</p> + +<p>A shout, a scrape of metal against metal, and a shot ripped back at him +from the end of the corridor. Tom jerked back fast, but not quite fast +enough. He felt a sledge-hammer blow on his shoulder, felt his arm jerk +in a cramping spasm while the corridor echoed the low rumble of +sub-sonics. He flexed his arm to work out the spasm ... they were using +a wide beam, hardly strong enough to stun a man. His heart pounded. They +were being careful, very careful....</p> + +<p>Two more men rounded the bend in the corridor. Tom fired, but they hit +the deck fast, and the beam missed. The first one jerked to his feet, +charged up the corridor toward him, dodging and sliding. Tom followed +him in his sights, fired three times as the Markheim heated up in his +hand. The beam hit the man's leg, dumping him to the deck, and bounced +off to catch the second one.</p> + +<p>But now there was another sound, coming from the corridor behind him. +Voices, shouts, clanging of boots. He pressed against the wall, +listening. The sounds were from below. They must have gotten past +Johnny ... probably the men on the scooters. Tom looked around +helplessly. If they came up behind him, he was trapped in a crossfire. +But if he left his position, more men could come in through the airlock. +Even now two more came around the bend, starting up the corridor for +him....</p> + +<p>Quite suddenly, the lights went out.</p> + +<p>The men stopped. Sound stopped. The corridor was pitch black. Tom fired +wildly down the corridor, heard shouts and oaths from the men, but he +could see nothing. Then, ahead, a flicker of light as a headlamp went +on. The men from the airlock were close, moving in on him, and from +behind he saw light bouncing off the corridor walls....</p> + +<p>He jerked open the hatch to a storage hold, ducked inside, and slammed +the hatch behind him. He pressed against the wall, panting.</p> + +<p>He waited.</p> + +<p>Suddenly an idea flickered in Tom's mind.</p> + +<p>It was a chance ... a long chance ... but it was something. If they were +going to be captured in spite of anything they could do, even a long +chance would be worth trying....</p> + +<p>He waited in the darkness, tried to think it through. It was a wild +idea, an utterly impossible idea, he had never heard of it being tried +before ... but <i>any</i> chance was better than none. He remembered what +Johnny had said in the control cabin. The Ranger ship would have homing +shells. An attempt to make a run with the <i>Scavenger</i> might be +disastrous.</p> + +<p>He thought about it, trying to reason it out. The Jupiter Equilateral +men obviously wanted them alive. They did not dare to kill Roger +Hunter's sons, because Roger Hunter might have told them where the +bonanza was. And Jupiter Equilateral would not dare let anyone of them +break away. If one of them got back to Mars, the whole U.N. Patrol would +be out in the Belt....</p> + +<p>The plan became clear in his mind, but he had to let Greg know. He +fingered the control of his helmet radio. The boarding party would have +a snooper, but if he was quick, they wouldn't have time to nail him. He +buzzed an attention code. "Greg? Can you hear me?"</p> + +<p>Silence. He buzzed again, and waited. What was wrong? Had they already +broken through to the control cabin and taken Greg? He buzzed again. +"Greg! Sound off if you can hear me."</p> + +<p>More silence. Then a click. "Tom?"</p> + +<p>"Here. Are you all right?"</p> + +<p>"So far. You?"</p> + +<p>"They got past me, but they didn't hit me. How's Johnny?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Greg said. "I think he's been hurt. Tom, you'd better +get off, they'll have snoopers...."</p> + +<p>"All right, listen," Tom said. "How does it look to you?"</p> + +<p>"Bad. We're outnumbered, they'll be through to here any minute."</p> + +<p>"All right, I've got an idea. It's risky, but it might let us pull +something out of this mess. I'll need some time, though."</p> + +<p>"How much?"</p> + +<p>"Ten, fifteen minutes."</p> + +<p>There was an edge to Greg's voice. "What are you planning?"</p> + +<p>"I can't tell you, they're listening in. But if it works...."</p> + +<p>"Look, don't do anything stupid."</p> + +<p>"I can't hear you," Tom said. "You try to hold them for fifteen +minutes ... and don't worry. Take care of yourself."</p> + +<p>Tom snapped off the speaker and moved to the hatchway. The corridor was +empty, and pitch black. He started down toward the airlock, then stopped +short at the sound of voices and the flicker of headlamps up ahead.</p> + +<p>He crouched back, but the lights were not moving. Guards at the lock, +making certain that nobody tried to board their own ship. Tom grinned to +himself. They weren't missing any bets, he thought.</p> + +<p>Except one. There was one bet they wouldn't even think of.</p> + +<p>He backtracked to the storage hold, crossed through it, and out into the +far corridor. He followed the gentle curve of the deck a quarter of the +way around the ship. Twice along the way he stumbled in the darkness, +but saw no sign of the raiders. At last he reached the far side, and the +corridor leading to No. 2 airlock. Again he could see the lamps of the +guards around the bend; they were stationed directly inside their own +lock.</p> + +<p>Inching forward, he peered into blackness. Each step made a muffled +clang on the deck plates. He edged his boots along as quietly as +possible, reaching along the wall with his hand until he felt the lip of +a hatchway.</p> + +<p>The lights and voices seemed nearer now. In the dim reflected light he +saw the sign on the door of the hatchway:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>No. 2 Airlock</p> + +<p>BE SURE PRESSURE GAUGE IS AT ZERO BEFORE OPENING HATCH</p></div> + +<p>He checked the gauge, silently spun the wheel. There was a <i>ping</i> as the +seals broke. He pulled the hatch open just enough to squeeze into the +lock, then closed it behind him. Then he switched on the pumps, waiting +impatiently until the red "all clear" signal flashed on. Then he opened +the outside lock.</p> + +<p>Just beyond, he could see the sleek silvery lines of the <i>Scavenger</i>.</p> + +<p>It was their only chance.</p> + +<p>He took a deep breath, and jumped across the gap to the open lock of the +<i>Scavenger</i>.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c6_The_Last_Run_of_the_Scavenger" id="c6_The_Last_Run_of_the_Scavenger"></a>6. The Last Run of the Scavenger</h2> + + +<p>To Greg Hunter the siege of the orbit-ship had been a nerve-wracking +game of listening and waiting for something to happen.</p> + +<p>In the darkness of the control cabin he stretched his fingers, cramped +from gripping the heavy Markheim stunner, and checked the corridor +outside again. There was no sound in the darkness there, no sign of +movement. Somewhere far below he heard metal banging on metal; minutes +before he thought he had heard the sharp ripping sound of a stunner +blast overhead, but he wasn't sure. Wherever the fighting was going on, +it was not here.</p> + +<p>He shook his head as his uneasiness mounted. Why hadn't Johnny come +back? He'd gone off to try and disable the Ranger ship leaving Greg to +guard the control cabin. Why no sign of the marauders in the control +cabin corridor? This should have been the first place they would head +for, if they planned to take the ship, but there had been nothing but +silence and darkness. Johnny had been gone near 15 minutes already. Greg +became more uneasy.</p> + +<p>He waited. Suddenly, bitterly, he realized the hopelessness of it. Even +if Johnny did manage to damage the Ranger ship, what difference would it +make? They had been fools to come out here, idiots to ignore Tawney's +warning, the three of them. Tawney had told them in so many words that +there would be trouble, and they had come out anyway, just begging for +it.</p> + +<p>Well, now they had what they'd begged for. Greg slammed his fist into +his palm angrily. What had they expected? That the big company would +step humbly aside for them, with a fortune hanging in the balance? If +they had even begun to think it through before they started....</p> + +<p>But they hadn't, and now it was too late. They were under attack; Johnny +was off on a fool's errand, gone too long for comfort, and Tom ... Greg +glanced at his watch. It had been ten minutes since Tom's call. What had +he meant by it? A plan, he said. A long chance.</p> + +<p>He couldn't shake off the cold feeling in his chest when he thought +about Tom. What if something happened to him....</p> + +<p>Greg remembered how he had grown to resent his brother. The time when +they were very young and Tom had been struck by the sickness, a native +Martian virus they called it. He remembered the endless nights of +attention given to Tom alone. From then on somehow they weren't friends +any more. But now all that seemed to disappear and Greg only wished that +Tom would appear down the corridor....</p> + +<p>A sound startled him. He tensed, gripping the stunner, peering into the +darkness. Had he heard something? Or was it his own foot scraping on +the deck plate? He held his breath, listening, and the sound came +again, louder.</p> + +<p>Someone was moving stealthily up the corridor.</p> + +<p>Greg waited, covered by the edge of the hatchway. It might be Johnny +returning, or maybe even Tom ... but there was no sign of recognition. +Whoever it was was coming silently....</p> + +<p>Then a beam of light flared from a headlamp, and he saw the blue crackle +of a stunner. He jerked back as the beam bounced off the metal walls. +Then he was firing point blank down the corridor, his stunner on a tight +beam, a deadly pencil of violent energy. He heard a muffled scream and a +bulk loomed up in front of him, crashed to the deck at his feet.</p> + +<p>He fired again. Another crash, a shout, and then the sound of footsteps +retreating. He waited, his heart pounding, but there was nothing more.</p> + +<p>The first attempt on the control cabin had failed.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Five minutes later the second attempt began. This time there was no +warning sound. A sudden, ear-splitting crash, a groan of tortured metal, +and the barricaded hatchway glowed dull red. Another crash followed. The +edge of the hatch split open, pouring acrid Murexide fumes into the +cabin. A third explosion breached the door six inches; Greg could see +headlamps in the corridor beyond.</p> + +<p>He fired through the crack, pressing down the stud until the stunner +scorched his hand. Then he heard boots clanging up the other corridor. +He pressed back against the wall, waited until the sounds were near, +then threw open the hatch. For an instant he made a perfect target, but +the raiders did not fire. The stunner buzzed in his hand, and once again +the footfalls retreated.</p> + +<p>They <i>were</i> being careful!</p> + +<p>Silence then, and blackness. Minutes passed ... five, ten.... Greg +checked the time again. It was over twenty minutes since Tom had talked +to him. What had happened? Whatever Tom had planned must have misfired, +or something would have happened by now. For a moment he considered +leaving his post and starting down the dark corridor to search ... but +where to search? There was nothing to do but wait and hope for a +miracle.</p> + +<p>Then suddenly the lights blazed on in the control cabin and the corridor +outside. An attention signal buzzed in Greg's earphones. "All right, +Hunter, it's all over," a voice grated. "You've got five minutes to get +down to No. 3 lock. If you make us come get you, you'll get hurt."</p> + +<p>"I'll chance it," Greg snapped back. "Come on up."</p> + +<p>"We're through fooling," the voice said. "You'd better get down here. +And bring your brother with you."</p> + +<p>"Sure," Greg said. "Start holding your breath."</p> + +<p>The contact broke for a moment, then clicked on again. This time it was +another voice. "We've got Johnny Coombs down here," it said. "You want +him to stay alive, you start moving. Without your stunner."</p> + +<p>Greg chewed his lip. They could be bluffing ... but they might not be. +"I want to see Johnny," he said.</p> + +<p>On the control panel a viewscreen flickered to life. "Take a look, +then," the voice said in his earphones.</p> + +<p>They had Johnny, all right. A burly guard was holding his good arm +behind his back. Greg could see the speaker wires jerked loose from his +helmet.</p> + +<p>"It's up to you," the voice said. "You've got three minutes. If you're +not down here by then, this helmet comes off and your friend goes out +the lock. It's quick that way, but it's not very pleasant."</p> + +<p>Johnny was shaking his head violently; the guard wrenched at his arm, +and the miner's face twisted in pain. "Two minutes," the voice said.</p> + +<p>"Okay," Greg said. "I'm coming down."</p> + +<p>"Drop the stunner right there."</p> + +<p>He dropped the weapon onto the deck. Three steps out into the corridor, +and two guards were there to meet him, stunners raised. They marched him +up the ramp to the outer level corridor and around to No. 3 lock.</p> + +<p>They were waiting there with Johnny. A moment later the guards herded +them through the lock and into the hold of the Ranger ship, stripped off +their suits, and searched them.</p> + +<p>A big man with a heavy face and coarse black hair came into the cabin. +He looked at Johnny and Greg and grunted. "You must be Hunter," he said +to Greg. "Where's the other one?"</p> + +<p>"What other one?" Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Your brother. Where is he?"</p> + +<p>"How would I know?" Greg said.</p> + +<p>The man's face darkened. "You'd be smart to watch your tongue," he said. +"We know there were three of you, we want the other one."</p> + +<p>The man turned to a guard. "What about it?"</p> + +<p>"Don't know, Doc. Nobody's reported him."</p> + +<p>"Then take a crew and search the ship. We were due back hours ago. He's +in there somewhere."</p> + +<p>"Sure, Doc." The guard disappeared through the lock. The man called Doc +motioned Greg and Johnny through into the main cabin.</p> + +<p>"What are you planning to do with us?" Greg demanded.</p> + +<p>"You'll find out soon enough." Doc's mouth twisted angrily.</p> + +<p>A guard burst into the cabin. "Doc, there's just nobody there! We've +scoured the ship."</p> + +<p>"You think he just floated away in his space suit?" Doc growled. "<i>Find +him.</i> Tawney only needs one of them, but we can't take a chance on the +other one getting back...." He broke off, his eyes on the viewscreen. +"Did you check those scout ships?"</p> + +<p>"No, I thought...."</p> + +<p>"Get down there and check them." Doc turned back to the viewscreen +impatiently.</p> + +<p>Greg caught Johnny's eye, saw the big miner's worried frown. "Where is +he?" he whispered.</p> + +<p>"I don't know. Thought you did...."</p> + +<p>"All I know is that he had some kind of scheme in mind."</p> + +<p>"Shut up," Doc said to them. "If you're smart, you'll be strapping down +before we...." He broke off in mid sentence, listening.</p> + +<p>Quite suddenly, the Ranger ship had begun to vibrate. Somewhere, far +away, there was the muffled rumble of engines.</p> + +<p>Doc whirled to the viewscreen. Greg and Johnny looked at the same +instant, and Johnny groaned.</p> + +<p>Below them, the <i>Scavenger</i>'s jets were flaring. First the pale starter +flame, then a long stream of fire, growing longer as the engines +developed thrust.</p> + +<p>Doc slammed down a switch, roared into a speaker. "That scout +ship ... stop it! He's trying to make a break!"</p> + +<p>Two guards appeared at the lock almost instantly, but it was too late. +Already she was straining at her magnetic cable moorings; then the +exhaust flared, and the little scout ship leaped away from the +orbit-ship, moving out at a tangent to the asteroid's orbit, picking up +speed, moving faster and faster....</p> + +<p>In toward the orbit of Mars.</p> + +<p>The man called Doc had gone pale. Now he snapped on the speaker again. +"Frank? Stand by on missile control. He's asking for it."</p> + +<p>"Right," the voice came back. "I'm sighting in."</p> + +<p>The <i>Scavenger</i> was moving fast now, dwindling in the viewscreen. One +panel of the screen went telescopic to track her. "All right," Doc said. +"Fire one and two."</p> + +<p>From both sides of the Ranger, tiny rockets flared. Like twin bullets +the homing shells moved out, side by side, in the track of the escaping +<i>Scavenger</i>. With a strangled cry, Greg leaped forward, but Johnny +caught his arm.</p> + +<p>"Johnny, <i>Tom's on ... that thing</i>...."</p> + +<p>"I know. But he's got a chance."</p> + +<p>Already the homing shells were out of sight; only the twin flares were +visible. Greg stared helplessly at the tiny light-spot of the +<i>Scavenger</i>. At first she had been moving straight, but now she was +dodging and twisting, her side-jets flaring at irregular intervals. The +twin pursuit shells mimicked each change in course, drawing closer to +her every second.</p> + +<p>And then there was a flash, so brilliant it nearly blinded them, and the +<i>Scavenger</i> burst apart in space. The second shell struck a fragment; +there was another flash. Then there was nothing but a nebulous powdering +of tiny metal fragments.</p> + +<p>The last run of the <i>Scavenger</i> had ended.</p> + +<p>Dazed, Greg turned away from the screen, and somewhere, as if in a +dream, he heard Doc saying, "All right, boys, strap this pair down. +We've got a lot of work to do before we can get out of here."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c7_Prisoners" id="c7_Prisoners"></a>7. Prisoners</h2> + + +<p>Wherever they were planning to take them, the captors took great pains +to make sure that their two prisoners did not escape before they were +underway. Greg and Johnny were strapped down securely into accelleration +cots. Two burly guards were assigned to them, and the guards were taking +their job seriously. One of the two was watching them at all times, and +both men held their stunners on ready.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, under Doc's orders, the crew of the Jupiter Equilateral ship +began a systematic looting of the orbit-ship they had disabled. Earlier +they had merely searched the cabins and compartments. Now a steady +stream of pressure-suited men crossed through the airlocks into the +crippled vessel, marched back with packing cases full of tape records, +microfilm spools, stored computer data ... anything that might +conceivably contain information. The control cabin was literally torn +apart. Every storage hold was ransacked.</p> + +<p>A team of six men was dispatched to the asteroid surface, searching for +any sign of mining or prospecting activity. They came back an hour +later, long-faced and empty handed. Doc took their reports, his scowl +growing deeper and deeper.</p> + +<p>Finally the last of the searchers reported in. "Doc, we'd scraped it +clean, and there's nothing there. Not one thing that we didn't check +before."</p> + +<p>"There's <i>got</i> to be something there," Doc said.</p> + +<p>"You tell me where else to look, and I'll do it."</p> + +<p>Doc shook his head ominously. "Tawney's not going to like it," he said. +"There's no other place it could be...."</p> + +<p>"Well, at least we have this pair," the other said, jerking a thumb at +Greg and Johnny. "They'll know."</p> + +<p>Doc looked at them darkly. "Yes, and they'll tell, too, or I don't know +Tawney."</p> + +<p>Greg watched it all happening, heard the noises, saw the packing-cases +come through the cabin, and still he could not quite believe it. He +caught Johnny's eye, then turned away, suddenly sick. Johnny shook his +head. "Take it easy, boy."</p> + +<p>"He didn't even have a chance," Greg said.</p> + +<p>"I know that. He must have known it too."</p> + +<p>"But why? What was he thinking of?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe he thought he could make it. Maybe he thought it was the only +chance...."</p> + +<p>There was no other answer that Greg could see, and the ache in his chest +was deeper.</p> + +<p>There was no way to bring Tom back now. However things had been between +them, they could never be changed now. But he knew that as long as he +was still breathing, somebody somehow was going to answer for that last +desperate run of the <i>Scavenger</i>....</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It had been an excellent idea, Tom Hunter thought to himself, and it had +worked perfectly, exactly as he had planned it ... so far. But now, as +he clung to his precarious perch, he wondered if it had not worked out a +little too well. The first flush of excitement that he had felt when he +saw the <i>Scavenger</i> blow apart in space had begun to die down now; on +its heels came the unpleasant truth, the realization that only the easy +part lay behind him so far. The hard part was yet to come, and if that +were to fail....</p> + +<p>He realized, suddenly, that he was afraid. He was well enough concealed +at the moment, clinging tightly against the outside hull of the Ranger +ship, hidden behind the open airlock door. But soon the airlock would be +pulled closed, and then the real test would come.</p> + +<p>Carefully, he ran through the plan again in his mind. He was certain now +that his reasoning was right. There had been two dozen men on the raider +ship; there had been no question, even from the start, that they would +succeed in boarding the orbit-ship and taking its occupants prisoners. +The Jupiter Equilateral ship had not appeared there by coincidence. They +had come looking for something that they had not found.</p> + +<p>And the only source of information left was Roger Hunter's sons. The +three of them together might have held the ship for hours, or even +days ... but with engines and radios smashed, there had been no hope +of contacting Mars for help. Ultimately, they would have been taken.</p> + +<p>As he had crouched in the dark storage hold in the orbit-ship, Tom had +realized this. He had also realized that, once captured, they would +never have been freed and allowed to return to Mars.</p> + +<p>If the three of them were taken, they were finished. But what if only +two were taken? He had pushed it aside as a foolish idea, at first. The +boarding party would never rest until they had accounted for all three. +They wouldn't dare go back to their headquarters leaving one live man +behind to tell the story....</p> + +<p>Unless they thought the third man was dead. If they were sure of +that ... <i>certain</i> of it ... they would not hesitate to take the +remaining two away. And if, by chance, the third man wasn't as dead as +they thought he was, and could find a way to follow them home, there +might still be a chance to free the other two.</p> + +<p>It was then that he thought of the <i>Scavenger</i>, and knew that he had +found a way.</p> + +<p>In the cabin of the little scout ship he had worked swiftly, fearful +that at any minute one of the marauders might come aboard to search it. +Tom was no rocket pilot, but he did know that the count-down was +automatic, and that every ship could run on an autopilot, as a drone, +following a prescribed course until it ran out of fuel. Even the +shell-evasion mechanism could be set on automatic....</p> + +<p>Quickly he set the autopilot, plotted a simple high school math course +for the ship, a course the Ranger ship would be certain to see, and to +fire upon. He set the count-down clock to give himself plenty of time +for the next step.</p> + +<p>Both the airlock to the <i>Scavenger</i> and to the orbit-ship worked on +electric motors. The <i>Scavenger</i> was grappled to the orbit-ship's hull +by magnetic cables. Tom dug into the ship's repair locker, found the +wires and fuses that he needed, and swiftly started to work.</p> + +<p>It was an ingenious device. The inner airlock door in the orbit-ship was +triggered to a fuse. He had left it ajar; the moment it was closed, by +anyone intending to board the <i>Scavenger</i>, the fuse would burn, a +circuit would open, and the little ship's autopilot would go on active. +The ship would blast away from its moorings, head out toward Mars....</p> + +<p>And the fireworks would begin. All that he would have to worry about +then would be getting himself aboard the Ranger ship without being +detected.</p> + +<p>Which was almost impossible. But he knew there was a way. There was one +place no one would think to look for him, if he could manage to keep out +of range of the viewscreen lenses ... the outer hull of the ship. If he +could clamp himself to the hull, somehow, and manage to cling there +during blastoff, he could follow Greg and Johnny right home.</p> + +<p>He checked the fuse on the airlock once again to make certain it would +work. Then he waited, hidden behind the little scout ship's hull, +until the orbit-ship swung around into shadow. He checked his suit +dials ... oxygen for twenty-two hours, heater pack fully charged, +soda-ash only half saturated ... it would do. Above him he could see the +rear jets of the Ranger. He swung out onto the orbit-ship's hull, and +began crawling up toward the enemy ship.</p> + +<p>It was slow going. Every pressure suit had magnetic boots and hand-pads +to enable crewmen to go outside and make repairs on the hull of a ship +in transit. Tom clung, and moved, and clung again, trying to reach the +protecting hull of the Ranger before the orbit-ship swung him around to +the sun-side again....</p> + +<p>He couldn't move fast enough. He saw the line of sunlight coming around +the ship as it swung full into the sun. He froze, crouching motionless. +If somebody on the Ranger spotted him now, it was all over. He was +exposed like a lizard on a rock. He waited, hardly daring to breathe, as +the ship spun ponderously around, carrying him into shadow again.</p> + +<p>And nothing happened. He started crawling upward again, reached up to +grab the mooring cable, and swung himself across to the hull of the +Ranger. The airlock hung open; he scuttled behind it, clinging to the +hull in its shadow just as Greg and Johnny were herded across by the +Jupiter Equilateral guards.</p> + +<p>Then he waited. There was no sound, no sign of life. After a while the +Ranger's inner lock opened, and a group of men hurried across to the +orbit-ship. Probably a searching party, Tom thought. Soon the men came +back, then returned to the orbit-ship. After another minute, he felt the +vibration of the <i>Scavenger</i>'s motors, and he knew that his snare had +been triggered.</p> + +<p>He saw the little ship break free and streak out in its curving +trajectory. He saw the homing shells burst from the Ranger's tubes. The +<i>Scavenger</i> vanished from his range of vision, but moments later he saw +the sudden flare of light reflected against the hull of the orbit-ship, +and he knew his plan had worked, but the ordeal lay ahead.</p> + +<p>And at the end of it, he might really be a dead man.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Hours later, the last group of looters left the orbit-ship, and the +airlock to the Ranger clanged shut. Tom heard the sucking sound of the +air-tight seals, then silence. The orbit-ship was empty, its insides +gutted, its engines no longer operable. The Ranger hung like a long +splinter of silver alongside her hull, poised and ready to move on.</p> + +<p>He knew that the time had come. Very soon the blastoff and the +accelleration would begin. He had a few moments to find a position of +safety, no more.</p> + +<p>Quickly, he began scrambling toward the rear of the Ranger's hull, +hugging the metal sides, moving sideways like a crab. Ahead, he knew, +the viewscreen lenses would be active; if one of them picked him up, it +would be quite a jolt to the men inside the ship ... but it would be the +end of his free ride.</p> + +<p>But the major peril was the blastoff. Once the engines cut off, the ship +would be in free fall. Then he could cling easily to the hull, walk all +over it if he chose to, with the aid of his boots and hand-pads. But +unless he found a way to anchor himself firmly to the hull during +blastoff, he could be flung off like a pebble.</p> + +<p>He heard a whirring sound, and saw the magnetic mooring cables jerk. The +ship was preparing for blastoff. Automatic motors were drawing the +cables and grappling plates into the hull. Moving quickly, Tom reached +the rear cable. Here was his anchor, something to hold him tight to the +hull! With one hand he loosened the web belt of his suit, looped it over +a corner of the grappling plate as it pulled in to the hull.</p> + +<p>The plate pulled tight against the belt. Each plate fit into a shallow +excavation in the hull, fitting so tightly that the plates were all but +invisible when they were in place. Tom felt himself pulled in tightly as +the plate gripped the belt against the metal, and the whirring of the +motor stopped.</p> + +<p>For an instant it looked like the answer. The belt was wedged +tight ... he couldn't possibly pull loose without ripping the nylon +webbing of the belt. But a moment later the motor started whirring again. +The plate pushed out from the hull a few inches, then started back, again +pulling in the belt....</p> + +<p>A good idea that just wouldn't work. The automatic machinery on a +spaceship was built to perfection; nothing could be permitted to +half-work. Tom realized what was happening. Unless the plate fit +perfectly in its place, the cable motor could not shut off, and +presently an alarm signal would start flashing on the control panel.</p> + +<p>He pulled the belt loose, reluctantly. He would have to count on his +boots and his hand-pads alone.</p> + +<p>He searched the rear hull, looking for some break in the polished metal +that might serve as a toehold. To the rear the fins flared out, +supported by heavy struts. He made his way back, crouching close to the +hull, and straddled one of the struts. He jammed his magnetic boots down +against the hull, and wrapped his arms around the strut with all his +strength.</p> + +<p>Clinging there, he waited.</p> + +<p>It wasn't a good position. The metal of the strut was polished and +slick, but it was better than trying to cling to the open hull. He +tensed now, not daring to relax for fear that the blastoff accelleration +would slam him when he was unprepared.</p> + +<p>Deep in the ship, the engines began to rumble. He felt it rather +than heard it, a low-pitched vibration that grew stronger and stronger. +The Ranger would not need a great thrust to move away from the +orbit-ship ... but if they were in a hurry, they might start out at +nearly Mars-escape....</p> + +<p>The jets flared, and something slammed him down against the fin strut. +The Ranger moved out, its engines roaring, accellerating hard. Tom felt +as though he had been hit by a ton of rock. The strut seemed to press in +against his chest; he could not breathe. His hands were sliding, and he +felt the pull on his boots. He tightened his grip desperately. This was +it. He had to hang on, <i>had</i> to hang on....</p> + +<p>He saw his boot on the hull surface, sliding slowly, creeping back and +stretching his leg, suddenly it broke loose; he lurched to one side, and +the other boot began sliding. There was a terrible ache in his arms, as +though some malignant giant were tearing at him, trying to wrench him +loose as he fought for his hold.</p> + +<p>There was one black instant when he knew he could not hold on another +second. He could see the blue flame of the jet streaming behind him, the +cold blackness of space beyond that. It had been a fool's idea, he +thought in despair, a million-to-one shot that he had taken, and +lost....</p> + +<p>And then the pressure stopped. His boots clanged down on the hull, and +he almost lost his hand-grip. He stretched an arm, shook himself, took a +great painful breath, and then clung to the strut, almost sobbing, +hardly daring to move.</p> + +<p>The ordeal was over. Somewhere, far ahead, an orbit-ship was waiting for +the Ranger to return. He would have to be ready for the braking thrust +and the side-maneuvering thrusts, but he would manage to hold on. +Crouching against the fin, he would be invisible to viewers on the +orbit-ship ... and who would be looking for a man clinging to the +outside of a scout-ship?</p> + +<p>Tom sighed, and waited. Jupiter Equilateral would have its prisoners, +all right. He wished now that he had not discarded the stunner, but +those extra pounds might have made the difference between life and death +during the blastoff. And at least he was not completely unarmed. He +still had Dad's revolver at his side.</p> + +<p>He smiled to himself. The pirates would have their prisoners, +indeed ... but they would have one factor to deal with that they +had not counted on.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>For Greg it was a bitter, lonely trip.</p> + +<p>After ten hours they saw the huge Jupiter Equilateral orbit-ship looming +up in the viewscreen like a minor planet. Skilfully Doc maneuvered the +ship into the launching rack. The guards unstrapped the prisoners, and +handed them pressure suits.</p> + +<p>Moments later they were in a section in crews' quarters where they +stripped off their suits. This orbit-ship was much larger than Roger +Hunter's; the gravity was almost Mars-normal, and it was comforting just +to stretch and relax their cramped muscles.</p> + +<p>As long as they didn't think of what was ahead.</p> + +<p>Finally Johnny grinned and slapped Greg's shoulder. "Cheer up," he said. +"We'll be honored guests for a while, you can bet on that."</p> + +<p>"For a while," Greg said bitterly.</p> + +<p>Just then the hatchway opened. "Well, who do we have here?" a familiar +voice said. "Returning a call, you might say. And maybe this time you'll +be ready for a bit of bargaining."</p> + +<p>They turned to see the heavy face and angry eyes of Merrill Tawney.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c8_The_Scavengers_of_Space" id="c8_The_Scavengers_of_Space"></a>8. The Scavengers of Space</h2> + + +<p>The casual observer might have been fooled. Tawney's guard was down only +for an instant; then the expression of cold fury and determination on +his face dropped away as though the shutter of a camera had clicked, and +he was all smiles and affability. They were honored guests here, one +would have thought, and this pudgy agent of the Jupiter Equilateral +combine was their genial host, anxious for their welfare, eager to do +anything he could for their comfort....</p> + +<p>They were amazed by the luxuriousness of the ship. For the next few +hours they received the best treatment, sumptuous accommodations, +excellent food.</p> + +<p>They were finishing their second cup of coffee when Tawney asked, +"Feeling better, gentlemen?"</p> + +<p>"You do things in a big way," Johnny said. "This is real coffee, made +from grounds. Must have cost a fortune to ship it out here."</p> + +<p>Tawney spread his hands. "We keep it for special occasions. Like when we +have special visitors."</p> + +<p>"Even when the visits aren't voluntary," Greg added sourly.</p> + +<p>"We have to be realistic," Tawney said. "Would you have come if we +invited you? Of course not. You gentlemen chose to come out to the Belt +in spite of my warnings. You thus made things very awkward for us, upset +certain of our plans." He looked at Greg. "We don't ordinarily allow +people to upset our plans, but now we find that we're forced to include +you in our plans, whether you happen to like the idea or not."</p> + +<p>"You're doing a lot of talking," Greg said. "Why don't you come to the +point?"</p> + +<p>Tawney was no longer smiling. "We happen to know that your father struck +a rich lode on one of his claims."</p> + +<p>"That's interesting," Greg said. "Did Dad tell you that?"</p> + +<p>"He didn't have to. A man can't keep a secret like that, not for very +long. Ask your friend here, if you don't believe me. And we make it our +business to know what's going on out here. We have to, in order to +survive."</p> + +<p>"Well, suppose you heard right. The law says that what a man finds on +his own claim is his."</p> + +<p>"Certainly," Tawney said. "Nobody would think of claim-jumping, these +days. But when a man happens to die before he can bring in his bonanza, +then it's a question of who gets there first, wouldn't you think?"</p> + +<p>"Not when the man is murdered," Greg said hotly, "not by a long shot."</p> + +<p>"But you can't prove that your father was murdered."</p> + +<p>"If I could, I wouldn't be here."</p> + +<p>"Then I think we'll stick to the law," Tawney said, "and call it an +accident."</p> + +<p>"And what about my brother? Was that an accident?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, yes, your brother." Tawney's eyes hardened. "Quite a different +matter, that. Sometimes Doc tends to be over-zealous in carrying out his +assigned duties. I can assure you that he has been ... disciplined."</p> + +<p>"That's not going to help Tom very much."</p> + +<p>"Unfortunately not," Tawney said. "Your brother made a very foolish +move, under the circumstances. But from a practical point of view, +perhaps it's not entirely a tragedy."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by that?"</p> + +<p>"From what I've heard," Tawney said, "you didn't have much use for your +twin brother. And now you certainly won't have to share your father's +legacy...."</p> + +<p>It was too much. With a roar Greg swung at the little fat man. The blow +caught Tawney full in the jaw, jerked his head back. Greg threw his +shoulder into a hard left, slamming Tawney back against the wall. The +guard charged across the room, dragging them apart as Tawney blubbered +and tried to cover his face. Greg dug his elbow into the guard's +stomach, twisted away and started for Tawney again. Then Johnny caught +his arm and spun him around. "Stop it," he snapped. "Use your head, +boy...."</p> + +<p>Greg stopped, glaring at Tawney and gasping for breath. The company man +picked himself up, rubbing his hand across his mouth. For a moment he +trembled with rage. Then he gripped the table with one hand, forcibly +regaining his control. He even managed a sickly smile. "Just like your +father," he said, "too hot-headed for your own good. But we'll let it +pass. I brought you here to make you an offer, a very generous offer, +and I'll still make it. I'm a businessman, when I want something I want +I bargain for it. If I have to share a profit to get it, I share the +profit. All right ... you know where your father's strike is. We want +it. We can't find it, so you've got us over a barrel. We're ready to +bargain."</p> + +<p>Greg started forward. "I wouldn't bargain with you for...."</p> + +<p>"Shut up, Greg," Johnny said.</p> + +<p>Greg stared at him. The big miner's voice had cracked like a whip; now +he was drawing Merrill Tawney aside, speaking rapidly into his ear. +Tawney listened, shot a venomous glance across at Greg, and finally +nodded. "All right," he said, "but I can't wait forever...."</p> + +<p>"You won't have to."</p> + +<p>Tawney turned to the guard. "You have your orders," he said. "They're to +have these quarters, and the freedom of the ship, except for the outer +level. They're not to be harmed, and they're not to be out of your sight +except when they're locked in here. Is that clear?"</p> + +<p>The guard nodded. Tawney looked at Johnny, and started for the door, +still rubbing his jaw. "We'll talk again later," he said, and then he +was gone.</p> + +<p>When the guard had left, and the lock buzzed in the door, Johnny looked +at Greg and shook his head sadly. "You just about fixed things, boy, you +really did. You've got to use your head if you want to stay alive a +while, that's all. Look, there isn't going to be any bargaining with +Tawney, he just doesn't work that way. It's heads he wins, tails we +lose. Once he has what he wants we won't last six minutes. All right, +then there's just one thing that can keep us alive ... stalling him. +We've got to make him think you'll give in if he plays his cards right."</p> + +<p>Greg was silent for a minute. "I hadn't thought of it that way."</p> + +<p>"And we've got to use the time we have to find some way to break for +it." Johnny stood up, staring around the luxurious lounge. "If you want +my opinion, it's going to take some pretty fancy footwork to get out of +here with our skins."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>True to his word, Tawney had given them the freedom of the ship. Greg +and Johnny discovered that their guard was also an excellent guide. All +day he had been leading them through the ship, chatting and answering +their questions about asteroid mining, until they almost forgot that +they were really prisoners here. And the guard's obvious pride in the +scope and skill of his company's mining operations was strangely +infectious.</p> + +<p>Watching the Jupiter Equilateral ship in operation, Greg felt his heart +sink. Here was a huge, powerful organization, with all the equipment and +men and know-how they could ever need. How could one man, or two or +three in a team, hope to compete with them? For the independent miner, +the only hope was the Big Strike, the single lode that could make him +rich. He might work all his life without finding it, and then stumble +upon it by sheer chance....</p> + +<p>But if he couldn't keep it when he found it, then what? What if the +great mining company became so strong that they could be their own law +in the Belt? What if they grew strong enough and powerful enough to +challenge the United Nations on Mars itself, and gain control of the +entire mining industry? What chance would the independent miner have +then?</p> + +<p>It was a frightening picture. Suddenly something began to make sense to +Greg; he realized something about his father that he had never known +before.</p> + +<p>Roger Hunter had been a miner, yes. But he had been something else too, +something far more important than just a miner.</p> + +<p>Roger Hunter had been a fighter, fighting to the end for something he +believed in....</p> + +<p>Tawney interrupted Greg's thought.</p> + +<p>"Quite an operation," he said.</p> + +<p>Greg looked at him. "So I see."</p> + +<p>"And very efficient, too. Our men have everything they need to work +with. We can mine at far less cost than anyone else."</p> + +<p>"But you still can't stand the idea of independent miners working the +Belt," Greg said.</p> + +<p>Tawney's eyebrows went up. "But why not? There's lots of room out here. +Our operation with Jupiter Equilateral is no different from an +independent miner's operation. We aren't different kinds of people." +Tawney smiled. "When you get right down to it, we're both exactly the +same thing ... scavengers in space, vultures picking over the dead +remains to see what we can find. We come out to the asteroids, and we +bring back what we want and leave the rest behind. And it doesn't matter +whether we've got one ship working or four hundred ... we're still just +scavengers."</p> + +<p>"With just one difference," Greg said, turning away from the viewscreen.</p> + +<p>"Difference?"</p> + +<p>Greg nodded. "Even vultures don't kill their own," he said.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Later, when they were alone in their quarters again, Greg and Johnny +stared at each other gloomily.</p> + +<p>"Didn't you see <i>anything</i> that might help us?" Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Not much. For an orbit-ship, this place is a fortress. I got a good +look at that scout ship coming in ... it was armed to the teeth. +Probably they all are. And they're keeping a guard now at every +airlock."</p> + +<p>"So we're sewed up tight," Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Looks that way. They've got us, boy, and I think Tawney's patience is +wearing thin, too. We're either going to have to produce or else."</p> + +<p>"But what can we do?"</p> + +<p>"Start bluffing."</p> + +<p>"It seems to me we're just about bluffed out."</p> + +<p>"I mean talk business," Johnny said. "Tell Tawney what he wants to +know."</p> + +<p>"When we don't know any more than he does? How?"</p> + +<p>Johnny Coombs scratched his jaw. "I've been thinking about that," he +said slowly, "and I wonder if we don't know a whole lot more than we +think we do."</p> + +<p>"Like what?" Greg said.</p> + +<p>"We've all been looking for the same thing ... a Big Strike, a bonanza +lode. Tawney's men have raked over every one of your Dad's claims, and +they haven't turned up a thing." Johnny looked at Greg. "Makes you +wonder a little, doesn't it? Your Dad was smart, but he was no magician. +And how does a man go about hiding something like a vein of ore?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Greg said. "It doesn't seem possible."</p> + +<p>"It isn't possible," Johnny said flatly. "There's only one possible +explanation, and we've been missing it all along. Whatever he found, <i>it +wasn't an ore strike</i>. It was something else, something far different +from anything we've been thinking of."</p> + +<p>Greg stared at him. "But if it wasn't an ore strike, what was it?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Johnny said. "But I'm sure of one thing ... it was +something important enough that he was ready to die before he'd reveal +it. And that means it was important enough that Tawney won't dare kill +us until he finds out what it was."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c9_The_Invisible_Man" id="c9_The_Invisible_Man"></a>9. The Invisible Man</h2> + + +<p>Crouching back into the shadow, Tom Hunter waited as the heavy footsteps +moved up the corridor, then back down, then up and down again. He peered +around the corner for a moment, looking quickly up and down the curving +corridor. The guard was twenty yards away, moving toward him in a slow +measured pace. Tom jerked his head back, then peered out again as the +footsteps receded.</p> + +<p>The guard was a big man, with a heavy-duty stunner resting in the crook +of his elbow. He paused, scratched himself, and resumed his pacing. Tom +waited, hoping that something might distract the big man, but he moved +stolidly back and forth, not too alert, but far too alert to risk +breaking out into the main corridor.</p> + +<p>Tom moved back into the darkened corridor where he was standing, trying +to decide what to do. It was a side corridor, and a blind alley; it +ended in a large hatchway marked HYDROPONICS, and there were no +branching corridors. If he were discovered here, there would be no place +to hide.</p> + +<p>But he knew that he could never hope to accomplish his purpose here....</p> + +<p>A hatch clanged open, and there were more footsteps down the main +corridor as a change of guards hurried by. There was a rumble of voices, +and Tom listened to catch the words.</p> + +<p>"... don't care what you think, the boss says tighten it up...."</p> + +<p>"But they got them locked in...."</p> + +<p>"So tell it to the boss. We're supposed to check every compartment in +the section every hour. Now get moving...."</p> + +<p>The footsteps moved up and down the corridor then, and Tom heard hatches +clanging open. If they sent a light down this spur ... he turned to the +hatch, spun the big wheel on the door, and slipped inside just as the +footsteps came closer.</p> + +<p>The stench inside was almost overpowering. The big, darkened room was +extremely warm, the air damp with vapor. The plastic-coated walls +streamed with moisture. Against the walls Tom could see the great +hydroponic vats that held the yeast and algae cultures that fed the crew +of the ship. Water was splashing in one of the vats, and there was a +gurgling sound as nutrient broth drained out, to be replaced with +fresh.</p> + +<p>He moved swiftly across the compartment, into a darkened area behind the +rows of vats, and crouched down. He heard footsteps, and the ring of +metal as the hatchway came open. One of the guards walked in, peered +into the gloom, wrinkled his nose, and walked out again, closing the +hatchway behind him.</p> + +<p>It would do for a while ... if he didn't suffocate ... but if this ship +was organized like smaller ones, it would be a blind alley. Modern +hydroponic tanks did not require much servicing, once the cultures were +growing; the broth was drained automatically and sluiced through a +series of pipes to the rendering plant where the yeasts could be +flavored and pressed into surrogate steaks and other items for spaceship +cuisine. There would be no other entrances, no way to leave except the +way he had come in.</p> + +<p>And with the guards on duty, that was out of the question. He waited, +listening, as the check-down continued in nearby compartments. Then +silence fell again. The heavy yeast aroma had grown more and more +oppressive; now suddenly a fan went on with a whir, and a cool draft of +freshened reprocessed air poured down from the ventilator shaft above +his head.</p> + +<p>Getting into the orbit-ship had been easier than he had hoped. In the +excitement as the new prisoners were brought aboard, security measures +had been lax. No one had expected a third visitor; in consequence, no +one looked for one. Huge as it was, the Jupiter Equilateral ship had +never been planned as a prison, and it had taken time to stake out the +guards in a security system that was at all effective. In addition, +every man who served as a guard had been taken from duty somewhere else +on the ship.</p> + +<p>So there had been no guard at the airlock in the first few moments after +the prisoners were taken off the Ranger ship. Tom had waited until the +ship was moored, clinging to the fin strut. He watched Greg and Johnny +taken through the lock, and soon the last of the crew had crossed over +after securing the ship. Presently the orbit-ship airlock had gone dark, +and only then had he ventured from his place of concealment, creeping +along the dark hull of the Ranger ship and leaping across to the +airlock.</p> + +<p>A momentary risk, then, as he opened the lock. In the control room, he +knew, a signal light would blink on a panel as the lock was opened. Tom +moved as quickly as he could, hoping that in the excitement of the new +visitors, the signal would go unnoticed ... or if spotted, that the +spotter would assume it was only a crewman making a final trip across to +the Ranger ship.</p> + +<p>But once inside, he began to realize the magnitude of his problem. This +was not a tiny independent orbit-ship with a few corridors and +compartments. This was a huge ship, a vast complex of corridors and +compartments and holds. There was probably a crew of a thousand men on +this ship ... and there was no sign where Greg and Johnny might have +been taken.</p> + +<p>He moved forward, trying to keep to side corridors and darkened areas. +In the airlock he had wrapped up his pressure suit and stored it on a +rack; no one would notice it there, and it might be handy later. He had +strapped his father's gun case to his side, some comfort, but a small +one.</p> + +<p>Now, crouching behind the yeast vat, he lifted out the gun, hefted it +idly in his hand. It was a weapon, at least. He was not well acquainted +with guns, and in the shadowy light it seemed to him that this one +looked odd for a revolver; it even felt wrong, out of balance in his +hand. He slipped it back in the case. After all, it had been fitted to +Dad's hand, not his. And Johnny or Greg would know how to use it better +than he would.</p> + +<p>If he could find them. But to do that, he would have to search the ship. +He would have to move about, he couldn't just wait in a storage hold. +And with all the guards that were posted, he would certainly stumble +into one of them sooner or later if he tried leaving this spot....</p> + +<p>He shook his head, and started for the hatch. He would have to chance +it. There was no way to tell how much time he had, but it was a sure bet +that he didn't have very long.</p> + +<p>In the spur corridor again, he waited until the guard's footsteps were +muffled and distant. Then he darted out into the main corridor, moving +swiftly and silently away from the guard. At the first hatchway he +ducked inside, waited in the darkness, panting....</p> + +<p>The guard had stopped walking. Then his footsteps resumed, but more +quickly, coming down the corridor. He stopped, almost outside the +hatchway door. "Funny," Tom heard him mutter. "I'd have sworn...."</p> + +<p>Tom held his breath, waiting. This was a storage hold, but he didn't +dare to move, even to take cover. The guard stood motionless for a +moment, then grunted, and resumed his slow pacing.</p> + +<p>When he had moved away Tom caught his breath in huge gasps, his heart +beating in his throat. It was no use, he thought in despair. Once or +twice he might get away with it, but sooner or later a guard would be +alert enough to investigate an obscure noise, a flicker of movement in +the corner of his eye....</p> + +<p>There had to be another way. His eye probed the storage hold, +hopelessly, and then stopped on a metal grill in the wall.</p> + +<p>For a moment, he didn't recognize what it was. Then there was a +<i>whoosh-whoosh-whoosh</i> as a fan went on, and he felt cool air against +his cheek. He held out his hand to the grill, found the air coming from +there.</p> + +<p>A ventilation shaft. Every space craft had to have reconditioning units +for the air inside the ship; the men inside needed a constant supply of +fresh oxygen, but even more, without pumps to move the air in each +compartment they would soon suffocate from the accumulation of carbon +dioxide in the air they breathed out, or bake from the heat their bodies +radiated. On the other hand, the yeasts and algae required carbon +dioxide and yielded copious amounts of oxygen as they grew.</p> + +<p>In Roger Hunter's little orbit-ship the ventilation shafts were small, a +loose network of foot-square ducts leading from the central pumps and +air-reconditioning units to every compartment in the ship. But in a ship +of this size....</p> + +<p>The grill was over a yard wide, four feet tall. It started about +shoulder height and ran up to the overhead. The ducts would network the +ship, opening into every compartment, and no one would ever open them +unless something went wrong.</p> + +<p>And then he was laughing out loud, working the grill out of the slots +that held it to the wall, trying to make his hands work in his +excitement.</p> + +<p>He knew he had found his answer.</p> + +<p>The grill came loose, lifted down in a piece. He stopped short as +footsteps approached in the corridor, paused, and went on. Then he +peered into the black gaping hole behind the grill. It was big enough +for a man to crawl in. He shinned up into the hole, and pulled the grill +back into its slot behind him.</p> + +<p>Somewhere far away he heard a throbbing of giant pumps. There was a rush +of cool fresh air past his cheek, cold when it contacted the sweat +pouring down his forehead. He could not quite stand up, but there was +plenty of room for him to crouch and move.</p> + +<p>Ahead of him was a black tunnel, broken only by a patch of light coming +through the grill that opened into the next compartment. He started into +the blackness, his heart racing.</p> + +<p>Somewhere in the ship Johnny Coombs and Greg Hunter were +prisoners ... but now, Tom knew, there was a way to escape.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It was a completely different world, a world within a world, a world of +darkness and silence, of a thousand curving and intersecting tunnels, +some large, some small. For hours it seemed to him that he had been +wandering through a tomb, moving through the corridors of a dead ship, +the lone surviving crewman. There was some contact with the other world, +of course, the world of the spaceship outside ... each compartment had +its metal grill, and he passed many of them. But there were like doors +that only he knew existed. He met no one in <i>these</i> corridors, there was +no danger of sudden discovery and arrest in these dark alleys....</p> + +<p>His boots had made too much noise as he started out, so he had slipped +them off, hanging them from his belt and moving on in his stocking feet. +As he went from duct to duct, he had an almost ridiculous feeling of +freedom and power. In every sense, he was an invisible man. Not one soul +on this great ship knew he was here, or even suspected. He had the run +of the ship, complete freedom to go wherever he chose. He could move +from compartment to compartment as silently and invisibly as if he had +no substance at all.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He knew the first job was to learn the pattern of the ducts, and +orientation was a problem. He had heard stories of men getting lost in +the deep underground mining tunnels on Mars, wandering in circles for +days until their food gave out and they starved. And there was that +hazard here, for every duct looked like every other one.</p> + +<p>But there was a difference here, because the ducts curved just as the +main ship's corridors did. He could always identify the center of the +ship by the force of false gravity pulling the other way. Furthermore, +as the ducts drew closer to the pumps and reconditioning units, they +opened into larger vents, and the noise of the pumps thundered in his +ears. After an hour of exploration, Tom was certain that from any place +in the ship he could at least find his way to the outer layer, and from +there to one of the scout-ship airlocks.</p> + +<p>Finding Greg and Johnny was quite a different matter.</p> + +<p>He could not see enough through the compartment grills to identify just +what the compartments were; he was forced to rely on what he could hear. +The engine rooms were easily identified. In one area he heard the +banging of pots and pans, the steaming of kettles ... obviously the +galley. He found the control area. He could hear the clatter of typing +instruments, the <i>click-click-click</i> of the computers working out the +orbits and trajectories for the scout-ships as they moved out from the +orbit-ship or came back in. In another compartment he heard a dispatcher +chattering his own special code-language into a microphone in a +low-pitched voice. He passed another grill, and then stopped short as a +familiar voice drifted through.</p> + +<p>Merrill Tawney's voice.</p> + +<p>Tom hugged the grill, straining to catch the words. The company man +sounded angry; the man he was talking to sounded even angrier. "I can't +help what you want or don't want, Merrill, I can only report what we've +found, and that's nothing at all. Every one of those claims has been +searched twice over. Doc and his boys went over them, and we didn't find +anything they missed. I think you're barking up the wrong tree."</p> + +<p>"There's <i>got</i> to be something," Tawney said, his voice tight with +anger. "Hunter couldn't have taken anything away from there, he didn't +have a chance to. You read the reports..."</p> + +<p>"I know," the other said wearily, "I know what the reports said."</p> + +<p>"Then what he found is still there. There's no other possibility," +Tawney said.</p> + +<p>"We went over that rock with a microscope. We blew it to shreds. Assay +has gone through the fragments literally piece by piece. They found low +grade iron, a trace of nickel, a little tin, and lots of granite. If we +never found anything richer than that, we'd have been out of business +ten years ago."</p> + +<p>There was a long silence. Tom pressed closer to the grill. Then he heard +Tawney slam his fist into his palm. "You know what Roger Hunter's doing, +don't you?" he said. "He's making fools of us, that's what! The man's +dead, and he's making us look like idiots. If we hadn't been so sure we +had the lode spotted ..." He broke off. "Well, that's done, we can't +undo it. But this brat of his...."</p> + +<p>"Any luck there?"</p> + +<p>"Not a word. He's playing coy."</p> + +<p>"Maybe he doesn't know anything. Doc made a bad mistake when he blasted +the other one ... suppose <i>he</i> was the only one that knew."</p> + +<p>"All right, it was a mistake," Tawney snapped. "What was he supposed to +do, let him get back to Mars? We've got a good front there, but it's not +that good. If the United Nations gets a toehold out here, the whole Belt +will go into their pocket, you realize that. They're waiting for us to +make one slip." He paused, and Tom heard him pacing the compartment. +"But I think we've got our boy. This one knows. We've been spoiling him +so far, that's all. Well, now we start digging. When I get through with +him, he'll be begging us to let him tell. You just watch me, as soon as +the okay comes through...."</p> + +<p>Tom drew back from the grill, moving on in the darkness. So far he had +not rushed his exploration ... there was a chance to use the ducts for +escape, he wanted to know them well. But now he knew the hour was +getting late. So far Greg and Johnny had been stalling Tawney ... but +Tawney was getting impatient.</p> + +<p>He moved quickly and he thought again of what Tawney had said. Tawney +was right about one thing ... there was no way that Dad could have +hidden a Big Strike so nobody could find it. It had to be there....</p> + +<p>And yet it wasn't. He and Greg hadn't found it. Tawney's men hadn't +found it, either. Why not? There must be a reason.</p> + +<p>But he could not put his finger on it.</p> + +<p>Half an hour later he was seriously worried. Half the compartments in +the area were deserted, the men leaving for the cafeteria. The thought +reminded Tom how hungry he was, and thirsty. His small emergency ration +kit was empty. He toyed with the thought of sneaking into a food storage +compartment, then thrust it out of his mind as too risky. He had to find +Greg and Johnny before anything.</p> + +<p>He passed a grill, and heard a murmur of voices; something in the deep +bass rumble caught his ear, and he stopped, listened.</p> + +<p>The voices stopped also.</p> + +<p>He waited for them to begin, pressing against the grill. Johnny Coombs +was not the only man with a deep bass voice, he might have been +mistaken. He listened, but there was no sound. He heard the whir of a +fan begin, still no sound, not even footsteps.</p> + +<p>And then it happened, so fast he was taken completely off guard. The +grill suddenly gave way, pitching him forward into the compartment. +Something struck him behind the ear as he fell; there was a grunt, a +sharp command, and he was pinned to the floor in the semi-darkness of +the compartment.</p> + +<p>Then he heard a gasp, and he opened his eyes. He was staring into his +brother's startled face. Greg was pinning his shoulders to the carpeted +deck, and behind him Johnny Coombs had a fist raised....</p> + +<p>But they had stopped in mid-air, like a tableau of puppets. Greg gaped, +his jaw falling open, and Tom heard himself saying, "What are you trying +to do, kill a guy? Seems to me one time is enough."</p> + +<p>He had found them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c10_The_Trigger" id="c10_The_Trigger"></a>10. The Trigger</h2> + + +<p>In the first instance of astonishment they were speechless. Later, Tom +said it was the first time in his life that he had ever seen Greg +totally without words; his brother jumped back, as if he had seen a +ghost, and his mouth worked, but no sounds came out.</p> + +<p>"Don't worry, it's me all right," Tom said, "and I'm mighty hungry."</p> + +<p>Greg and Johnny stared at the black hole behind the grill ... and then +Greg was pumelling him, pounding him on the back, so excited he couldn't +get a sentence out, and Johnny was hovering over them, incredulous but +forced to believe his eyes, like a father overwhelmed by the impossible +behavior of a pair of unpredictable children. It was a jubilant reunion. +They broke open the cabinets and refrigerator in the back of the lounge +and pulled out surro-ham and rolls, while Johnny got some coffee going. +Tom was so famished he could hardly wait to make sandwiches of the ham. +He ate it as fast as he got it.</p> + +<p>But finally he slowed up, got his mouth empty enough to talk. "All +right, let's have the story," Greg said, still looking as though he +couldn't believe his eyes. "The last we saw, you were blown into atoms +out there in that <i>Scavenger</i> ... you've got some nerve turning up now +and scaring us half out of our skins...."</p> + +<p>"You want me to go back in my hole?"</p> + +<p>"Just sit still and talk!"</p> + +<p>Tom told them, then, starting from the beginning.</p> + +<p>Through it all Greg stared in admiration. "We've got a genius among us, +that's all," he said finally. "And I always thought you were the timid +one...."</p> + +<p>"But what else could I do?" Tom said. "You know what they say about +grabbing a tiger by the tail ... once you get hold, you've got to hold +on."</p> + +<p>"Okay," Greg said, "but the next time I make a crack about your retiring +nature, remind me to stick my foot in my mouth."</p> + +<p>"I'll do it for him," Johnny Coombs rumbled.</p> + +<p>Tom nodded toward the open grill. "The only thing I don't see is how you +knew I was back there."</p> + +<p>Johnny grinned. "We were busy taking down the grill when you came +along. We'd found three microphones in this place, and figured they +might have one behind the grill. And then we heard somebody breathing +back there ... we thought they'd posted a guard back there, just to snoop +us."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm glad you didn't hit him any harder...."</p> + +<p>Johnny started to say something, then stopped, cocked his head toward +the door. There were footsteps in the corridor outside; they came +closer, stopped by the door. "Quick," Johnny hissed, "back inside!"</p> + +<p>There was no time to look for other concealment. Tom leaped across the +room, jumped up into the shaft again, and Greg slammed the grate up into +place just as the hatchway door swung open.</p> + +<p>Merrill Tawney walked into the room, with two burly guards behind him.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>For the first few seconds, Greg was certain that they were lost. He +stood with his back to the ventilator grill, frozen in his tracks as the +fat little company man came in the room. He tried to keep his face +blank, but he knew he wasn't succeeding. He saw the puzzled frown form +on Tawney's face.</p> + +<p>The company man motioned the guards into the room, peered suspiciously +at Greg and Johnny. "Am I interrupting something, by any chance?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing at all," Johnny blurted. "We were just talking."</p> + +<p>"Talking." Tawney repeated the word as if it were some strange language +he didn't quite understand. He looked at the guard. "Let's just check +them."</p> + +<p>While one guard patted down their clothes, the other withdrew a stunner, +held it on ready. Tawney prowled the lounge. He glanced at the food on +the table, then reached under the chair cushion and withdrew the +disconnected microphone, looked at the loose wires, and tossed it aside.</p> + +<p>"They're clean," the guard said.</p> + +<p>Tawney's face was a study of uneasiness, but he clearly could not +pinpoint what the trouble was. Finally he shrugged, turned on the smile +again, although his eyes remained watchful. "Well, maybe you won't mind +if I join in the talking for a while," he said. "You've been +comfortable? No complaints?"</p> + +<p>"No complaints," Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Then I presume we're ready to talk business." He looked at Greg.</p> + +<p>"You said you were ready to bargain," Greg said, "but I haven't heard +any terms yet."</p> + +<p>"Terms? Very simple. You direct us to the lode, we give you half of +everything we realize from it," Tawney said, smiling.</p> + +<p>"You mean you'll write us a contract? With a U.N. witness to it?"</p> + +<p>"Well, hardly ... under the circumstances. I'm afraid you'll have to +take our word."</p> + +<p>Greg looked at the company man, and shook his head. "Not that I don't +trust you," he said, "but I'm afraid I can't give you what you want," +Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"Because I don't know where Dad made his strike."</p> + +<p>The company man's face darkened. "Somebody knows where it is. Your +father would never have found something like that without telling his +own sons...."</p> + +<p>"Sorry," Greg said. "Of course, I can tell you where you can find out, +if you want to go look."</p> + +<p>"We've already searched his records...."</p> + +<p>"<i>Some</i> of his records," Greg said. "Not all of them. There was a +compartment behind the main control panel in Dad's orbit-ship. Dad used +it to store deeds, claims, other important papers. There was a packet of +notes in there before your men fired on the ship. But of course, maybe +you searched more thoroughly, the second time."</p> + +<p>Tawney stared at him for a moment, then at Johnny. Johnny Coombs +shrugged his shoulders solemnly, and shook his head. Without a word, the +little company man walked to the intercom speaker on the wall. He spoke +sharply into it, waited, then had a brief, pungent conversation with +someone. Then he turned back to Greg, his face heavy with suspicion. +"You saw these papers?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly I saw them. I didn't have time to read them through, but what +else could they be?"</p> + +<p>"Let me warn you," Tawney said coldly, "if I send a crew out there on a +wild goose chase, the party will be over when they get back, do you +understand? You've been given every consideration. If this is a fool's +errand, you'll pay for it very dearly." He turned on his heel, snarled +at one of the guards. "I want them watched every minute," he said. "One +of you stay with them constantly. It won't take long to find out if this +is a stall...."</p> + +<p>He stalked out, and the hatchway clanged behind him. One guard went +along; the big one with the stunner stayed behind, eyeing his prisoners +unpleasantly. The stunner was in his hand, the safety off.</p> + +<p>Johnny Coombs started across the room toward the kitchennette, passing +close to the guard. Suddenly he turned, swung his fist heavily down on +the guard's neck. The stunner crackled, but Greg had jumped aside. +Another blow from Johnny's fist sent the gun flying. Another blow, and +the guard's legs slid out from under him. He fell unconscious to the +floor.</p> + +<p>In an instant they were across the room, lifting down the grill, helping +Tom out of his hiding place. "Okay, boy," Johnny said to Greg, "I guess +you pulled the trigger with that story of yours."</p> + +<p>"Not me," Greg said. "Tom did. He's the one that showed us the way +out ... the same way he came in."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The guard was out for a while, they made sure of that first. Then there +was a hasty consultation. "The airlocks are guarded," Johnny said, "and +if they tumble to the ventilator shafts, they can smoke us out in no +time. How are we going to get a scout-ship without showing ourselves? +For that matter, how are we going to get a scout-ship away from here +without being blown up the way the <i>Scavenger</i> was blown up?"</p> + +<p>"I think I know a way," Tom said. "We have to have something to keep a +lot of the crew busy. If we could get to the ship's generators and put +them out of commission somehow, it might do it."</p> + +<p>"Why?" Greg wanted to know.</p> + +<p>"Because of the air supply," Tom said. "Without the generators, the fans +won't run. They'll have to get a crew to fix them or they'll suffocate."</p> + +<p>"But that would only take a few men," Johnny said. "As soon as +the generators went out, they'd look for us, and if we were +missing ... well, they'd have the whole crew beating the bushes for us. +It wouldn't be long before somebody thought of the ventilators."</p> + +<p>"But we've got to do something, and do it fast," Tom said.</p> + +<p>"I know." Johnny chewed his lip. "It's a good idea, but we need more +than just the generators. We've got to disable the ship ... throw so +many things at them so fast from so many different directions that they +don't know which way to turn. That means we'd need to split up, and we'd +need weapons." He hefted the guard's Markheim. "One stunner between +three of us isn't enough."</p> + +<p>"Well, we have this." Tom unbuckled Roger Hunter's gun case from his +belt. "Dad's revolver. It's not a stunner, but it might help." He tossed +the case to Johnny. "I can give you both a rundown on how the shafts go. +We could plan to meet at a certain spot in a certain length of time...."</p> + +<p>He broke off, looking at Johnny. The big miner had taken Roger Hunter's +gun from the case, and hefted it in his hand, started to check it +automatically as Tom talked. But now his hand froze as he stared at the +weapon.</p> + +<p>"What's wrong?" Tom asked.</p> + +<p>"This gun is wrong," Johnny said. "All wrong. Where did you get this +thing?"</p> + +<p>"From Dad's spacer pack, the one the Patrol brought back. The Major gave +it to us in Sun Lake City." Tom peered at the gun. "Is it broken or +something? It's just Dad's revolver...."</p> + +<p>"It is, eh?" Johnny turned the gun over in his hand. "Whoever told you +about guns?"</p> + +<p>"What's wrong with it?"</p> + +<p>There was an odd expression on Johnny's face as he handed the weapon +back to Tom. "Take a look at it," he said. "Tell me whether it's loaded +or not."</p> + +<p>Tom looked at it. Except for a few hours on the firing range, he had had +no experience with guns; he couldn't have taken down a Markheim and +reassembled it if his life depended on it. But he had seen his father +take the old revolver out of the leather case many times before.</p> + +<p>Now Tom could see that this was not the same gun.</p> + +<p>The thing in his hand was large and awkward. The hand-grips didn't fit; +there was no trigger guard, and no trigger. Several inches along the +gleaming metal barrel was a shiny stud, and below it a dial with notches +on it.</p> + +<p>"That's funny," Tom said. "I've never seen this thing before."</p> + +<p>Greg took it from him, balanced it in his hand. "Doesn't feel right," he +said. "All out of balance."</p> + +<p>"Look at the barrel," Johnny said quietly.</p> + +<p>Greg looked. There was no hole in the end of the barrel. "This thing's +crazy," he said.</p> + +<p>"And then some," Johnny said. "You haven't had this out of the case +since you took it from the pack?"</p> + +<p>"Just once," said Tom. "And I put it right back. I hardly looked at it. +Look, maybe it's just a new model Dad got."</p> + +<p>"It's no new model. I'm not even sure it's a gun," Johnny said. "Doesn't +<i>feel</i> like a gun."</p> + +<p>"What happens when you push the stud here?" Greg asked.</p> + +<p>Johnny licked his lips nervously. "Try it," he said.</p> + +<p>Greg leveled the thing at the rear wall of the lounge and pressed the +stud. There was a sharp buzzing sound, and a blinding flash of blue +light against the wall. It looked for all the world like the flash of a +live power line shorting out. They squinted at the flash, rubbed their +eyes....</p> + +<p>And stared at the wall. Or at what was left of the wall, because most of +the wall was gone. The metal had bellied out in a six-foot hole into the +storage hold beyond....</p> + +<p>Johnny Coombs whistled. "This thing did <i>that</i>?" he whispered.</p> + +<p>"It must have...."</p> + +<p>"But there's no gun ever made that could do that." He walked over to the +hole in the wall. "That's half-inch steel plate. There's no way to pack +that kind of energy into a hand gun."</p> + +<p>They stared at the innocent-looking weapon in Greg's hand. "Whatever it +is, Dad must have put it in the gun-case."</p> + +<p>"Yes, he must have," Johnny said.</p> + +<p>"Well, don't you see what that means? <i>Dad must have found it +somewhere</i>. Somewhere out here in the Belt ... a gun that no man could +have made...."</p> + +<p>He took the weapon, ran his finger along the gleaming barrel. "I +wonder," he said, "what else Dad might have found out there."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Somewhere below them they heard a hatch clang shut, and even deeper in +the ship generator motors began throbbing in a steady even rhythm. In +the silence of the lounge they could hear their own breathing, and +outside a thousand tiny sounds of the ship's activity were audible.</p> + +<p>But now they had attention only for the odd-shaped piece of metal in +Greg's hand, and for the hole that gaped in the wall.</p> + +<p>"You think that <i>this</i> was what Dad found?" Greg said. "The Big Strike +he told Johnny about?"</p> + +<p>"It must be part of it," Tom said.</p> + +<p>"But what is it? And where did it come from? It doesn't make sense," +Greg protested.</p> + +<p>"It doesn't make sense the way we've been looking at it," Tom said. "All +we've found was some gobbledegook in Dad's private log to tell us what +he found ... but it couldn't have been a vein of ore, or Tawney's men +would have unearthed it. It had to be something else. Something that was +so big and important that Dad didn't even dare let Johnny in on it."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's been the craziest part of it, to me," Johnny said. "I've +done a lot of mining with your Dad. If he'd hit rich ore, he would have +taken me out there to mine it with him. But he didn't. He said it was +something he had to work on alone for a while, and he sent me back."</p> + +<p>"As if he'd found something that scared him," Tom said, "or something +that he didn't understand. He was <i>afraid</i> to tell anybody. And whatever +he found, he managed to hide it somewhere, so that nobody would find +it...."</p> + +<p>"Then why didn't he hide this part of it, too?" Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Maybe to be sure there was some trace left, if anything happened to +him," Tom said.</p> + +<p>They were silent for a moment. The only sound was the stertorous +breathing of the unconscious guard. "Well," Greg said finally, "I have +to admit it makes sense. It makes other things add up better, too. Dad +was no fool, he must have known that Tawney was onto something. And Dad +would never have risked his life for an ore strike. He'd either have +made a deal with Tawney or let him hijack the lode, if that was all +there was to it. But there's still one big question ... where did he +hide what he found? And we aren't going to find the answer here." He +walked over to the hole in the wall.</p> + +<p>"Made quite a mess of it, didn't it?" Johnny said.</p> + +<p>"Looks like it. I wonder what that thing would do to a ship's generator +plant." He turned to Johnny. "We haven't much time. With this thing, we +could tear this ship apart, leave them so confused they'll never know +what broke loose. And if we could get that gun back to Major Briarton, +he'd have to listen to us, and get the U.N. Patrol into the search...."</p> + +<p>They had been so intent on their talking that they did not hear the +footsteps in the corridor until the door swung open. It was another +guard, the one who had departed with Tawney. He stopped short, blinking +at his companion on the floor, and then at the gaping hole in the wall. +When he saw the twins, side by side, his jaw sagged and a strangled +sound came from his throat.</p> + +<p>Then Johnny grabbed his arm, jerked him into the lounge, and slammed the +hatch shut. Greg pulled the stunner from his holster and tossed it to +Tom. The guard let out a roar, twisted free, and met Johnny's fist as he +came around. He sagged at the knees and slid to the floor beside the +other guard. "All right," Johnny said, "we've dealt the cards, now we'd +better play the hand. Tom, you first."</p> + +<p>Tom pulled the ventilator grill down, and climbed up into the shaft. +Greg followed, with Johnny at his heels, pulling the grill back up into +place from the inside. They waited for a moment, but there was no sound +from the lounge.</p> + +<p>"All right," Johnny said breathlessly. "Let's move."</p> + +<p>Swiftly they started down the dark tunnel.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c11_The_Haunted_Ship" id="c11_The_Haunted_Ship"></a>11. The Haunted Ship</h2> + + +<p>They did not pause, even to catch their breath, for the first twenty +minutes as Tom led them swiftly and silently down through the maze of +corridors and chutes that made up the ventilation system of the huge +ship. Greg lost his bearing completely in the first twenty seconds; each +time his brother paused at a junction of tubes, he felt a wave of panic +rise up in his throat ... suppose they lost themselves in here! He heard +Johnny's trousers flapping behind him, saw Tom's figure flit past +another grill up ahead, and plunged doggedly on.</p> + +<p>It was amazingly hard to move quietly. Even in stocking feet they made a +soft thud with each footfall.</p> + +<p>But there was no sign of detection, no sound of alarm. Finally they came +out into a large shaft which allowed them to stand upright, and they +stopped to catch their breath.</p> + +<p>"Main tube to the living quarters," Tom said when they had caught up to +him. "Joins with the lower-level tube by a series of chutes. We've +actually been circumnavigating the ship ... I wanted to get as far away +from that lounge compartment as possible, in case they check up on you +right away."</p> + +<p>"We can't have much time," Johnny said. "That second guard must have +been coming to relieve the other, and when the first one doesn't report +back, they'll smell something fishy."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>They talked it over for a moment. Johnny had been careful to leave the +hatchway into the corridor ajar before he climbed into the ventilator +shaft, and then he had pulled the shaft snugly into place behind him. +Anyone who came would find two unconscious guards, a burnt-out hole in +the wall, and the door unlocked.</p> + +<p>"We'll hope that he takes things at face value, and assumes we're at +large in the ship somewhere, for a while at least," Johnny said. "That +hole in the wall is going to set them back a couple of steps, too."</p> + +<p>"But they'll sound the alarm, at least," Tom said.</p> + +<p>"You bet they will! They'll have every man on the crew shaking down the +ship for us. But they may not think of the ventilators until they can't +find us anywhere else."</p> + +<p>"But sooner or later they're bound to think of it."</p> + +<p>"That's true," Johnny said. "Unless they keep seeing us in the ship. The +way I figure it, this crew has been on battle stations plenty of times. +They'll be able to search the whole ship in half an hour. We're just +going to have to show ourselves ... at least enough to keep them +searching."</p> + +<p>"Well, what if they do think of the ventilators?" Greg said. "They'd +still have a time finding us."</p> + +<p>"Maybe, but don't underestimate Tawney. He might just mask up his crew +and flood the tubes with cyanide."</p> + +<p>They thought about that for a minute. There was no sound here but their +own breathing, and the low chug-chug-chug of the pumps somewhere deep in +the ship. Momentarily they expected to hear the raucous clang of the +alarm bell, as some crew member or another walked into the lounge and +found them gone. But so far there was no sign they had been discovered +missing. "No," Johnny said finally, "if we just hide out in here, and +hope for a chance at one of the scout ships, they'll find us eventually. +But we've got three big advantages, if we can figure out how to use +them. That fancy gun, for one. A way to get around the ship, for +another ... and the fact that there's one more of us than they count on." +He flipped on his pocket flash, began drawing lines on the dusty floor of +the shaft. "My idea is to keep them so busy fighting little fires that +they won't have a chance to worry about where the big one is."</p> + +<p>He drew a rough outline-sketch of the organization of the ship. "This +look right to you, from what you've seen?" he asked Tom.</p> + +<p>"Pretty much," Tom said. "There are more connecting tubes."</p> + +<p>"All the better. We want to get the generators with our little toy here +first. That'll darken the ship, and put the blowers out of commission in +case they think of using gas. Also, it will cut out their computers and +missile-launching rigs, which might give us a chance to get a scout-ship +away in one piece if we could get aboard one."</p> + +<p>"All right, the generators are first," Tom said. "But then what? There +are four hundred men on this ship. They'll have every airlock triple +guarded. They'll block us for sure."</p> + +<p>"Not when we get through, they won't," Johnny grinned. "We've got an old +friend aboard who's going to help us."</p> + +<p>"<i>Friend?</i>"</p> + +<p>"Ever hear of panic?" Johnny said. "Just listen a minute."</p> + +<p>Quickly then, he outlined his plan. Tom and Greg listened, watched +Johnny make marks with his finger in the dust. When he finished, Greg +whistled softly. "You missed your life work," he said. "You should have +gone into crime."</p> + +<p>"If I'd had a ghost to help me, I might have," Johnny said.</p> + +<p>"It's perfect," Tom said, "if it works. But it all depends on one +thing ... keeping it rolling after we start...."</p> + +<p>For another five minutes they went over the details. Then Johnny clapped +them each on the shoulder. "It's up to you two," he said. "Let's go."</p> + +<p>They moved down the large shaft to the place where it broke into several +spurs. Johnny started down the chute toward the engine rooms; Tom and +Greg headed in opposite directions toward the main body of the ship. +Just as they broke up, they heard a muffled metallic sound from the +nearest compartment grill.</p> + +<p>It was the <i>clang-clang-clang</i> of the orbit-ship's general alarm.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Crewmen stopped with food halfway to their mouths, jerked away from +tables. Orders buzzed along a dozen wires, and section chiefs began +reporting their battle-stations alert and ready. Finally Tawney snapped +on the general public address system speaker. "Now get this," he roared. +"I want every inch of this ship searched ... every corridor, every +compartment. I want a special crew standing by for missile launching. +I want double guards at every airlock. If they get a ship away from +here, the man who lets them through had better be dead when I find +him...." He broke off, clutching the speaker until his voice was under +control again. "All right, move. They're armed, but there's no place they +can go. Find them."</p> + +<p>A section-chief came back over the speaker. "Dead or alive, boss?"</p> + +<p>"Alive, you idiot! At least the Hunter brat. I'll take the other one any +way you can get him."</p> + +<p>He switched off, and waited, pacing the control cabin like a caged +animal. Ten minutes later a buzzer sounded. "Hydroponics, boss. All +clear."</p> + +<p>"No sign of them?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing."</p> + +<p>Another buzz. "Number seven ore hold. Nothing here."</p> + +<p>Still another buzz. "Crew's quarters. Nothing, boss."</p> + +<p>One by one the reports came in. Fuming, Tawney checked off the sections, +watched the net draw tighter throughout the ship. They were somewhere, +they <i>had</i> to be....</p> + +<p>But nobody seemed to find them.</p> + +<p>He was buzzing for his first mate when the power went off. The lights +went out, the speaker went dead in his hand. The computers sighed +contentedly and stopped computing. Abruptly the emergency circuits went +into operation, flooding the darkness with harsh white lights. The +intercom started buzzing again.</p> + +<p>"Engine room, boss."</p> + +<p>"What happened down there?" Tawney roared.</p> + +<p>The man sounded like he'd just run the mile. "Generators," he panted. +"Blown out."</p> + +<p>"Well, get somebody in there to fix them. Have a crew seal off the +area...."</p> + +<p>"Can't, boss. Fix them, I mean."</p> + +<p>"Why not? What have we got electricians for?"</p> + +<p>"There's nothing left to fix. The generators aren't wrecked ... they're +demolished...."</p> + +<p>"Then get the pair that did it...."</p> + +<p>"They're not here. We've been sealed up tight. There's no way anybody +could have gotten in here...."</p> + +<p>After that, things began to get confusing.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>For a while Merrill Tawney thought that his crew was going crazy ... and +then he began to wonder if he were the one who was losing his mind.</p> + +<p>Whatever the case, Merrill Tawney was certain of one thing. The things +that were happening on his orbit-ship could not possibly be happening.</p> + +<p>A guard in one of the outer shell storage holds called in with a +disquieting report. Greg Hunter, it seemed, had just been spotted +vanishing into one of the storage compartments from the main outer-shell +corridor. When the guard had broken through the jammed hatchway to +collar his trapped victim, there was no sign of the victim anywhere +around.</p> + +<p>At the same moment, a report came in from a guard on the opposite side +of the ship. He had just spotted Greg Hunter <i>there</i>, it seemed, moving +down a spur corridor. The guard had held his fire (according to Tawney's +orders) and summoned help to corner the quarry ... but when help +arrived, the quarry had vanished.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Five minutes later the Hunter boy was discovered in the Hydroponics +section, busily reducing all the yeast vats to shambles with a curious +weapon that seemed to eat holes in things. It ate the deck out from +under the guard's feet, sending him plunging through the floor into the +galley. By the time he had scrambled back again, the Hunter boy was +gone, and a rapid move to seal off the region failed to turn him up +again. The guard was upset; Tawney was a great deal more upset, because +at the time Greg Hunter was (reportedly) playing havoc with the +yeast-vats in Hydroponics he was also (reportedly) knocking guards down +like ten-pins in the main corridor off the engine room while +reinforcements tried to pin him down with a wide-beam stunner....</p> + +<p>Quite suddenly emergency circuits closed and lights flashed in the +control cabin, the special signal for a meteor-collision with the outer +shell in No. 3 hold. Tawney signalled for the section chief frantically. +"What's happening down there?"</p> + +<p>"I can't talk," the section chief gasped. "Gotta get into a suit, we're +leaking in here...."</p> + +<p>"Well, plug up the hole!"</p> + +<p>"The hole's four feet wide, sir!" There was a fit of coughing and the +contact broke. The signals for No. 4 hold and No. 5 hold were flashing +now; while the crew members in the vicinity scrambled for pressure suits +someone systematically proceeded to blow holes in No. 9, No. 10 and No. +11 holds....</p> + +<p>It was impossible. The reports came in thick and fast. Greg Hunter +was in two places at once, and everywhere he went ... in both +places ... there was a trail of unbelievable destruction. Bulkheads +demolished, gaping holes torn in the outer shell, the air-reconditioning +units smashed beyond repair.... Tawney buzzed for his first mate.</p> + +<p>An emergency switch cut into the line, with the frantic voice of a +section chief. Johnny Coombs had been spotted disappearing into the +ventilator shaft in the engine sector. "Well, go in after him!" Tawney +screamed. He got his first mate finally, and snarled orders into the +speaker. "They're in the ventilators. Get a crew in there and stop +them."</p> + +<p>But it was dark in the ventilator shafts. No emergency lights in there. +Worse, the crewmen were hearing the things that were being whispered +around the ship. The ventilator shafts yawned menacingly before them; +they went in reluctantly. Once in the dark maze of tunnels, +identification was difficult. Two guards met each other headlong in the +darkness, and put each other out of the fight in a flurry of nervous +stunner-fire. While they searched more of the holds were broken open, +leaking air through gaping rents in the hull....</p> + +<p>Tawney felt the panic spreading; he tried to curb it, and it spread in +spite of him. The fugitives were appearing and disappearing like +wraiths. Reports back to control cabin took on a frantic note, confused +and garbled. Now the second-level bulkheads were being attacked. Over a +third of the compartments were leaking precious air into outer space.</p> + +<p>When a terrified section chief came through with a report that two Greg +Hunters had been spotted by the same man at the same time, and that the +guards in the sector were shooting at anything that moved, including +other guards, Tawney made his way to the radio cabin and put through a +frantic signal to Jupiter Equilateral headquarters on Mars.</p> + +<p>The contact took forever, even with the ship's powerful emergency +boosters. By the time someone at headquarters was reading him, Tawney's +report sounded confused. He was trying for the third time to explain, +clearly and logically, how two men and a ghost were scuttling his +orbit-ship under his very feet when one wall of the cabin vanished in a +crackle of blue fire, and he found himself staring at two Greg Hunters +and a grim-faced Johnny Coombs.</p> + +<p>He made squeaky noises into the microphone and dropped it with a crash. +He groped for a chair; Johnny jerked him to his feet again. "A +scout-ship," he said tersely. "Clear it for launching. We want one with +plenty of fuel, and we don't want a single guard anywhere near the +airlock." He picked up an intercom microphone and thrust it into the +little fat man's trembling hand. "Now move! And you'd better be sure +they understand you, because you're coming with us."</p> + +<p>Merrill Tawney stared first at Tom, then at Greg, and finally at the +microphone. Then he moved. The orders he gave to his section chiefs were +very clear and concise.</p> + +<p>He had never argued with a ghost before, and he didn't care to start +now.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It was over so quickly that it seemed to Tom it had just begun, and if +so much had not been at stake, it might have been fun.</p> + +<p>It had been the gun ... the remarkable gun that Roger Hunter had left as +his legacy ... that had been the key. It ate through steel and aluminum +alloy like putty. Whatever its power source, however it worked, by +whatever means it had been built, there had been no match for it on the +orbit-ship.</p> + +<p>It had <i>worked</i> ... and that was all that mattered right then.</p> + +<p>With it, and with the advantage of a ghost that walked like a +man ... Tom Hunter, to be exact ... they had reduced the Jupiter +Equilateral orbit-ship to a smoking wreck in something less than thirty +minutes.</p> + +<p>The signal came back that a scout-ship was ready, unguarded. Johnny +prodded Tawney with the stunner. "You first," he said.</p> + +<p>"But where are you taking me?"</p> + +<p>"You'll see," Johnny said.</p> + +<p>"It was a trick," Tawney said, glaring at Tom. "They told me they shot +your ship to pieces...."</p> + +<p>"The ship, yes," Tom said. "Not me."</p> + +<p>"Well ... well, that's good, that's good," Tawney said quickly. He +turned to Greg. "You don't have to take me back ... the bargain is still +good...."</p> + +<p>"Move," Johnny Coombs said.</p> + +<p>With Tawney between them, Greg and Tom marched down the corridor toward +the airlock, with Johnny bringing up the rear. No one stopped them. No +one even came near them. One crewman stumbled on them in the corridor; +he saw Tawney with a gun in his back, and fled in terror.</p> + +<p>They found the scout-ship, and strapped Tawney down to an accelleration +bunk, binding his hands and feet so he couldn't move. Greg checked the +controls while Tom and Johnny strapped down. A moment later the engines +fired, and the leaking wreck of the orbit-ship fell away, dwindling and +disappearing in the blackness of space.</p> + +<p>It was a quiet journey. The red dot that was Mars grew larger every +hour. One of the three stayed awake at all times to watch Tawney while +the others slept. During the second rest period, Tom woke up while Greg +was on duty.</p> + +<p>"How's our prisoner doing?" Tom asked.</p> + +<p>"No problem there, he can barely move. I almost wish he'd try something, +he's too quiet."</p> + +<p>It was true. Tawney had recovered from his shock ... but rather than +grow more worried as Mars grew large on the screen, he seemed to become +more cheerful by the minute. "He doesn't seem very worried, does he?" +Tom said.</p> + +<p>"No, and it doesn't quite add. We've got enough on him to get Jupiter +Equilateral pushed right out of the Belt."</p> + +<p>"I'd still feel better if we had the whole picture for the Major," Tom +said. "We still don't know what Dad found, or where he hid it...."</p> + +<p>The uneasiness grew. Tawney ignored them, staring at the image of the +red planet on the viewscreen almost eagerly. Then, eight hours out of +Sun Lake City a U.N. Patrol ship appeared, moving toward them swiftly. +"Intercepting orbit," Greg said. "Looks like they were waiting for us."</p> + +<p>They watched as the big ship moved in to tangential orbit, matching its +speed to theirs. Then Greg snapped the communicator switch. "Sound off," +he said cheerfully. "We've got a prize for you."</p> + +<p>"Stand by, we're boarding you," the Patrol sent back. "And put your +weapons aside."</p> + +<p>Four scooters broke from the side of the Patrol ship. Greg activated the +airlock. Five minutes later a man in Patrol uniform with captain's bars +stepped into the control cabin, a stunner on ready in his hand. Three +Patrolmen came in behind him.</p> + +<p>The captain looked around the cabin, then saw Tawney, and took a deep +breath. "Well, thank the stars you're safe at any rate. Pete, Jimmy, +take the controls."</p> + +<p>"Hold on," Greg said. "We don't need a pilot."</p> + +<p>The Captain looked at him. "Sorry, but we're taking you in. There won't +be any trouble unless you make it. You three are under arrest, and I'm +authorized to make it stick if I have to. I suggest you just cooperate."</p> + +<p>They stared at him. Then Johnny said, "What are the charges?"</p> + +<p>"You ought to know," the Captain said. "We have a formal complaint from +the main offices of Jupiter Equilateral, charging you with piracy, +murder, kidnapping of a company official, and totally wrecking a company +orbit ship. I don't quite see how you managed it, but we're going to +find out in short order."</p> + +<p>There was a stunned silence in the cabin, and then a sound came from the +rear of the cabin.</p> + +<p>Merrill Tawney was laughing.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c12_The_Sinister_Bonanza" id="c12_The_Sinister_Bonanza"></a>12. The Sinister Bonanza</h2> + + +<p>They were taken to a small, drab internment room. A half hour passed and +still no word from the Major. From the moment the Patrol crew had +boarded them, everything had seemed like a bad dream. The shock of the +arrest, the realization that the Captain had been serious when he reeled +off the charges lodged against them ... they had been certain it was +some kind of ill-planned joke until they saw the delegation of Jupiter +Equilateral officials waiting at the port to greet Merrill Tawney like a +man returned from the dead. They had watched Tawney climb into the sleek +company car and drive off toward the gate, while the Captain had +escorted them without a word down to the internment rooms.</p> + +<p>The door clicked, and the Captain looked in. "All right, come along +now," he said.</p> + +<p>"Is the Major here?" Tom said.</p> + +<p>"You'll see the Major soon enough." The Captain herded them into another +room, where a clerk efficiently fingerprinted them. Then they went down +a ramp to a jitney-platform, and boarded a U.N. official car. The trip +into the city was slow; rush-hour traffic from the port was heavy. When +they reached U.N. headquarters, there was another wait in an upper +level ante-room. The Captain stood stiffly with his hands behind his +back and ignored them.</p> + +<p>"Look, this is ridiculous," Greg burst out finally. "We haven't done +anything. You haven't even let us make a statement."</p> + +<p>"Make your statement to the Major. It's his headache, not mine, I'm +happy to say."</p> + +<p>"But you let that man walk out of there scot free...."</p> + +<p>The Captain looked at him. "If I were you," he said, "I'd stop +complaining and start worrying. If I had Jupiter Equilateral at my +throat, I'd worry plenty, because once they start they don't stop."</p> + +<p>A signal light blinked, and he took them downstairs. Major Briarton was +behind his desk; his eyes tired, his face grim. He dismissed the +Captain, and motioned them to seats. "All right, let's have the story," +he said, "and by the ten moons of Saturn it had better be convincing, +because I've about had my fill of you three."</p> + +<p>He listened without interruption as Tom told the story, with Greg and +Johnny adding details from time to time. Tom told him everything, from +the moment they had blasted off for Roger Hunter's claim to the moment +the Patrol ship had boarded them, except for a single detail.</p> + +<p>He didn't mention the remarkable gun from Roger Hunter's gun case. The +gun was still in the spacer's pack he had slung over his shoulder; he +had not mentioned it when the Patrolmen had taken their stunners away. +Now as he talked, he felt a twinge of guilt in not mentioning it....</p> + +<p>But he had a reason. Dad had died to keep that gun secret. It seemed +only right to keep the secret a little longer. When he came to the part +about their weapons, he simply spoke of "Dad's gun" and omitted any +details.</p> + +<p>And through the story, the Major listened intently, interrupting only +occasionally, pulling at his lip and scowling.</p> + +<p>"So we decided that the best way to convince you that we had the +evidence you wanted was to bring Tawney back with us," Tom concluded.</p> + +<p>"A brilliant maneuver," the Major said dryly. "A real stroke of genius."</p> + +<p>"But then the Patrol ship intercepted us and told us we were under +arrest. And when we landed, they let Tawney drive off without even +questioning him."</p> + +<p>"The least we could do, under the circumstances," the Major said.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'd like to know why," Greg broke in bitterly. "Why pick on us? +We've just been telling you...."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, I heard every word of it," the Major sighed. "If you knew the +trouble ... oh, what's the use? I've spent the last three solid hours +talking myself hoarse, throwing in every bit of authority I could +muster and jeopardizing my position as Coordinator here, for the sole +purpose of keeping you three idiots out of jail for a few hours."</p> + +<p>"Jail!"</p> + +<p>"That's what I said. The brig. The place they put people when they don't +behave. You three are sitting on a nice, big powder keg right now, and +when it blows I don't know how much of you is going to be left."</p> + +<p>"Do you think we're lying?" Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Do you know what you're charged with?" the Major snapped back.</p> + +<p>"Some sort of nonsense about piracy...."</p> + +<p>"Plus kidnapping. Plus murder. To say nothing of totally disabling a +seventeen-million-dollar orbit-ship and placing the lives of four +hundred crewmen in jeopardy." The Major picked up a sheet of paper from +his desk. "According to Merrill Tawney's statement, the three of you +hijacked a company scout-ship that chanced to be scouting in the +vicinity of your father's claim. Your attack was unprovoked and violent. +Everybody on Mars knows you were convinced that Jupiter Equilateral was +responsible for your father's death." He looked up. "In the absence of +any evidence, I might add, although I did my best to tell you that." He +rattled the report-sheet. "All right. You took the scout-ship by force, +with the pilot at gunpoint, and made him home in on his orbit-ship. Then +you proceeded to reduce that orbit-ship to a leaking wreck, although +Tawney tried to reason with you and even offered you amnesty if you +would desist. By the time the crew stopped shooting each other in the +dark ... fifteen of them subsequently expired, it says here ... you had +stolen another scout-ship and kidnapped Tawney for the purpose of +extorting a confession out of Jupiter Equilateral, threatening him with +torture if he did not comply...." The Major dropped the paper to the +desk.</p> + +<p>Johnny Coombs picked it up, looked at it owlishly, and put it back +again. "Pretty large operation for three men, Major," he said.</p> + +<p>The Major shrugged. "You were armed. That orbit-ship was registered as a +commercial vessel. It had no reason to expect a surprise attack, and had +no way to defend itself."</p> + +<p>"They were armed to the teeth," Greg said disgustedly. "Why don't you +send somebody out to look?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I could, but why waste the time and fuel? There wouldn't be any +weapons aboard."</p> + +<p>"Then how do they explain the fact that the <i>Scavenger</i> was blown to +bits and Dad's orbit-ship ripped apart from top to bottom?"</p> + +<p>"Details," the Major said. "Mere details. I'm sure that the company's +lawyers can muddy the waters quite enough so that little details like +that are overlooked. Particularly with a sympathetic jury and a judge +that plays along."</p> + +<p>He stood up and ran his hand through his hair. "All right, granted I'm +painting the worst picture possible ... but I'm afraid that's the way +it's going to be. I believe your story, don't worry about that. I know +why you went out there to the Belt and I can't really blame you, I +suppose. But you were asking for trouble, and that's what you got. +Frankly, I am amazed that you ever returned to Mars, and how you managed +to make rubble of an orbit-ship with a crew of four hundred men trying +to stop you is more than I can comprehend. But you did it. All right, +fine. You were justified; they attacked you, held you prisoner, +threatened you. Fine. They'd have cut your throats in another few hours, +perhaps. Fine. I believe you. But there's one big question that you +can't answer, and unless you can no court in the Solar System will +listen to you."</p> + +<p>"What question?" Tom said.</p> + +<p>"The question of motives," the Major replied. "You had plenty of motive +for doing what Tawney says you did. But what motive did Jupiter +Equilateral have, if your story is true?"</p> + +<p>"They wanted to get what Dad found, out in the Belt."</p> + +<p>"Ah, yes, that mysterious bonanza that Roger Hunter found. I was afraid +that was what you'd say. And it's the reason that Jupiter Equilateral is +going to win this fight, and you're going to lose it."</p> + +<p>"I don't think I understand," Tom said slowly.</p> + +<p>"I mean that I'm going to have to testify against you," the Major said. +"<i>Because your father didn't find a thing in the Asteroid Belt</i>, and I +happen to know it."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"It's been a war," the Major said later, "a dirty vicious war with no +holds barred and no quarter given. Not a shooting war, of course, +nothing out in the open ... but a war just the same, with the highest +stakes of any war in history.</p> + +<p>"It didn't look like a war, at first," the Major went on. "Back when the +colonies were being built, nobody really believed that anything of value +would come of them ... scientific outposts, perhaps, places for +laboratories and observatories, not much more. The colonies were placed +under United Nations control. Nobody argued about it.</p> + +<p>"And then things began to change. There was wealth out here ... and +opportunities for power. With the overpopulation at home, Earth was +looking more and more to Mars and Venus for a place to move ... not tiny +colonies, but places for millions of people. And as Mars grew, Jupiter +Equilateral grew."</p> + +<p>"But it was just a mining company," Tom said.</p> + +<p>"At first it was, but then its interests began to expand. The company +accumulated wealth, unbelievable wealth, and it developed many friends. +Very soon it had friends back on Earth fighting for it, and the United +Nations found itself fighting to stay on Mars."</p> + +<p>"I don't see why," Tom said. "The company already has half the mining +claims in the Belt...."</p> + +<p>"They aren't interested in the mining," the Major said. "They have a +much longer-range goal than that. The men behind Jupiter Equilateral are +looking ahead. They know that someday Earthmen are going to have to go +to the stars for colonies ... it won't be a matter of choice after a +while, they'll <i>have</i> to go. Well, Jupiter Equilateral's terms are very +simple. They're perfectly willing to let the United Nations control +things on Earth. All they want is control of everything else. Mars, if +they can drive us out. Venus too, if it ever proves up for colonies. And +if they can gain control of the ships that leave our Solar System for +the stars, they can build an empire, and they know it."</p> + +<p>They were silent for a moment. Then Johnny Coombs said, "Doesn't anybody +on Earth know about this?"</p> + +<p>"There are some who know ... but they don't see the danger. They think +of Jupiter Equilateral as just another big company. So far U.N. control +of Mars and Venus has held up, even though the pressure on the +legislators back on Earth has been getting heavier and heavier. Jupiter +Equilateral won the greatest fight in its history when they limited U.N. +jurisdiction to Mars, and kept us out of the Belt. And now they hope to +convince the lawmakers that we're incompetent to administer the Martian +colonies and keep peace out here. If they succeed, we'll be called home +in nothing flat; we've had to fight just to stay."</p> + +<p>The Major spread his hands helplessly. "Like I said, it's been a war. +Our only hope was to prove that the company was using piracy and murder +to gain control of the asteroids. We had to find a way to smash the +picture they've been painting of themselves back on Earth as a big, +benevolent organization interested only in the best for Earth colonists +on the planets. We had to expose them before they had the Earth in +chains ... not now, maybe not even a century from now, but sometime, +years from now, when the breakthrough to the stars comes and Earthmen +discover that if they want to leave Earth they have to pay toll...."</p> + +<p>"They could never do that!" Greg protested.</p> + +<p>"They're doing it, son. And they're winning. We have been searching +desperately for a way to fight back, and that was where your father came +in. He could see the handwriting, he knew what was happening. That was +why he broke with the company and tried to organize a competing force +before it was too late. And it was why he died in the Belt. He knew I +couldn't send an agent out there without unquestionable evidence of +major crime of some sort or another. But a private citizen could go out +there, and if he happened to be working with the U.N. hand in glove, +nobody could do anything about it."</p> + +<p>"Then Dad was a U.N. agent?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, not officially. There's not a word in the records. If I were forced +to testify under oath, I would have to deny any connection. But +unofficially, he went out there to lay a trap."</p> + +<p>The Major told them then. It had been an incredible risk that Roger +Hunter had taken, but the decision had been his. The plan was simple: to +involve Jupiter Equilateral in a case of claim-jumping and piracy that +would hold up in court, pressed by a man who would not be intimidated +and could not be bought out. Roger Hunter had made a trip to the Belt +and come back with stories ... very carefully planted in just the right +ears ... of a fabulous strike. He knew that Jupiter Equilateral had +jumped a hundred rich claims in the past, forcing the independent miners +to agree, frightening them into silence or disposing of them with +"accidents."</p> + +<p>But this was one claim they were not going to jump. The U.N. cooperated, +helping him spread the story of his Big Strike until they were certain +that Jupiter Equilateral would go for the bait. Then Roger Hunter had +returned to the Belt, with a U.N. Patrol ship close by in case he needed +help.</p> + +<p>"We thought it would be enough," the Major said unhappily. "We were +wrong, of course. At first nothing happened ... not a sign of a company +ship, nothing. Your father contacted me finally. He was ready to give +up. Somehow they must have learned that it was a trap. But they had just +been careful, was all. They waited until our guard was down, and then +moved in fast and hit hard."</p> + +<p>He sank down in his seat behind the desk, regarding the Hunter twins +sadly. "You know the rest. Perhaps you can see now why I tried to keep +you from going out there. There was no proof to uncover and no bonanza +lode for you to find. There never was a bonanza lode."</p> + +<p>The twins looked at each other, and then at the Major. "Why didn't you +tell us?" Greg said.</p> + +<p>"Would you have listened? Would telling you have kept you from going out +there? There was no point to telling you, I knew you would have to find +out for yourselves, however painfully. But what I'm telling you now is +the truth."</p> + +<p>"As far as it goes," Tom Hunter said. "But if this is really the truth, +there's one thing that doesn't fit into the picture."</p> + +<p>Slowly Tom pulled the gun case from his pack and set it down on the +Major's desk. "It doesn't explain what Dad was doing with this."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c13_Pinpoint_in_Space" id="c13_Pinpoint_in_Space"></a>13. Pinpoint in Space</h2> + + +<p>Tom knew now that it was the right thing to do. There was no question, +after the Major's story, of what Dad had been doing out in the Belt at +the time he had been killed. He had been doing a job that was more +important to him than asteroid mining ... but he had found something +more important than his own life, and had no chance to send word of what +he had found back to Major Briarton on Mars. That had been the +unforeseeable part of the trap.</p> + +<p>But now, of course, the Major had to know.</p> + +<p>The Mars Coordinator looked at the thing on the desk for a long moment +before he reached out to touch it. The bright metal gleamed in the +light, pale gray, lustrous. The Major picked it up, balanced it expertly +in his hand, and a puzzled frown clouded his face. He examined it +minutely.</p> + +<p>"What is this thing?" he said.</p> + +<p>"Suppose you tell us," Johnny Coombs said from across the room.</p> + +<p>"It looks like a gun."</p> + +<p>"That's what it is, all right."</p> + +<p>"You've fired it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes ... but I wouldn't fire it in here, if I were you," Johnny said. +"You were wondering how we wrecked Tawney's orbit-ship so thoroughly. +That's your answer right there." He told about the hole in the bulkhead, +the way the ship's generators had melted like clay under the powerful +blast of the weapon.</p> + +<p>The Major could hardly control his excitement. "Where did you get it?" +he asked, turning to Tom.</p> + +<p>"From the space pack that you turned over to us. I didn't even look at +it, until we needed a gun in a hurry. I just assumed it was Dad's +revolver."</p> + +<p>"And your father found it somewhere in the Belt," the Major said softly. +He looked at the weapon again, shaking his head. "There isn't any such +gun," he said finally. "These things you say it could do ... they would +require energy enough to break down the cohesive forces of molecules. +There isn't any way we know of to harness that kind of energy and +channel it in a hand weapon. Nobody on Earth...."</p> + +<p>He broke off and stared at them.</p> + +<p>"That's right," Johnny said. "Nobody on Earth."</p> + +<p>"You mean ... extraterrestrial?"</p> + +<p>"There isn't any other answer," Johnny said. "<i>Look</i> at the thing, +Major. <i>Feel</i> it. Does it feel like it was made for a human hand? It +doesn't fit, it doesn't balance, you have to hold it with both hands to +aim it...."</p> + +<p>"<i>But where did it come from?</i>" the Major said. "We've never had +visitors from another star system ... not in the course of recorded +history. And we know that Earthmen are the only intelligent creatures in +our Solar System."</p> + +<p>"You mean that they're the only ones <i>now</i>," Tom said.</p> + +<p>"Or any other time."</p> + +<p>"We don't know that, for sure," Tom said.</p> + +<p>"Look, we've explored Venus, Mars, all the major satellites. If there +had ever been intelligence on any of them, we'd have known it."</p> + +<p>"Maybe there was a planet that Earthmen haven't explored," Tom said. +"Even Dad tried to tell us that. The quotation from Kepler that he +scribbled down in his log ... 'Between Jupiter and Mars I will put a +planet.' Why would Dad have written that? Unless he had suddenly +discovered proof that there <i>had</i> been a planet there?"</p> + +<p>"You mean this ... this gun," the Major said.</p> + +<p>"And whatever else he found."</p> + +<p>"But there's never been any proof of that theory ... not even a hint of +proof."</p> + +<p>"Maybe Dad found proof. There are hundreds of thousands of asteroid +fragments out there in the Belt, and only a few hundred of them have +ever been examined by men."</p> + +<p>On the desk the strange weapon stared up at them. Evidence, mute +evidence, and yet its very existence said more than a thousand words. It +was there. It could not be denied.</p> + +<p>And someone ... or <i>something</i> ... had made it.</p> + +<p>Slowly the Major pulled himself to his feet. "It must have happened +after his last message to me," he said. "It wasn't part of the scheme we +had set up, but he made a strike just the same ... an archeological +strike ... and this gun was part of it." He picked up the weapon, turned +it over in his hand. "But it was days after that last message before his +signal went off, and the Patrol ship moved in."</p> + +<p>"It makes sense," Johnny Coombs said. "He found the gun, and something +more."</p> + +<p>"Like what?"</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't even guess," Johnny said. "A planet with a race of creatures +intelligent enough and advanced enough to make a weapon like that ... it +could have been anything. But whatever it was, it must have scared him. +He must have known that a company ship might turn up any minute ... so +he hid whatever he had found, and all he dared to leave was a hint."</p> + +<p>"And now it's vanished," the Major said. "The big flaw in the whole +idea. My Patrol ship found nothing when it searched the region. You +looked, and drew a blank. The company men scoured the area." He spread +his hands helplessly. "You see, it just won't hold up, not a bit of it. +Even with this gun, it won't hold up. We've got to find the answer."</p> + +<p>"It's out there somewhere," Tom said doggedly. "It's got to be."</p> + +<p>"But <i>where</i>? Don't you see that everything hangs on that one thing? If +we could prove that your father found something just before he was +killed, we could tear Jupiter Equilateral's case against you into +shreds. We could charge them with piracy and murder, and make it stick. +We could break their power once and for all ... but until we know what +Roger Hunter found, we're helpless. They'll take you three to court, and +I won't be able to stop them. And if you lose that case, it may mean the +end of U.N. authority on Mars."</p> + +<p>"Then there's just one thing to do," Johnny Coombs said. "We've got to +find Roger Hunter's bonanza."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It was almost midnight when they left the Major's office, a gloomy trio, +walking silently up the ramp to the Main Concourse, heading toward the +living quarters.</p> + +<p>They had been talking with the Major for hours, going over every facet +of the story, wracking their brains for the answer ... but the answer +had not come.</p> + +<p>Roger Hunter had found something, and hidden it so well that three +groups of searchers had failed to discover it. After seeing the gun, the +Major was convinced that there had indeed been a discovery made. But +whatever that discovery had been, it was gone as if it had never +existed ... as if by some sort of magic it had been turned invisible, +or conjured away to another part of the Solar System.</p> + +<p>Finally, they had given up, at least for the moment. "It has to be +there," the Major had said wearily. "It hasn't vanished, or miraculously +ceased to exist. We know he was working on one claim, one asteroid. +There were no other asteroids in the region ... and even the ones within +suicide radius have been searched."</p> + +<p>"It's there, all right," Tom said. "We're missing something, that's +all."</p> + +<p>"But what? Asteroids have stable orbits. Nobody can just make one +disappear...."</p> + +<p>They had called it a night, finally.</p> + +<p>Once home they found more bad news waiting. There were two messages on +the recordomat. The first was an official summons to appear before the +United Nations Board of Investigations at 9:00 the following morning to +answer "certain charges placed against the above named persons by the +Governing Board of Jupiter Equilateral Mining Industries, and by one +Merrill Tawney, plaintiff, representing said Governing Board." They +listened to the plastic record twice. Then Greg tossed it down the waste +chute.</p> + +<p>The other message was addressed to Greg, from the Commanding Officer of +Project Star-Jump. The message was very polite and regretful; it was +also very firm. The pressure of the work there, in his absence, made it +necessary for the Project to suspend Greg on an indefinite leave of +absence. Application for reinstatement could be made at a later date, +but acceptance could not be guaranteed....</p> + +<p>"Well, I might have expected it," Greg said, "after what the Major told +us. The money for Star-Jump must have been coming from somewhere, and +now we know where. The company probably figures to lay claim on any +star-drive that's ever developed." He dropped the notice down the chute, +and laughed. "I guess I really asked for it."</p> + +<p>"You mean I pushed you into it," Tom said bitterly. "If I'd kept my big +mouth shut at the very start of this thing, you'd have gone back to the +Project and that would have been the end of it...."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Greg looked at him. "You big bum, do you think I really care?" He +grinned. "Don't feel too guilty, Twin. We've been back to back on this +one."</p> + +<p>He pulled off his shirt and walked into the shower room. Johnny Coombs +was already stretched out on the sofa, snoring softly.</p> + +<p>Quite suddenly the room seemed hot and stuffy, oppressive. He couldn't +make his thoughts come straight. There had been too much thinking, too +much speculation. Tom stood up and slipped on his jacket.</p> + +<p>He had to walk, to move about, to try to think. He slipped open the +door, and started for the ramp leading to the Main Concourse.</p> + +<p>There was an answer, somewhere.</p> + +<p>He walked on along the steel walkways, trying to clear his mind of the +doubts and questions that were plaguing him. At first he just wandered, +but presently he realized that he had a destination in mind.</p> + +<p>He went up a ramp and across the lobby of the United Nations +Administration Building. He took a spur off the main corridor, and came +to a doorway with a small circular staircase beyond it. At the bottom of +the stairs he opened a steel door and stepped into the Map Room.</p> + +<p>It was a small darkened amphitheater, with a curving row of seats along +one wall. On either side were film viewers and micro-readers. And +curving around on the far wall, like a huge parabolic mirror, was the +Map.</p> + +<p>Tom had been here many times before, and always he gasped in wonder when +he saw the awesome beauty of the thing. Stepping into the Map Room was +like stepping into the center of a huge cathedral. Here was the glowing, +moving panorama of the Solar System spread out before him in a +breath-taking three-dimensional image. Standing here before the Map it +seemed as if he had suddenly become enormous and omnipotent, hanging +suspended in the blackness of space and staring down at the Solar System +from a vantage point a million miles away.</p> + +<p>Once, Dad had told him, there had been a great statue in the harbor of +Old New York which had been a symbol of freedom for strangers coming to +that city from across the sea, and a welcome for countrymen returning +home. And someday, he knew, this view of the Solar System would be +waiting to greet Earthmen making their way home from distant stars. The +Map was only an image, a gift from the United Nations to the colonists +on Mars, but it reproduced the Solar System in the minutest detail that +astronomers could make possible.</p> + +<p>In the center, glowing like a thing alive, was the Sun, the hub of the +magnificent wheel. Around it, moving constantly in their orbits, were +the planets, bright points of light on the velvet blackness of the +screen. Each orbit was computed and held on the screen by the great +computer in the vault below.</p> + +<p>But there was more on the Map than the Sun and the planets, with their +satellites. Tiny green lights marked the Earth-Mars and the Earth-Venus +orbit-ships, moving slowly across the screen. Beyond Mars, a myriad of +tiny lights projected on the screen, the asteroids. Without the +magnifier Tom could identify the larger ones ... Ceres, on the opposite +side of the Sun from Mars now as it moved in its orbit; smaller Juno, +and Pallas, and Vesta....</p> + +<p>For each asteroid which had been identified, and its orbit plotted, +there was a pinpoint of light on the screen. For all its beauty, the Map +had a very useful purpose ... the registry and identification of +asteroid claims among the miners of Mars. Each asteroid registered as a +claim showed up as a red pinpoint; unclaimed asteroids were white. But +even with the advances of modern astronomy only a small percentage of +the existing asteroids were on the map, for the vast majority had never +been plotted.</p> + +<p>Tom moved up to the Map and activated the magnifier. Carefully he +focussed down on the section of the Asteroid Belt they had visited so +recently. Dozens of pinpoints sprang to view, both red and white, and +beneath each red light the claim-number neatly registered. Tom peered at +the section, searching until he found the number of Roger Hunter's last +claim.</p> + +<p>It was quite by itself, not a part of an asteroid cluster. He stepped up +the magnification, peered at it closely. There were a dozen other +pinpoints, all unclaimed, within a ten-thousand-mile radius....</p> + +<p>But near it, nothing....</p> + +<p>No hiding place.</p> + +<p>And then, suddenly, he knew the answer. He stared at the Map, his heart +pounding in his throat. He cut the magnification, scanning a wide area. +Then he widened the lens still further, and checked the coordinates at +the bottom of the viewer.</p> + +<p>He knew that he was right. He <i>had</i> to be right. But this was no wild +dream, this was something that could be proved beyond any question of +error.</p> + +<p>Across the room he picked up the phone to Map Control. It buzzed +interminably; then a sleepy voice answered.</p> + +<p>"The Map," Tom managed to say. "It's recorded on time-lapse film, isn't +it?"</p> + +<p>"'Course it is," the sleepy voice said. "Observatory has to have the +record. One frame every hour...."</p> + +<p>"I've got to see some of the old film," Tom said.</p> + +<p>"<i>Now?</i> It's three in the morning."</p> + +<p>"I don't need the film itself, just project it for me. There's a reader +here."</p> + +<p>He gave the man the dates he wanted, Mars time. The man broke the +contact, grumbling, but moments later one of the film-viewers sprang to +life. The Map coordinates showed at the bottom of the screen.</p> + +<p>Tom stared at the filmed image ... the image of a segment of the +Asteroid Belt the day before Roger Hunter had died.</p> + +<p>It was there. When he had looked at the Map, he had seen a single red +pinpoint of light, Roger Hunter's asteroid, with nothing in the heavens +anywhere near it.</p> + +<p>But on the film image taken weeks before there were two points of light. +One was red, with Roger Hunter's claim number beneath it. The other was +white, so close to the first that even at full magnification it was +barely distinguishable.</p> + +<p><i>But it was there.</i></p> + +<p>Tom's hands were trembling with excitement; he nearly dropped the phone +receiver as he punched the buttons to ring the apartment. Greg's face +appeared on the screen, puffy with sleep. "What's that? Thought you were +in bed...."</p> + +<p>"You've got to get down here," Tom said.</p> + +<p>Greg blinked, waking up. "What's the matter? Where are you?"</p> + +<p>"In the Map Room. Wake Johnny up and get down here. And try to get hold +of the Major."</p> + +<p>"You've found something," Greg said, excited now.</p> + +<p>"I've found something," Tom said. "I've found where Dad hid his +strike ... and I know how we can find it! We've got the answer, Greg."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c14_The_Missing_Asteroid" id="c14_The_Missing_Asteroid"></a>14. The Missing Asteroid</h2> + + +<p>It had been a wild twelve hours since Tom Hunter's call to his brother +from the Map Room in Sun Lake City. The Major had arrived first, still +buttoning his shirt and wiping sleep from his eyes. Johnny and Greg came +in on his heels. They had found Tom waiting for them, so excited he +could hardly keep his words straight.</p> + +<p>He told them what he had found, and they wondered why they had not +thought of it from the first moment. "We knew there had to be an +answer," Tom said, "some place Dad could have used for a hiding place, +some place nobody would even think to look. Dad must have realized that +he didn't have much time. When he saw his chance, he took it."</p> + +<p>And it was pure, lucky chance. Tom showed them the section of the Map he +had examined, with the pinpoint of light representing Roger Hunter's +asteroid claim. Then the Map Control officer ... much more alert when he +saw Major Briarton ... brought an armload of films up and loaded them +into the projector. They stared at the screen, and saw the two pinpoints +of light where one was now.</p> + +<p>"What was the date of this?" the Major asked sharply.</p> + +<p>"Two days before Dad died," Tom said. "There's quite a distance between +them there ... but watch. One frame for every hour. Watch what happens."</p> + +<p>He began running the film, the record taken from the Map itself, +accurate as clockwork. The white dot was moving in toward the red dot at +a forty-degree angle. For an instant it looked as though the two were +colliding ... and then the distance between them began to widen again. +Slowly, hour by hour, the white dot was moving away, off the screen +altogether....</p> + +<p>The Major looked up at Tom and slammed his fist on the chair-arm. "By +the ten moons of Saturn...." he exploded, and then he was on his feet, +shouting at the startled Map Control officer. "Get me Martinson down +here, and fast. Call the port on a scrambled line and tell them to stand +by with a ship on emergency call, with a crack interceptor pilot ready +to go. Then get me the plotted orbits of every eccentric asteroid that's +crossed Mars' orbit in the last two months. And double-A security on +everything ... we don't want to let Tawney get wind of this...."</p> + +<p>Later, while they waited, they went over it to make sure that nothing +was missing. "No wonder we couldn't spot it," the Major said. "We were +looking for an asteroid in a standard orbit in the Belt."</p> + +<p>"But there wasn't any," Tom said. "Dad's rock was isolated, nowhere near +any others. And we were so busy thinking of the thousands of rocks in +normal orbits between Mars and Jupiter that we forgot that there are a +few eccentric ones that just don't travel that way."</p> + +<p>"Like this one." The Major stared at the screen. "A long, intersecting +orbit. It must swing out almost to Jupiter's orbit at one end, and come +clear in to intersect Earth's orbit at the other end...."</p> + +<p>"Which means that it cuts right through the Asteroid Belt and on out +again." Tom grinned. "Dad must have seen it coming ... must have thought +it was on collision course for a while. But he also must have realized +that if he could hide something on its surface as it came near, it would +be carried clear out of the Belt altogether in a few days' time."</p> + +<p>"And if we can follow it up and intercept it...." The Major was on his +feet, talking rapidly into the telephone. Sleep was forgotten now, +nothing mattered but pinpointing a tiny bit of rock speeding through +space. Within an hour the asteroid had been identified, its eccentric +orbit plotted. The coordinates were taped into the computers of the +waiting Patrol ship, as the preparations for launching were made.</p> + +<p>It could not be coincidence. Somewhere on the surface of that tiny +planetoid racing in toward the Sun they knew they would find Roger +Hunter's secret.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Below them, as they watched, the jagged surface of the asteroid drew +closer.</p> + +<p>It was not round ... it was far too tiny a bit of cosmic debris to have +sufficient gravity to crush down rocks and round off ragged corners. It +was roughly oblong in shape, and one side was sheer smooth rock surface. +The other side was rough, bristling with jutting rock. More than +anything else it looked like a ragged mountain top, broken off at the +peak and hurled into space by an all-powerful hand.</p> + +<p>Slowly the scout-ship moved closer, braking with its forward jets. The +pilot was expert. Carefully and surely he aligned the ship with the rock +in speed and direction. In the accelleration cot Tom could feel only an +occasional gentle tug as the power cut on and off.</p> + +<p>Then the Lieutenant said, "I think we can make a landing now, Major."</p> + +<p>"Fine. Take a scooter down first, and carry a guy line."</p> + +<p>They unstrapped, and changed into pressure suits. In the airlock they +waited until the Lieutenant had touched the scooter down. Then Major +Briarton nodded, and they clamped their belts to the guy line.</p> + +<p>One by one they leaped down toward the rock.</p> + +<p>From a few miles out in space, the job of searching the surface had not +appeared difficult. From the rock itself, things looked very different. +There was no way, from the surface, to scan large areas, and the surface +was so rough that they had to take constant care not to damage their +boots or rip holes in their suits. There were hundreds of crevices and +caves, half concealed by the loose rock that crumbled under their feet +as they moved.</p> + +<p>They spread out from the scooter for an hour of fruitless searching. Tom +spent most of the time pulling his boots free of surface cracks and +picking his way over heaps of jagged rock. None of them got farther than +a hundred yards from the starting place. None of them found anything +remarkable.</p> + +<p>"We could spend weeks covering it this way," Greg said when they met at +the scooter again. "Why don't I take the scooter and criss-cross the +whole surface at about fifty feet? If I spot anything, I'll yell."</p> + +<p>It seemed like a good idea. Greg strapped himself into the scooter's +saddle, straddling the fuel tanks, using the hand jet to guide himself +as he lifted lightly off the surface. He disappeared over the horizon of +rock, then reappeared as he moved over the surface and back.</p> + +<p>Tom and Johnny waited with the Major. Twenty minutes later Greg brought +the tiny craft back again. "It's no good," he said. "I've scanned the +whole bright-side, came as close as I dared."</p> + +<p>"No sign of anything?" Johnny said.</p> + +<p>"Not a thing. The dark side looks like a sheer slab, from what my lights +show. If we only had some idea what we were looking for...."</p> + +<p>"Maybe you weren't close enough," Tom said. "Why not drop each of us off +to take a quarter of the bright-side and work our way in?"</p> + +<p>The others agreed. Tom waited until the Major and Johnny had been +posted; then he hopped on the scooter behind Greg and dropped off almost +at the line of darkness, where the sheer slab began. All of them had +hoped that there might be a sign, something that Roger Hunter might have +left to mark his cache, but if there was one none of them spotted it. +Tom checked with the others by the radio in his helmet, and started +moving back toward the center of the bright side.</p> + +<p>An hour later he was only halfway to the center, and he was nearly +exhausted. At a dozen different spots he thought he had found a +promising cleft in the rock, a place where something might have been +concealed ... but exploration of the clefts proved fruitless.</p> + +<p>And now his confidence began to fail. Supposing he had been wrong? They +knew the rock had passed very close to Roger Hunter's asteroid, the +astronomical records proved that. But suppose Dad had not used it as his +hiding place at all? He pulled himself around another jagged rock shelf, +staring down at the rough asteroid surface beyond....</p> + +<p>At the base of the rock shelf, something glinted in the sunlight. He +leaped down, and thrust his hand into a small crevice in the rock. His +hand closed on a small metal object.</p> + +<p>It was a gun. It felt well balanced, familiar in his hand ... the +revolver Dad had always carried in his gun case.</p> + +<p>He had to let them know. He was just snapping the speaker switch when he +heard a growl of static in his earphones, and then Greg's voice, +high-pitched and excited. "Over here! I think I've found something!"</p> + +<p>It took ten minutes of scrambling over the treacherous surface to reach +Greg. Tom saw his brother tugging at a huge chunk of granite that was +wedged into a crevice in the rock. Tom got there just as the Major and +Johnny topped a rise on the other side and hurried down to them.</p> + +<p>The rock gave way, rolling aside, and Greg reached down into the +crevice. Tom leaned over to help him. Between them they lifted out the +thing that had been wedged down beneath the boulder.</p> + +<p>It was a metal cylinder, four feet long, two feet wide, and bluntly +tapered at either end. In the sunlight it gleamed like polished silver, +but they could see a hairline break in the metal encircling the center +portion.</p> + +<p>They had found Roger Hunter's bonanza.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>In the cabin of the scout-ship they broke the cylinder open into two +perfect halves. It came apart easily, a shell of paper-thin but +remarkably strong metal, protecting the tightly packed contents.</p> + +<p>There was no question what the cylinder was, even though there was +nothing inside that looked even slightly familiar at first examination. +There were several hundred very tiny thin discs of metal that fit on the +spindle of a small instrument that was packed with them. There were +spools of film, thin as tissue but amazingly strong. Examined against +the light in the cabin, the film seemed to carry no image at all ... but +there was another small machine that accepted the loose end of the film, +and a series of lenses that glowed brightly with no apparent source of +power. There was a thick block of shiny metal covered on one side with +almost invisible scratches....</p> + +<p>A time capsule, beyond doubt. A confusing treasure, at first glance, but +the idea was perfectly clear. A hard shell of metal protecting the +records collected inside....</p> + +<p><i>Against what? A planetary explosion? Some sort of cosmic disaster that +had blown a planet and its people into the fragments that now filled the +Asteroid Belt?</i></p> + +<p>At the bottom of the cylinder was a small tube of metal. They examined +it carefully, trying to guess what it was supposed to be. At the bottom +was a tiny stud. When they pressed it, the cylinder began to expand and +unfold, layer upon layer of thin glistening metallic material that +spread out into a sheet that stretched halfway across the cabin.</p> + +<p>They stared down at it. The metal seemed to have a life of its own, +glowing and glinting, focussing light into pinpoints on its surface.</p> + +<p>It was a map.</p> + +<p>At one side, a glowing ball with a fiery corona, an unmistakeable +symbol that any intelligent creature in the universe that was able to +perceive it at all would recognize as a star. Around it, in clearly +marked orbits, ten planets. The third planet had a single satellite, the +fourth two tiny ones. The sixth eleven. The seventh planet had ten, and +was encircled by glowing rings.</p> + +<p>But the fifth planet was broken into four parts.</p> + +<p>Beyond the tenth planet there was nothing across a vast expanse of the +map ... but at the far side was another star symbol, this one a double +star with four planetary bodies.</p> + +<p>They stared at the glowing map, speechless. There could be no mistaking +the meaning of the thing that lay before them, marked in symbols that +could mean only one thing to any intelligence that could recognize stars +and planets.</p> + +<p>But in the center of the sheet was another symbol. It lay halfway +between the two Solar Systems, in the depths of interstellar space. It +was a tiny picture, a silvery sliver of light, but it too was +unmistakeable.</p> + +<p>It could be nothing else but a Starship.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Later, as they talked, they saw that the map had told each of them, +individually, the same thing. "They had a star-drive," Tom said. +"Whatever kind of creatures they were, and whatever the disaster that +threatened their planet, they had a star-drive to take them out of the +Solar System to another star."</p> + +<p>"But why leave a record?" Greg wanted to know. "If nobody was here to +use it...."</p> + +<p>"Maybe for the same reason that Earthmen bury time capsules with records +of their civilization," Major Briarton said. "I'd guess that the records +here will tell, when they have been studied and deciphered. Perhaps +there was already some sign of intelligent life developing elsewhere in +the Solar System. Perhaps they hoped that some of their own people would +survive. But they had a star-drive, so some of them must have escaped. +And with the record here...."</p> + +<p>"We may be able to follow them," Greg said.</p> + +<p>"If we can decipher the record," Johnny Coombs said. "But we don't have +any clue to their language."</p> + +<p>"Did you have any trouble understanding what the map had to say?" the +Major said quietly.</p> + +<p>"No...."</p> + +<p>"I don't think the rest will be much more difficult. They were +intelligent creatures. The record will be understandable, all right." He +started to fold the map back into a tube again. "Maybe Roger Hunter +tried to use the film projector. We'll never know. But he must have +realized that he had discovered the secret of a star-drive. He realized +that the United Nations were the ones to explore it and use it, and he +gave his life to keep it out of the hands of Tawney and his men...."</p> + +<p>"A pity," a cold voice said close behind them, "that he didn't succeed, +after all."</p> + +<p>They whirled. In the hatchway to the after-cabin, Merrill Tawney was +standing, with a smile on his lips and a Markheim stunner trained +directly on Major Briarton's chest.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="c15_The_Final_Move" id="c15_The_Final_Move"></a>15. The Final Move</h2> + + +<p>"I realize I'm much earlier than you expected, Major. You did a very +neat job of camouflaging your takeoff ... we were almost fooled ... and +no doubt the dummy ship you sent off later got full fanfare. I suppose +there will be a dozen Patrol ships converging on this spot in a few +hours, expecting to surprise a Jupiter Equilateral ship making a +desperate attempt to hijack your little treasure here."</p> + +<p>The little fat man laughed cheerfully. "Unfortunately for you," he +added, "we have many friends on Mars ... including a man in the Map +room ... and I'm afraid your little trap isn't going to work after all."</p> + +<p>The Major's face was gray. "How did you get here?"</p> + +<p>"By hitch-hiking. How else? Most uncomfortable, back there, even with a +pile of pressure suits for padding, but your pilot was really very +skillful."</p> + +<p>Johnny Coombs turned on the Major. "What does he mean, a trap? I don't +get this...."</p> + +<p>The Major sighed wearily. "I had to try to force his hand. Even if we +found what we were looking for, we had no case that could stand up +against them. We needed <i>proof</i> ... and I thought that with this as bait +we could trap them. He's right about the Patrol ships ... but they won't +be near for hours."</p> + +<p>"And that will be a little late to help," Tawney said pleasantly.</p> + +<p>The Major glared at him. "Maybe so ... but you've gone too far this +time. This is an official U.N. ship. You'll never be able to go back to +Mars."</p> + +<p>"Really?" the fat man said. "And why not? Officially I'm on Mars right +now, with plenty of people to swear to the fact." He chuckled. "You seem +to forget that little matter of proof, Major. When your Patrol ships +find a gutted ship and five corpses, they may suspect that something +more than an accident was involved, but what can they prove? Nothing +more than they could prove in the case of Roger Hunter's accident. +Scout-ships have been known to explode before."</p> + +<p>He ran his hand over the metal cylinder. "And as for this ... it's +really a surprise. Of course when we failed to find any evidence of +mining activity, we were certain that Roger Hunter's bonanza was +something more than a vein of ore, but <i>this</i>! You can be certain that +we will exploit the secret of a star-drive to the very fullest."</p> + +<p>"How do you think you can get away with it?" the Major said. "Turning up +with something like that right after a whole series of suspicious +accidents in space?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, we aren't as impatient as some people. We wouldn't be so foolish as +to break the news now. Five years from now, maybe ten years, one of our +orbit-ships will happen upon a silvery capsule on one of our asteroid +claims, that's all. I wouldn't be surprised if a non-company observer +might be on board at the time, maybe even a visiting Senator from Earth. +For something this big, we can afford to be patient."</p> + +<p>There was silence in the little scout-ship cabin. The end seemed +inevitable. This was a desperate move on Tawney's part. He was gambling +everything on it; he would not take the chance of letting any of them +return to Mars or anywhere else to testify.</p> + +<p>Greg caught Tom's eye, saw the hopelessness on his brother's face. He +clenched his fists angrily at his side. If it were not for Tom, Dad's +bonanza might have gone on circling the sun for centuries, maybe +forever, wedged in its hiding place on the rocky surface of the +eccentric asteroid.</p> + +<p>But it had been found. Earth needed a star-drive badly; a few more +years, and the need would be desperate. And if a group of power-hungry +men could control a star-drive and hold it for profit, they could +blackmail an entire planet for centuries, and build an empire in space +that could never be broken.</p> + +<p>He knew that it must not happen that way. Dad had died to prevent it. +Now it was up to them.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Greg glanced quickly around the cabin, searching for some way out, +something that might give them a chance. His eyes stopped on the control +panel, and he sucked in his breath, his heart pounding. A +possibility....</p> + +<p>It would require a swift, sure move, and someone to help, someone with +fast reflexes. It was dangerous; they might all be killed. But if his +training at Star-jump was good for anything, it might work.</p> + +<p>He caught Johnny Coombs' eye, winked cautiously. A frown creased +Johnny's forehead. He shot a quick look at Tawney, then lowered his +eyelid a fraction of an inch. Greg could see the muscles of his +shoulders tightening.</p> + +<p>Greg took quick stock of the cabin again. Then he took a deep breath and +bellowed, "Johnny ... <i>duck</i>!"</p> + +<p>Almost by reflex, Johnny Coombs hurled himself to the floor. Tawney +swung the gun around. There was an ugly ripping sound as the stunner +fired ... but Greg was moving by then. In two bounds he was at the +control panel. He hooked an arm around a shock bar, and slammed the +drive switch on full.</p> + +<p>There was a roar from below as the engines fired. Greg felt a jolt of +pain as the accelleration jerked at his arm. Tom and the Major were +slammed back against a bulkhead, then fell in a heap on top of Johnny +and the Lieutenant as the awful force of the accelleration dragged them +back. Across the cabin Tawney sprawled on the floor. The stunner flew +from his hand and crashed against the rear bulkhead.</p> + +<p>On the panel Greg could see the accelleration gauge climbing +swiftly ... past four g's, up to five, to six. The ship was moving +wildly; there was no pilot, no course.</p> + +<p>With all the strength he could muster Greg tightened his arm on the +shock bar, lifting his other arm slowly toward the cut-off switch. He +had spent many hours in the accelleration centrifuge at Star-Jump, +learning to withstand and handle the enormous forces of accelleration +for brief periods, but the needle was still climbing and he knew he +could not hold on long. His fingers touched the control panel. He +strained, inching them up toward the switch....</p> + +<p>His fingers closed on the stud, and he pulled. The engine roar ceased. +On the floor behind him Tawney moved sluggishly, trying to sit up. Blood +was dripping from his nose. He was still too stunned to know what had +happened.</p> + +<p>Greg leaped across the room, caught up the stunner, and then sank to the +floor panting. "All right," he said as his breath came back, "that's +all. Your ship may have trouble finding us now ... but I bet our pilot +can get us back to Mars."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>When they left the Sun Lake City infirmary it was almost noon, and the +red sun was gleaming down from overhead. Walking slowly, the Hunter +twins moved along the surface street toward the U.N. building.</p> + +<p>"He'll recover without any trouble," the doctor had assured them. "He +caught the stunner beam in the shoulder, and it will be a while before +he can use it, but Johnny Coombs will be hard to keep down."</p> + +<p>They had promised Johnny to return later. They had had check-ups +themselves. Both Tom's eyes were surrounded by purple splotches, and his +broken left arm was in a sling. Greg's arms and legs were so stiff he +could hardly move them. The Major and the Lieutenant had been sore but +uninjured.</p> + +<p>Now the boys walked without talking. Already a U.N. linguist was at work +on the record tapes from the metal cylinder, and a mathematician was +doing a preliminary survey on the math symbols on the metal block.</p> + +<p>"I hope there's no trouble reading them," Greg said.</p> + +<p>"There won't be. It'll take time, but the records are decipherable. And +Dr. Raymond was certain that the engineering can be figured out. Earth +is going to get her star-ship, all right."</p> + +<p>"And we've got work to do."</p> + +<p>"You mean the trial? I guess. The Major says that Jupiter Equilateral is +trying to pin the whole thing on Tawney now. They won't get away with +it, but it may be nasty just the same."</p> + +<p>"Well, one thing's sure ... there'll be some changes made, with the U.N. +moving out into the Belt," Greg said.</p> + +<p>Somewhere in the distance the twins heard the rumble of engines. They +stopped and watched as a great silvery cargo ship lifted from the space +port and headed up into the dark blue sky. They watched it until it +disappeared from sight.</p> + +<p>They were both thinking the same thing.</p> + +<p>An Earth-bound ship, powerful and beautiful, but limited now to the sun +and nine planets, unable to reach farther out.</p> + +<p>But someday soon a different kind of ship would rise.</p> + + +<p>THE END</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Gold in the Sky, by Alan Edward Nourse + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOLD IN THE SKY *** + +***** This file should be named 23882-h.htm or 23882-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/8/8/23882/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Gold in the Sky + +Author: Alan Edward Nourse + +Illustrator: Llewellyn + +Release Date: December 17, 2007 [EBook #23882] +Last updated: January 21, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOLD IN THE SKY *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + GOLD IN THE SKY + + By ALAN E. NOURSE + + ILLUSTRATOR LLEWELLYN + + BOOK-LENGTH NOVEL COMPLETE IN THIS ISSUE + +[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Science +Fiction Stories September 1958. Extensive research did not uncover any +evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + + + +CONTENTS + + + 1. TROUBLE TIMES TWO + + 2. JUPITER EQUILATERAL + + 3. TOO MANY WARNINGS + + 4. "BETWEEN MARS AND JUPITER..." + + 5. THE BLACK RAIDER + + 6. THE LAST RUN OF THE SCAVENGER + + 7. PRISONERS + + 8. THE SCAVENGERS OF SPACE + + 9. THE INVISIBLE MAN + + 10. THE TRIGGER + + 11. THE HAUNTED SHIP + + 12. THE SINISTER BONANZA + + 13. PINPOINT IN SPACE + + 14. THE MISSING ASTEROID + + 15. THE FINAL MOVE + + + + +YOU WILL MEET-- + + +Greg Hunter. Test pilot--happy only when his life hung in the balance. + +Tom Hunter. A pioneer--his frontier was hidden in test tubes. + +Johnny Coombs. A prospector--he returned from the asteroids too soon. + +Merrill Tawney. An industrialist--he sought plunder even beyond the +stars. + +Major Briarton. A government man--his creed was law and order. + + + + +[Illustration: They fought with whatever was handy, not bothering to +figure the odds.] + + + + +1. Trouble Times Two + + +The sun was glowing dull red as it slipped down behind the curving +horizon of Mars, but Gregory Hunter was not able to see it. + +There was no viewscreen in the ship's cabin; it was too tiny for that. +Greg twisted around in the cockpit that had been built just big enough +to hold him, and shifted his long legs against the brace-webbing, trying +to get them comfortable. + +He knew he was afraid ... but nobody else knew that, not even the +captain waiting at the control board on the satellite, and in spite of +the fear Greg Hunter would not have traded places at this moment with +anyone else in the universe. + +He had worked too hard and waited too long for this moment. + +He heard the count-down monitor clicking in his ears, and his hands +clenched into fists. How far from Mars would he be ten minutes from now? +He didn't know. Farther than any man had ever traveled before in the +space of ten minutes, he knew, and faster. How far and how fast would +depend on him alone. + +"All set, Greg?" It was the captain's voice in the earphones. + +"All set, Captain." + +"You understand the program?" + +Greg nodded. "Twenty-four hours out, twenty-four hours back, ninety +degrees to the ecliptic, and all the accelleration I can stand both +ways." + +Greg grinned to himself. He thought of the months of conditioning he had +gone through to prepare for this run ... the hours in the centrifuge to +build up his tolerance to accelleration, the careful diet, the rigorous +hours of physical conditioning. It was only one experiment, one tiny +step in the work that could someday give men the stars, but to Gregory +Hunter at this moment it was everything. + +"Good luck, then." The captain cut off, and the blastoff buzzer sounded. + +He was off. His heart hammered in his throat, and his eyes ached +fiercely, but he paid no attention. His finger crept to the air-speed +indicator, then to the cut-off switch. When the pressure became too +great, when he began to black out, he would press it. + +But not yet. It was speed they wanted; they had to know how much +accelleration a man could take for how long and still survive, and now +it was up to him to show them. + +Fleetingly, he thought of Tom ... poor old stick-in-the-mud Tom, working +away in his grubby little Mars-bound laboratory, watching bacteria grow. +Tom could never have qualified for a job like this. Tom couldn't even go +into free-fall for ten minutes without getting sick all over the place. +Greg felt a surge of pity for his brother, and then a twinge of +malicious anticipation. Wait until Tom heard the reports on _this_ run! +It was all right to spend your time poking around with bottles and test +tubes if you couldn't do anything else, but it took something special to +pilot an XP ship for Project Star-Jump. And after this run was over, +even Tom would have to admit it.... + +There was a lurch, and quite suddenly the enormous pressure was gone. + +Something was wrong. He hadn't pushed the cut-off button, yet the ship's +engines were suddenly silent. He jabbed at the power switch. Nothing +happened. Then the side-jets sputted, and he was slammed sideways into +the cot. + +He snapped on the radio speaker. "Control ... can you hear me? +Something's gone wrong out here...." + +"Nothing's wrong," the captain's voice said in his earphones. "Just sit +tight. I'm bringing you back in. There's a call here from Sun Lake City. +They want you down there in a hurry. We'll have to scratch you on this +run." + +"_Who_ wants me down there?" + +"The U.N. Council office. Signed by Major Briarton himself and I can't +argue with the Major. We're bringing you in." + +Greg Hunter sank back, disappointment so thick he could taste it in his +mouth. Sun Lake City! That meant two days at least, one down, one back, +maybe more if connections weren't right. It meant that the captain would +send Morton or one of the others out in his place. It meant.... + +Suddenly he thought of what else it meant, and a chill ran up his back. + +There was only one reason Major Briarton would call him in like this. +Something had happened to Dad. + +Greg leaned back in the cot, suddenly tense, as a thousand frightful +possibilities flooded his mind. It could only mean that Dad was in some +kind of trouble. + +And if anything had happened to Dad.... + + * * * * * + +The sun was sinking rapidly toward the horizon when the city finally +came into sight in the distance, but try as he would, Tom Hunter could +not urge more than thirty-five miles an hour from the huge lurching +vehicle he was driving. + +On an open paved highway the big pillow-wheeled Sloppy Joe would do +sixty in a breeze, but this desert route was far from a paved road. +Inside the pressurized passenger cab, Tom gripped the shock-bars with +one arm and the other leg, and jammed the accelerator to the floor. The +engine coughed, but thirty-five was all it would do. + +Through the windshield Tom could see the endless rolling dunes of the +Martian desert stretching to the horizon on every side. They called Mars +the Red Planet, but it was not red when you were close to it. There were +multitudes of colors here ... yellow, orange, brown, gray, occasional +patches of gray-green ... all shifting and changing in the fading +sunlight. Off to the right were the worn-down peaks of the Mesabi II, +one of the long, low mountain ranges of almost pure iron ore that helped +give the planet its dull red appearance from outer space. And behind +him, near the horizon, the tiny sun glowed orange out of a blue-black +sky. + +Tom fought the wheel as the Sloppy Joe jounced across a dry creek bed, +and swore softly to himself. Why hadn't he kept his head and waited for +the mail ship that had been due at the Lab to give him a lift back? He'd +have been in Sun Lake City an hour ago ... but the urgency of the +message had driven caution from his mind. + +A summons from the Mars Coordinator of the U.N. Interplanetary Council +was the same as an order ... but there was more to Tom's haste than +that. There was only one reason that Major Briarton would be calling him +in to Sun Lake City, and that reason meant trouble. + +Something was wrong. Something had happened to Dad. + +Now Tom peered up at the dark sky, squinting into the sun. Somewhere out +there between Mars and Jupiter was a no-man's-land of danger, a great +circling ring of space dirt and debris, the Asteroid belt. And somewhere +out there, Dad was working. + +Tom thought for a moment of the pitiful little mining rig that Roger +Hunter had taken out to the Belt ... the tiny orbit-ship to be used for +headquarters and storage of the ore; the even tinier scout ship, Pete +Racely's old _Scavenger_ that he had sold to Roger Hunter for back taxes +and repairs when he went broke in the Belt looking for his Big Strike. +It wasn't much of a mining rig for anybody to use, and the dangers of a +small mining operation in the Asteroid Belt were frightening. It took +skill to bring a little scout-ship in for a landing on an asteroid rock +hardly bigger than the ship itself; it took even more skill to rig the +controlled-Murexide charges to blast the rock into tiny fragments, and +then run out the shiny magnetic net to catch the explosion debris and +bring it in to the hold of the orbit-ship.... + +Tom Hunter scowled, trying to shake off the feeling of uneasiness that +was nibbling at his mind. Asteroid mining was dangerous ... but Dad was +no novice. Nobody on Mars knew how to handle a mining rig better than +Roger Hunter did. He knew what he was doing out there, there was no real +danger for him or was there.... + +Roger Hunter, a good man, a gentle and peaceful man, had finally seen +all he could stomach of Jupiter Equilateral and its company mining +policies six months before. He had told them so in plain, simple +language when he turned in his resignation. They didn't try to stop +him ... a man was still free to quit a job on Mars if he wanted to, even +a job with Jupiter Equilateral. But it was an open secret that the big +mining outfit had not liked Roger Hunter's way of resigning, taking half +a dozen of their first-rate mining engineers with him. There had been +veiled threats, rumors of attempts to close the markets to Roger +Hunter's ore, in open violation of U.N. Council policies on Mars.... + +Tom fought the wheel as the big tractor lumbered up another rise, and +the huge plastic bubble of Sun Lake City came into view far down the +valley below. + +He thought of Greg. Had Greg been summoned too? He closed his lips +tightly as a wave of anger passed through his mind. If anything had +happened, no matter what, he thought, Greg would be there. Taking over +and running things, as usual. He thought of the last time he had seen +his brother, and then deliberately blocked out the engulfing bitterness. + +That had been more than a year ago. Maybe Greg had changed since then. + +But somehow, Tom didn't think so. + +The Sloppy Joe was on the valley floor now, and ahead the bubble +covering the city was drawing closer. The sun was almost gone; lights +were appearing inside the plastic shielding. Born and raised on Mars, +Tom had seen the teeming cities of Earth only once in his life ... but +to him none of the splendors of the Earth cities could match the simple, +quiet beauty of this Martian outpost settlement. There had been a time +when people had said that Sun Lake City could never be built, that it +could never survive if it were, but with each successive year it grew +larger and stronger, the headquarters city for the planet that had +become the new frontier of Earth. + +The radiophone buzzed, and the airlock guard hailed him when he returned +the signal. Tom gave his routine ID. He guided the tractor into the +lock, waited until pressure and atmosphere rose to normal, and then +leaped out of the cab. + +Five minutes later he was walking across the lobby of the Interplanetary +Council building, stepping into the down elevator. Three flights below +he stepped out into the office corridor of the U.N. Interplanetary +Council on Mars. + +If there was trouble, this was where he would find it. + +He paused for a minute before the gray plastic door marked MAJOR FRANK +BRIARTON in raised stainless steel letters. Then he pushed open the door +and walked into the ante-room. + +It was empty. Suddenly he felt a touch on his shoulder. Behind him, a +familiar voice said, "Hello, Twin." + + * * * * * + +At first glance they looked like carbon copies of each other, although +they were no more identical than identical twins ever are. Greg stood a +good two inches taller than Tom. His shoulders were broad, and there was +a small gray scar over one eye that stood out in contrast to the healthy +tanned color of his face. Tom was of slighter build, and wirier, his +skin much more pale. + +But they had the same dark hair, the same gray eyes, the same square, +stubborn line to the jaw. They looked at each other for a moment without +speaking. Then Greg grinned and clapped his brother on the shoulder. + +"So you got here, finally," he said. "I was beginning to think I'd have +to go out on the desert and find you." + +"Oh, I got here, all right," Tom said. "I see you did too." + +"Yes," Greg said heavily. "Can't argue with the major, you know." + +"But what does he want?" + +"How should I know? All he said was to get down here fast. And now he +isn't even here himself." + +"Is Dad on Mars?" Tom asked. + +Greg looked at him. "I don't know." + +"We could check the register." + +"I already checked it. He has not logged in, but that doesn't mean +anything." + +"I suppose not," Tom said glumly. + +They were silent for a moment. Then Greg said, "Look, what are you +worried about? Nothing could have happened to Dad. He's been mining the +Belt for years." + +"I know. I just wish he were here, that's all. If he's in some kind of +trouble...." + +"What kind of trouble? You're looking for spooks." + +"Spooks like Jupiter Equilateral, maybe," Tom said. "They could make +plenty of trouble for Dad." + +"With the U.N. in the driver's seat here? They wouldn't dare. Why do you +think the major rides them so hard with all the claim-filing +regulations? He'd give his right arm for a chance to break that outfit +into pieces." + +"I still wish somebody had gone out to the Belt with Dad," Tom said. + +Just then the door opened. The newcomer was a tall, gray-haired man with +U.N. Council stripes on his lapel, and major's rockets on his shoulders. +"Sorry I'm late, boys," Major Briarton said. "I'd hoped to be here when +you arrived. I'm sorry to pull you in here like this, but I'm afraid I +had no choice. When did you boys hear from your father last?" + +They looked at each other. "I saw him six weeks ago," Tom said. "Just +before he left to go out to the Belt again." + +"Nothing since then?" + +"Not a word." + +The major chewed his lip. "Greg?" + +"I had a note at Christmas, I think. But what...." + +"What did he say in the note?" + +"He said Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Dad isn't much of a letter +writer." + +"Nothing at all about what he was doing?" + +Greg shook his head. "Look, Major, if there's some sort of trouble...." + +"Yes, I'm afraid there's trouble," the major said. He looked up at them, +and spread his hands helplessly. "There isn't any easy way to tell you, +but you've got to know. There's been an accident, out in the Belt." + +"Accident?" Greg said. + +"A very serious accident. A fuel tank exploded in the scooter your +father was riding back to the _Scavenger_. It must have been very +sudden, and by the time help arrived...." The major broke off, unable to +find words. + +For a long moment there was utter silence in the room. Outside, an +elevator was buzzing, and a typewriter clicked monotonously somewhere in +the building. + +Then Tom Hunter broke the silence. "Who was it, Major?" he said. "Who +killed Dad? Tell us, or we'll find out!" + + + + +2. Jupiter Equilateral + + +For a moment, Major Briarton just stared at him. Then he was on his +feet, shaking his head as he came around the desk. "Tom, use your head," +he said. "It's as much of a shock to me as it is to you, but you can't +afford to jump to false conclusions...." + +Tom Hunter looked up bitterly. "He's dead, isn't he?" + +"Yes, he's dead. He must have died the instant of the explosion...." + +"You mean you don't know?" + +"I wasn't there at the time it happened, no." + +"Then who was?" + + * * * * * + +Major Briarton spread his hands helplessly. "Nobody was. Your father was +alone. From what we could tell later, he'd left the _Scavenger_ to land +on one of his claims, using the ship's scooter for the landing. He was +on the way back to the _Scavenger_ when the rear tank exploded. There +wasn't enough left of it to tell what went wrong ... but it was an +accident, there was no evidence to suggest anything else." + +Tom looked at him. "You really believe that?" + +"I can only tell you what we found." + +"Well, I don't believe it for a minute," Tom said angrily. "How long +have you and Dad been friends? Twenty years? Twenty-five? Do you really +think Dad would have an accident with a mining rig?" + +"I know he was an expert engineer," the major said. "But things can +happen that even an expert can't foresee, mining in the Belt." + +"Things like a fuel tank exploding? Not to Dad, they would never happen. +I don't care what anybody says...." + +"Easy, Tom," Greg said. + +"Well, I won't take it easy. Dad was too careful for something like that +to happen. If he had an accident, somebody _made_ it happen." + +Greg turned to the major. "What was Dad doing out there?" + +"Mining." + +"By himself? No crew at all?" + +"No, he was alone." + +"I thought the regulations said there always had to be at least two men +working an asteroid claim." + +"That's right. Your father had Johnny Coombs with him when he left Sun +Lake City. They signed out as a team ... and then Johnny came back to +Mars on the first shuttle ship." + +"How come?" + +"Not even Johnny knows. Your father just sent him back, and there was +nothing we could do about it then. The U.N. has no jurisdiction in the +belt, unless a major crime has been committed." Major Briarton shook his +head helplessly. "If a man is determined to mine a claim all by himself +out there, he can find a dozen different ways to wiggle out of the +regulations." + +"But Dad would never be that stupid," Greg said. "If he was alone when +it happened, who found him?" + +"A routine U.N. Patrol ship. When Roger failed to check in at the +regular eight-hour signal, they went out to see what was wrong. But by +the time they reached him, it was too late to help." + +"I just don't get it," Greg said. "Dad had more sense than to try to +mine out there all by himself." + +"I know," the major said. "I don't know the answer. I had the Patrol +ship go over the scene of the accident with a comb after they found what +had happened, but there was nothing there to find. It was an accident, +and that's that." + +"What about Jupiter Equilateral?" Tom said hotly. "Everybody knows they +were out to get Dad ... why don't you find out what _they_ were doing +when it happened, bring them in for questioning...." + +"I can't do that, I haven't a scrap of evidence," the major said +wearily. + +"Why can't you? You're the Mars Coordinator, aren't you? You act like +you're scared of them." + +Major Briarton's lips tightened angrily. "All right, since you put it +that way ... I _am_ scared of them. They're big, and they're powerful. +If they had their way, there wouldn't be any United Nations control on +Mars, there wouldn't be _anybody_ to fight them and keep them in check. +There wouldn't be any independent miners out in the Belt, either, +because they'd all be bought out or dead, and Earth would pay through +the nose for every ounce of metal that they got from the Asteroid Belt. +That company has been trying to drive the U.N. off Mars for thirty +years, and they've come so close to it that it scares me plenty." He +pushed his chair back sharply and rose to his feet. "And that is +exactly why I refuse to stir up a mess over this thing, unhappy as +it is, without something more than suspicions and rumors to back me +up ... because all Jupiter Equilateral needs is one big issue to make us +look like fools out here, and we're through." + +He crossed the room to a wall cabinet, opened it, and pulled out a +scarred aluminum box. "We found this in the cabin of the _Scavenger_. I +thought you boys might want it." + +They both recognized it instantly ... the battered old spacer's pack +that Roger Hunter had used for as long as they could remember. It seemed +to them, suddenly, as if a part of him had appeared here in the room +with them. Greg looked at the box and turned away. "You open it," he +said to Tom in a sick voice. + +There was nothing much inside ... some clothing, a pipe and tobacco +pouch, a jack knife, half a dozen other items so familiar that Tom could +hardly bear to touch them. At the bottom of the pack was the heavy +leather gun case which had always held Roger Hunter's ancient .44 +revolver. Tom dropped it back without even opening the flap. He closed +the box and took a deep breath. "Then you really believe that it was an +accident and nothing more?" he said to the major. + +Major Briarton shook his head. "What I think or don't think doesn't make +any difference. It just doesn't matter. In order to do anything, I've +got to have evidence, and there just isn't any evidence. I can't even +take a ship out there for a second look, with the evidence I have, and +that's all there is to it." + +"But you think that maybe it wasn't an accident, just the same," Tom +pursued. + +The major hesitated. Then he shook his head again. "I'm sorry, but I've +got to stand on what I've said. And I think you'd better stand on it, +too. There's nothing else to be done." + + * * * * * + +It should have been enough, but it wasn't. As Tom Hunter walked with his +brother down the broad Upper Ramp to the business section of Sun Lake +City, he could not shake off the feeling of helpless anger, the growing +conviction that Roger Hunter's death involved something more than the +tragic accident in space that Major Briarton had insisted it was. + +"He didn't tell us everything he knew," Tom said fiercely. "He didn't +say everything he wanted to say, either. He doesn't think it was an +accident any more than I do." + +"How do you know, are you a mind reader?" + +"No." + +"Well, Dad wasn't a superman, either. He was taking an awful risk, +trying to work a mining rig by himself, and he had a bad break. Why do +you have to have somebody to blame for it?" + +"Keep talking," Tom said. "You'll convince yourself yet." + +Greg just jammed his hands in his pockets, and they walked in silence +for a moment. + +For Tom and Greg Hunter, Sun Lake City had always been home. Now they +walked along the Main Concourse, Tom with the aluminum box under his +arm, Greg with his own spacer's pack thrown over his shoulder. They +didn't talk; rather than being drawn closer by the news of the tragedy, +it seemed that they had drawn farther apart, as though the one common +link that had held them together had suddenly been broken. + +Finally Tom broke the silence. "At least there's one thing we can do," +he said. "I'm going to call Johnny Coombs." + +He shortly found a phone booth and dialed a number. Johnny had been a +friend of the family for years; he and Roger Hunter had been partners in +many mining ventures in the Asteroid Belt before Roger had taken his +position with Jupiter Equilateral. If Johnny had any suspicions that +Roger Hunter's accident had been more than an accident, he certainly +would not hesitate to voice them.... + +After a dozen rings, Tom hung up, tried another number. There was no +answer there, either. Frowning, Tom rang the city's central paging +system. "Put in a personal call for Johnny Coombs," he said when the +"record" signal flashed on. "Tell him to contact the Hunters when he +comes in. We'll be at home...." + +They resumed their silent walk. When they reached H wing on the fourth +level, they turned right down an apartment corridor, and stopped in +front of a familiar doorway. Tom pressed his palm against the +lock-plate, and the door swung open. + +It was home to them, the only home they had ever known. Soft lights +sprang up on the walls of the apartment as the door opened. Tom saw the +old bookcases lining the walls, the drafting-board and light at the far +end of the room, the simple chairs and dining table, the door which led +into the bedroom and kitchen beyond. The room had the slightly +disheveled look that it had had ever since Mom had died ... a slipper on +the floor here, a book face down on the couch there.... + +It looked as though Dad had just stepped out for an hour or so. + +Tom was three steps into the room before he saw the visitor. + +The man was sitting comfortably in Roger Hunter's easy chair, a short, +fat man with round pink cheeks that sagged a little and a double chin +that rested on his neck scarf. There were two other men in the room, +both large and broad-shouldered; one of them nodded to the fat man, and +moved to stand between the boys and the door. + +The fat man was out of his seat before the boys could speak, smiling at +them and holding out his hand. "I wanted to be sure to see you before +you left the city," he was saying, "so we just came on in to wait. I +hope you don't mind our ... butting in, so to speak." He chuckled, +looking from one twin to the other. "You don't know me, I suppose. I'm +Merrill Tawney. Representing Jupiter Equilateral, you know." + +Tom took the card he was holding out, looked at the name and the tiny +gold symbol in the corner, a letter "J" in the center of a triangle. He +handed the card to Greg. "I've seen you before," he told the fat man. +"What do you want with us?" + +Tawney smiled again, spreading his hands. "We've heard about the +tragedy, of course. A shocking thing ... Roger was one of our group so +recently. We wanted you to know that if there is anything at all we can +do to help, we'd be only too glad...." + +"Thanks," Greg said. "But we're doing just fine." + +Tawney's smile tightened a little, but he hung onto it. "I always felt +close to your father," he said. "All of us at Jupiter Equilateral did. +We were all sorry to see him leave." + +"I bet you were," Greg said, "he was the best mining engineer you ever +had. But Dad could never stand liars, or crooked ways of doing +business." + +One of the men started for Greg, but the fat man stopped him with a wave +of his hand. "We had our differences of opinion," he said. "We saw +things one way, your father saw them another way. But he was a fine man, +one of the finest...." + +"Look, Mr. Tawney, you'd better say what you came to say and get out of +here," Greg said dangerously, "before we give your friends here +something to do." + +"I merely came to offer you some help," Tawney said. He was no longer +smiling. "Since your father's death, you two have acquired certain +responsibilities. I thought we might relieve you of some of them." + +"What sort of responsibilities?" + +"You have an unmanned orbit-ship which is now a derelict in the Asteroid +Belt. You have a scout-ship out there also. You can't just leave them +there as a navigation hazard to every ship traveling in the sector. +There are also a few mining claims which aren't going to be of much +value to you now." + +"I see," Greg said. "Are you offering to buy Dad's mining rig?" + +"Well, I doubt very much that we'd have any use for it, as such. But we +could save you the trouble of going out there to haul it in." + +"That's very thoughtful," Greg said. "How much are you offering?" + +Tom looked up in alarm. "Wait a minute," he said. "That rig's not for +sale...." + +"How much?" Greg repeated. + +"Forty thousand dollars," Merrill Tawney said. "Ship, rig and claims. +We'll even pay the transfer tax." + +Tom stared at the man, wondering if he had heard right. He knew what +Roger Hunter had paid for the rig; he had been with Dad when the papers +were signed. Tawney's offer was three times as much as the rig was +worth. + +But Greg was shaking his head. "I don't think we could sell at that +price." + +The fat man's hands fluttered. "You understand that those ships are +hardly suited to a major mining operation like ours," he said, "and the +claims...." He dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Still, we'd want +you to be happy with the price. Say, forty-five thousand?" + +Greg hesitated, shook his head again. "I guess we'd better think it +over, Mr. Tawney." + +"Fifty thousand is absolutely the top," Tawney said sharply. "I have the +papers right here, drawn up for your signatures, but I'm afraid we can't +hold the offer open." + +"I don't know, we might want to do some mining ourselves," Greg said. +"For all we know, Dad might have struck some rich ore on one of those +claims." + +Tawney laughed. "I hardly think so. Those claims were all Jupiter +Equilateral rejects. Our own engineers found nothing but low grade ore +on any of them." + +"Still, it might be fun to look." + +"It could be very expensive fun. Asteroid mining is a dangerous +business, even for experts. For amateurs...." Tawney spread his hands. +"Accidents occur...." + +"Yes, we've heard about those accidents," Greg said coldly. "I don't +think we're quite ready to sell, Mr. Tawney. We may never be ready to +sell to you, so don't stop breathing until we call you. Now if there's +nothing else, why don't you take your friends and go somewhere else?" + +The fat man scowled; he started to say something more, then saw the look +on Greg's face, and shrugged. "I'd advise you to give it some careful +thought," he said as he started for the door. "It might be very foolish +for you to try to use that rig." + +Smiling, Greg closed the door in his face. Then he turned and winked at +Tom. "Great fellow, Mr. Tawney. He almost had me sold." + +"So I noticed," Tom said. "For a while I thought you were serious." + +"Well, we found out how high they'd go. That's a very generous outfit +Mr. Tawney works for." + +"Or else a very crooked one," Tom said. "Are you wondering the same +thing I'm wondering?" + +"Yes," Greg said slowly. "I think I am." + +"Then that makes three of us," a heavy voice rumbled from the bedroom +door. + + * * * * * + +Johnny Coombs was a tall man, so thin he was almost gangling, with a +long nose and shaggy eyebrows jutting out over his eyes. With his rudely +cropped hair and his huge hands, he looked like a caricature of a +frontier Mars-farmer, but the blue eyes under the eyebrows were not +dull. + +"Johnny!" Tom cried. "We were trying to find you." + +"I know," Johnny said. "So have a lot of other people, includin' your +friends there." + +"Well, did you hear what Tawney wanted?" + +"I'm not so quick on my feet any more," Johnny Coombs said, "but I got +nothin' wrong with my ears." He scratched his jaw and looked up sharply +at Greg. "Not many people nowadays get a chance to bargain with Merrill +Tawney." + +Greg shrugged. "He named a price and I didn't like it." + +"Three times what the rig is worth," Coombs said. + +"That's what I didn't like," Greg said. "That outfit wouldn't give us a +break like that just for old times' sake. Do you think they would?" + +"Well, I don't know," Johnny said slowly. "Back before they built the +city here, they used to have rats getting into the grub. Came right down +off the ships. Got rid of most of them, finally, but it seems to me +we've still got some around, even if they've got different shapes now." +He jerked his thumb toward the bedroom door. "In case you're wondering, +that's why I was standin' back there all this time ... just to make sure +you didn't sell out to Tawney no matter what price he offered." + +Tom jumped up excitedly. "Then you know something about Dad's accident!" + +"No, I can't say I do. I wasn't there." + +"Do you really think it was an accident?" + +"Can't prove it wasn't." + +"But at least you've got some ideas," Tom said. + +"Takes more than ideas to make a case," he said at length. "But there's +one thing I do know. I've got no proof, not a shred of it, but I'm sure +of one thing just as sure as I'm on Mars." He looked at the twins +thoughtfully. "Your dad wasn't just prospecting, out in the Belt. He'd +run onto something out there, something big." + +The twins looked at him. "Run onto something?" Greg said. "You mean...." + +"I mean I think your dad hit a Big Strike out there, rich metal, a real +bonanza lode. Maybe the biggest strike that's ever been made," the miner +said slowly. "And then somebody got to him before he could bring it in." + + + + +3. Too Many Warnings + + +For a moment, neither of the boys could say anything at all. + +From the time they had learned to talk, they had heard stories and tales +that the miners and prospectors told about the Big Strike, the pot of +gold at the end of the rainbow, the wonderful, elusive goal of every man +who had ever taken a ship into the Asteroid Belt. + +For almost a hundred and fifty years ... since the earliest days of +space exploration ... there had been miners prospecting in the +Asteroids. Out there, beyond the orbit of Mars and inside the orbit of +Jupiter, were a hundred thousand ... maybe a hundred million, for all +anybody knew ... chunks of rock, metal and debris, spinning in silent +orbit around the sun. Some few of the Asteroids were big enough to be +called planets ... Ceres, five hundred miles in diameter; Juno, Vesta, +Pallas, half a dozen more. A few hundred others, ranging in size from +ten to a hundred miles in diameter, had been charted and followed in +their orbits by the observatories, first from Earth's airless Moon, then +from Mars. There were tens of thousands more that had never been +charted. Together they made up the Asteroid Belt, spread out in space +like a broad road around the sun, echoing the age-old call of the +bonanza. + +For there was wealth in the Asteroids ... wealth beyond a man's wildest +dreams ... if only he could find it. + +Earth, with its depleted iron ranges, its exhausted tin and copper +mines, and its burgeoning population, was hungry for metal. Earth needed +steel, tin, nickel, and zinc; more than anything, Earth needed +ruthenium, the rare-earth catalyst that made the huge solar energy +converters possible. + +Mars was rich in the ores of these metals ... but the ores were buried +deep in the ground. The cost of mining them, and of lifting the heavy +ore from Mars' gravitational field and carrying it to Earth was +prohibitive. Only the finest carbon steel, and the radioactive metals, +smelted and purified on Mars and transported to Earth, could be made +profitable. + +But from the Asteroid Belt, it was a different story. There was no +gravity to fight on the tiny asteroids. On these chunks of debris, the +metals lay close to the surface, easy to mine. Ships orbiting in the +Belt could fill their holds with their precious metal cargoes and +transfer them in space to the interplanetary orbit-ships spinning back +toward Earth. It was hard work, and dangerous work; most of the ore was +low-grade, and brought little return. But always there was the lure of +the Big Strike, the lode of almost-pure metal that could bring a fortune +back to the man who found it. + + * * * * * + +A few such strikes had been made. Forty years before a single claim had +brought its owner seventeen million dollars in two years. A dozen other +men had stumbled onto fortunes in the Belt ... but such metal-rich +fragments were grains of sand in a mighty river. For every man who found +one, a thousand others spent years looking and then perished in the +fruitless search. + +And now Johnny Coombs was telling them that their father had been one of +that incredible few. + +"You really think Dad hit a bonanza lode out there?" + +"That's what I said." + +"Did you see it with your own eyes?" + +"No." + +"You weren't even out there with him!" + +"No." + +"Then why are you so sure he found something?" + +"Because he told me so," Johnny Coombs said quietly. + +The boys looked at each other. "He actually _said_ he'd found a rich +lode?" Tom asked eagerly. + +"Not exactly," Johnny said. "Matter of fact, he never actually told me +_what_ he'd found. He needed somebody to sign aboard the _Scavenger_ +with him in order to get a clearance to blast off, but he never did plan +to take me out there with him. 'I can't take you now, Johnny,' he told +me. 'I've found something out there, but I've got to work it alone for a +while.' I asked him what he'd found, and he just gave me that funny +little grin of his and said, 'Never mind what it is, it's big enough for +both of us. You just keep your mouth shut, and you'll find out soon +enough.' And then he wouldn't say another word until we were homing in +on the shuttle ship to drop me off." + +Johnny finished his coffee and pushed the cup aside. "I knew he wasn't +joking. He was excited, and I think he was scared, too. Just before I +left him, he said, 'There's one other thing, Johnny. Things might not +work out quite the way I figure them, and if they don't ... make sure +the twins know what I've told you.' I told him I would, and headed back. +That was the last I heard from him until the Patrol ship found him +floating in space with a torn-open suit and a ruined scooter floating a +few miles away." + +"Do you think that Jupiter Equilateral knew Dad had found something?" +Tom asked. + +"Who knows? I'm sure that _he_ never told them, but it's awful hard to +keep a secret like that, and they sound awful eager to buy that rig," +Johnny Coombs said. + +"Yes, and it doesn't make sense. I mean, if they were responsible for +Dad's accident, why didn't they just check in for him on schedule and +then quietly bring in their rig to jump the claim?" + +"Maybe they couldn't find it," Johnny said. "If they'd killed your dad, +they wouldn't have dared hang around very long right then. Even if +they'd kept the signal going, a Patrol ship might have come into the +region any time. And if a U.N. Patrol ship ever caught them working a +dead man's claim without reporting the dead man, the suit would really +start to leak." Johnny shook his head. "Remember, your Dad had a dozen +claims out there. They might have had to scout the whole works to find +the right one. Much easier to do it out in the open, with your +signatures on a claim transfer. But one thing is sure ... if they _knew_ +what Roger found out there, and where it was, Tawney would never be +offering you triple price for the rig." + +"Then whatever Dad found is still out there," Tom said. + +"I'd bet my last dime on it." + +"There might even be something to show that the accident wasn't an +accident," Tom went on. "Something even the Major would have to admit +was evidence." + +Johnny Coombs pursed his lips, looking up at Tom. "Might be," he +conceded. + +"Well, what are we waiting for? We turned Tawney's offer down ... he +might be sending a crew out to jump the claim right now." + +"If he hasn't already," Johnny said. + +"Then we've got to get out there." + +Johnny turned to Greg. "You could pilot us out and handle the +navigation, and as for Tom...." + +"As for Tom, he could get sick all over the place and keep us busy just +taking care of him," Greg said sourly. "You and me, yes. Not Tom. You +don't know that boy in a spaceship." + +Tom started to his feet, glaring at his brother. "That's got nothing to +do with it...." + +"It's true, isn't it? You'd be a big help out there." + +Johnny looked at Tom. "You always get sick in free fall?" + +"Look, let's be reasonable," Greg said. "You'd just be in the way. There +are plenty of things you could do right here, and Johnny and I could +handle the rig alone...." + +Tom faced his brother angrily. "If you think I'm going to stay here and +keep myself company, you're crazy," he said. "This is one show you're +not going to run, so just quit trying. If you go out there, I go." + +Greg shrugged. "Okay, Twin. It's your stomach, not mine." + +"Then let me worry about it." + +"I hope," Johnny said, "that that's the worst we have to worry about. +Let's get started planning." + + * * * * * + +Time was the factor uppermost in their minds. They knew that even under +the best of conditions, it could take weeks to outfit and prepare for a +run out to the Belt. A ship had to be leased and fueled; there were +supplies to lay in. There was the problem of clearance to take care of, +claims to be verified and spotted, orbit coordinates to be computed and +checked ... a thousand details to be dealt with, anyone of which might +delay embarkation from an hour to a day or more. + +It was not surprising that Tom and Greg were dubious when Johnny told +them they could be ready to clear ground in less than twenty-four hours. +Even knowing that Merrill Tawney might already have a mining crew at +work on Roger Hunter's claims, they could not believe that the red tape +of preparation and clearance could be cut away so swiftly. + +They underestimated Johnny Coombs. + +Six hours after he left them, he was back with a signed lease giving +them the use of a scout-ship and fuel to take them out to the Belt and +back again; the ship was in the Sun Lake City racks waiting for them +whenever they were ready. + +"What kind of a ship?" Greg wanted to know. + +"A Class III Flying Dutchman with overhauled atomics and hydrazine +side-jets," Johnny said, waving the transfer order. "Think you can fly +it?" + +Greg whistled. "Can I? I trained in a Dutchman ... just about the +fastest scouter there is. What condition?" + +"Lousy ... but it's fueled, with six weeks' supplies in the hold, and it +doesn't cost us a cent. Courtesy of a friend. You'll have to check it +over, but it'll do." + +They inspected the ship, a weatherbeaten scouter that looked like a +relic of the '90's. Inside there were signs of many refittings and +overhauls, but the atomics were well shielded, and it carried a +surprising chemical fuel auxiliary for the cabin size. Greg disappeared +into the engine room, and Tom and Johnny left him testing valves and +circuits while they headed down to the U.N. Registry office in the +control tower. + +On the way Johnny outlined the remaining outfitting steps. Tom would be +responsible for getting the clearance permit through Registry; Johnny +would check out all supplies, and then contact the observatory for the +orbit coordinates of Roger Hunter's claims. + +"I thought the orbits were mapped on the claim papers," Tom said. "I +mean, every time an asteroid is claimed, the orbit has to be +charted...." + +"That's right, but the orbit goes all the way around the sun. We know +where the _Scavenger_ was when the Patrol ship found her ... but she's +been travelling in orbit ever since. The observatory computer will +pinpoint her for us and chart a collision course so we can cut out and +meet her instead of trailing her for a week. Do you have the crew-papers +Greg and I signed?" + +"Right here." + +They were stepping off the ramp below the ship when a man loomed up out +of the shadows. It was a miner Tom had never seen before. Johnny nodded +as he approached. "Any news, Jack?" + +"Quiet as a church," the man said. + +"We'll be held up another eight hours at least," Johnny said. "Don't go +to sleep on us, Jack." + +"Don't worry about us sleepin'," the man said grimly. "There's been +nobody around but yourselves, so far ... except the clearance +inspector." + +Johnny looked up sharply. "You check his papers?" + +"_And_ his prints. He was all right." + +Johnny took Tom's arm, and they headed through the gate toward the +control tower. "I guess I'm just naturally suspicious," he grinned, "but +I'd sure hate to have a broken cut-off switch, or a fuel valve go out of +whack at just the wrong moment." + +"You think Tawney would dare to try something here?" Tom said. + +"Never hurts to check. We've got our hands full for a few hours getting +set, so I just asked my friends to keep an eye on things. Always did say +that a man who's going to gamble is smart to cover his bets." + +At the control tower they parted, and Tom walked into the clearance +office. Johnny's watch-man had startled him, and for the first time he +felt a chill of apprehension. If they were right ... if this trip to the +Belt were not a wild goose chase from the very start ... then Roger +Hunter's accident had been no accident at all. + +Quite suddenly, Tom felt very thankful that Johnny Coombs had +friends.... + + * * * * * + +"I don't like it," the Major said, facing Tom and Greg across the desk +in the U.N. Registry office below the control tower. "You've gotten an +idea in your heads, and you just won't listen to reason." + +Somewhere above them, Tom could hear the low-pitched rumble of a +scout-ship blasting from its launching rack. "All we want to do is go +out and work Dad's claim," he said for the second time. + +"I know perfectly well what you want to do, that's why I told the people +here to alert me if you tried to clear a ship. You don't know what +you're doing ... and I'm not going to sign those clearance papers." + +"Why not?" Greg said. + +"Because you're going out there asking for trouble, that's why not." + +"But you told us before that there wasn't any trouble. Dad had an +accident, that was all. So how could we get in trouble?" + +The Major's face was an angry red. He started to say something, then +stopped, and scowled at them instead. They met his stare. Finally he +threw up his hands. "All right, so I can't legally stop you," he said. +"But at least I can beg you to use your heads. You're wasting time and +money on a foolish idea. You're walking into dangers and risks that you +can't handle, and I hate to see it happen. + +"Mining in the Belt is a job for experienced men, not rank novices." + +"Johnny Coombs is no novice." + +"No, but he's lost his wits, taking you two out there." + +"Well, are there any other dangers you have in mind?" + +Once more the Major searched for words, and failed to find them. "No," +he sighed, "and you wouldn't listen if I did." + +"It seems everybody is warning us about how dangerous this trip is +likely to be," Greg said quietly. "Last night it was Merrill Tawney. He +offered to buy us out, he was so eager for a deal that he offered us a +fantastic price. Then Johnny tells us that Dad mined some rich ore when +he was out there on his last trip, but never got a chance to bring it in +because of his ... accident. Up until now I haven't been so sure Dad +_didn't_ just have an accident, but now I'm beginning to wonder. Too +many people have been warning us...." + +"You're determined to go out there, then?" + +"That's about right." + +The Major picked up the clearance papers, glanced at them quickly, +and signed them. "All right, you're cleared. I hate to do it, but I +suppose I'd go with you if the law would let me. And I'll tell you one +thing ... if you can find a single particle of evidence that will link +Jupiter Equilateral or anybody else to your father's death, I'll use all +the power I have to break them." He handed the papers back to Tom. "But +be careful, because if Jupiter Equilateral is involved in it, they're +going to play dirty." + +At the door he turned. "Good trip, and good luck." + +Tom folded the papers and stuck them thoughtfully into his pocket. + +They met Johnny Coombs in the Registry offices upstairs; Tom patted his +pocket happily. "We're cleared in forty-five minutes," he said. + +Johnny grinned. "Then we're all set." They headed up the ramp, reached +ground level, and started out toward the launching racks. + +At the far end of the field a powerful Class I Ranger, one of the +Jupiter Equilateral scout fleet, was settling down into its slot in a +perfect landing maneuver. The triangle-and-J-insignia gleamed brightly +on her dark hull. She was a rich, luxurious-looking ship. Many miners on +Mars could remember when Jupiter Equilateral had been nothing more than +a tiny mining company working claims in the remote "equilateral" cluster +of asteroids far out in Jupiter's orbit. Gradually the company had grown +and flourished, accumulating wealth and power as it grew, leaving behind +it a thousand half-confirmed stories of cheating, piracy, murder and +theft. Other small mining outfits had fallen by the wayside until now +over two-thirds of all asteroid mining claims were held by Jupiter +Equilateral, and the small independent miners were forced more and more +to take what was left. + +They reached the gate to the Dutchman's launching slot and entered. + +Inside the ship Tom and Johnny strapped down while Greg made his final +check-down on the engines, gyros and wiring. The cabin was a tiny vault, +with none of the spacious "living room" of the orbit-ships. Tom leaned +back in the accelleration cot, and listened to the count-down signals +that came at one minute intervals now. In the earphones he could hear +the sporadic chatter between Greg and the control tower. No hint that +this was anything but a routine blastoff.... + +But there was trouble ahead, Tom was certain of that. Everybody on Mars +was aware that Roger Hunter's sons were heading out to the Belt to pick +up where he had left off. Greg had secured a leave of absence from +Project Star-Jump ... unhappily granted, even though his part in their +program had already been disrupted. Even they had heard the rumors that +were adrift.... + +And if there was trouble now, they were on their own. The Asteroid Belt +was a wilderness, untracked and unexplored, and except for an almost +insignificant fraction, completely unknown. If there was trouble out +there, there would be no one to help. + +Somewhere below the engines roared, and Tom felt the weight on his +chest, sudden and breath-taking. + +They were on their way. + + + + +4. "Between Mars and Jupiter...." + + +After all the tension of preparing for it, the trip out seemed +interminable. + +They were all impatient to reach their destination. During blastoff and +accelleration they had watched Mars dwindle to a tiny red dot; then time +seemed to stop altogether, and there was nothing to do but wait. + +For the first eight hours of free fall, after the engines had cut out, +Tom was violently ill. He fought it desperately, gulping the pills +Johnny offered and trying to keep them down. Gradually the waves of +nausea subsided, but it was a full twenty-four hours before Tom felt +like stirring from his cot to take up the shipboard routine. + +And then there was nothing for him to do. Greg handled the navigation +skilfully, while Johnny kept radio contact and busied himself in the +storeroom, so Tom spent hours at the viewscreen. On the second day he +spotted a tiny chunk of rock that was unquestionably an asteroid moving +swiftly toward them. It passed at a tangent ten thousand miles ahead of +them, and Greg started work at the computer, feeding in the data tapes +that would ultimately guide the ship to its goal. + + * * * * * + +Pinpointing a given spot in the Asteroid Belt was a gargantuan task, +virtually impossible without the aid of the ship's computer to compute +orbits, speeds, and distances. Tom spent more and more time at the +viewscreen, searching the blackness of space for more asteroid +sightings. But except for an occasional tiny bit of debris hurtling by, +he saw nothing but the changeless panorama of stars. + +Johnny Coombs found him there on the third day, and laughed at his sour +expression. "Gettin' impatient?" + +"Just wondering when we'll reach the Belt, is all," Tom said. + +Johnny chuckled. "Hope you're not holdin' your breath. We've already +been _in_ the Belt for the last forty-eight hours." + +"Then where are all the asteroids?" Tom said. + +"Oh, they're here. You just won't see many of them. People always think +there ought to be dozens of them around, like sheep on a hillside, but +it just doesn't work that way." Johnny peered at the screen. "Of course, +to an astronomer the Belt is just loaded ... hundreds of thousands of +chunks, all sizes from five hundred miles in diameter on down. But +actually, those chunks are all tens of thousands of miles apart, and the +Belt _looks_ just as empty as the space between Mars and Earth." + +"Well, I don't see how we're ever going to find one particular rock," +Tom said, watching the screen gloomily. + +"It's not too hard. Every asteroid has its own orbit around the sun, and +everyone that's been registered as a claim has the orbit charted. The +one we want isn't where it was when your Dad's body was found ... it's +been travelling in its orbit ever since. But by figuring in the fourth +dimension, we can locate it." + +Tom blinked. "Fourth dimension?" + +"Time," Johnny Coombs said. "If we just used the three linear +dimensions ... length, width and depth ... we'd end up at the place where +the asteroid _was_, but that wouldn't help us much because it's been +moving in orbit ever since the Patrol Ship last pinpointed it. So we +figure in a fourth dimension ... the time that's passed since it was last +spotted ... and we can chart a collision course with it, figure out just +where _we'll_ have to be to meet it." + +It was the first time that the idea of time as a "dimension" had ever +made sense to Tom. They talked some more, until Johnny started bringing +in fifth and sixth dimensions, and problems of irrational space and +hyperspace, and got even himself confused. + +"Anyway," Tom said, "I'm glad we've got a computer aboard." + +"And a navigator," Johnny added. "Don't sell your brother short." + +"Fat chance of that. Greg would never stand for it." + +Johnny frowned. "You lads don't like each other very much, do you?" he +said. + +Tom was silent for a moment. Then he looked away. "We get along, I +guess." + +"Maybe. But sometimes just gettin' along isn't enough. Especially when +there's trouble. Give it a thought, when you've got a minute or two...." + +Later, the three of them went over the computer results together. Johnny +and Greg fed the navigation data into the ship's drive mechanism, +checking and rechecking speeds and inclination angles. Already the +Dutchman's orbital speed was matching the speed of Roger Hunter's +asteroid ... but the orbit had to be tracked so that they would arrive +at the exact point in space to make contact. Tom was assigned to the +viewscreen, and the long wait began. + +He spotted their destination point an hour before the computer had +predicted contact ... at first a tiny pinpoint of reflected light in the +scope, gradually resolving into two pinpoints, then three in a tiny +cluster. Greg cut in the rear and lateral jets momentarily, stabilizing +their contact course; the dots grew larger. + +Ten minutes later, Tom could see their goal clearly in the +viewscreen ... the place where Roger Hunter had died. + + * * * * * + +It was neither large nor small for an asteroid, an irregular chunk of +rock and metal, perhaps five miles in diameter, lighted only by the dull +reddish glow from the dime-sized sun. Like many such jagged chunks of +debris that sprinkled the Belt, this asteroid did not spin on any axis, +but constantly presented the same face to the sun. + +Just off the bright side the orbit-ship floated, stable in its orbit +next to the big rock, but so small in comparison that it looked like a +tiny glittering toy balloon. And clamped on its rack on the orbit-ship's +side, airlock to airlock, was the _Scavenger_, the little scout ship +that Roger Hunter had brought out from Mars on his last journey. + +While Greg maneuvered the Dutchman into the empty landing rack below the +_Scavenger_ on the hull of the orbit-ship, Johnny scanned the blackness +around them through the viewscope, a frown wrinkling his forehead. + +"Do you see anybody?" Tom asked. + +"Not a sign ... but I'm really looking for other rocks. I can see three +that aren't too far away, but none of them have claim marks. This one +must have been the only one Roger was working." + +They stared at the ragged surface of the planetoid. Raw veins of +metallic ore cut through it with streaks of color, but most of the +sun-side showed only the dull gray of iron and granite. There was +nothing unusual about the surface that Tom could see. "Could there be +anything on the dark side?" + +"Could be," Johnny said. "We'll have to go over it foot by foot ... but +first, we should go through the orbit-ship and the _Scavenger_. If the +Patrol ship missed anything, we want to know it." + +The interior of the orbit-ship was dark. It spun slowly on its axis, +giving them just enough weight so they would not float free whenever +they moved. Their boots clanged on the metal decks as they climbed up +the curving corridor toward the control cabin. + +Then Johnny threw a light switch, and they stared around them in +amazement. + +The cabin was a shambles. Everything that was not bolted down had been +ripped open and thrown aside. + +Greg whistled through his teeth. "The Major said the Patrol crew had +gone through the ship ... but he didn't say they'd wrecked it." + +"They didn't," Johnny said grimly. "No Patrol ship would ever do this. +Somebody else has been here since." He turned to the control panel, +flipped switches, checked gauges. "Hydroponics are all right. Atmosphere +is still good; we can take off these helmets. Fuel looks all right, +storage holds ..." He shook his head. "They weren't looting, but they +were looking for something, all right. Let's look around and see if they +missed anything." + +It took them an hour to survey the wreckage. Not a compartment had been +missed. Even the mattresses on the accelleration cots had been torn +open, the spring-stuffing tossed about helter-skelter. Tom went through +the lock into the _Scavenger_; the scout ship too had been searched, +rapidly but thoroughly. + +But there was no sign of anything that Roger Hunter might have found. + +Back in the control cabin Johnny was checking the ship's log. The old +entries were on microfilm, stored on their spools near the reader. More +recent entries were still recorded on tape. From the jumbled order, +there was no doubt that marauders had examined them. Johnny ran through +them nevertheless, but there was nothing of interest. Routine +navigational data; a record of the time of contact with the asteroid; a +log of preliminary observations on the rock; nothing more. The last tape +recorded the call-schedule Roger Hunter had set up with the Patrol, a +routine precaution used by all miners, to bring help if for some reason +they should fail to check in on schedule. + +There was no hint in the log of any extraordinary discovery. + +"Are any tapes missing?" Greg wanted to know. + +"Doesn't look like it. There's one here for each day-period." + +"I wonder," Tom said. "Dad always kept a personal log. You know, a sort +of a diary, on microfilm." He peered into the film storage bin, checked +through the spools. Then, from down beneath the last row of spools he +pulled out a slightly smaller spool. "Here's something our friends +missed, I bet." + +It was not really a diary, just a sequence of notes, calculations and +ideas that Roger Hunter had jotted down and microfilmed from time to +time. The entries on the one spool went back for several years. Tom fed +the spool into the reader, and they stared eagerly at the last few +entries. + +A series of calculations, covering several pages, but with no notes to +indicate what, exactly, Roger Hunter had been calculating. "Looks like +he was plotting an orbit," Greg said. "But what orbit? And why? Nothing +here to tell." + +"It must have been important, though, or Dad wouldn't have filmed the +pages," Tom said. "Anything else?" + +Another sheet with more calculations. Then a short paragraph written in +Roger Hunter's hurried scrawl. "No doubt now what it is," the words +said. "Wish Johnny were here, show him a _real_ bonanza, but he'll know +soon enough if...." + +They stared at the scribbled, uncompleted sentence. Then Johnny Coombs +let out a whoop. "I told you he found something! And he found it _here_, +not somewhere else." + +"Hold it," Greg said, peering at the film reader. "There's something +more on the last page, but I can't read it." + +Tom blinked at the entry. "'Inter Jovem et Martem planetam interposui,'" +he read. He scratched his head. "That's Latin, and it's famous, too. +Kepler wrote it, back before the asteroids were discovered. 'Between +Jupiter and Mars I will put a planet.'" + +Greg and Johnny looked at each other. "I don't get it," Greg said. + +"Dad told me about that once," Tom said. "Kepler couldn't understand +the long jump between Mars and Jupiter, when Venus and Earth and Mars +were so close together. He figured there ought to be a planet out +here ... and he was right, in a way. There wasn't any one planet, unless +you'd call Ceres a planet, but it wasn't just empty space between Mars +and Jupiter either. The asteroids were here." + +"But why would Dad be writing that down?" Greg asked. "And what has it +got to do with what he found out here?" He snapped off the reader switch +angrily. "I don't understand any of this, and I don't like it. If Dad +found something out here, where is it? And who tore this ship apart +after the Patrol ship left?" + +"Probably the same ones that caused the 'accident' in the first place," +Johnny said. + +"But why did they come back?" Greg protested. "If they killed Dad, they +must have known what he'd found before they killed him." + +"You'd think so," Johnny conceded. + +"Then why take the risk of coming back here again?" + +"Maybe they _didn't_ know," Tom said thoughtfully. + +"What do you mean?" + +"I mean maybe they killed him too soon. Maybe they thought they knew +what he'd found and where it was ... and then found out that they +didn't, after all. Maybe Dad hid it...." + +Johnny Coombs shook his head. "No way a man can hide an ore strike." + +"But suppose Dad did, somehow, and whoever killed him couldn't find it? +It would be too late to make him tell them. They'd _have_ to come back +and look again, wouldn't they? And from the way they went about it, it +looks as though they weren't having much luck." + +"Then whatever Dad found would still be here, somewhere," Greg said. + +"That's right." + +"But where? There's nothing on this ship." + +"Maybe not," Tom said, "but I'd like to take a look at that asteroid +before we give up." + + * * * * * + +They paused in the big ore-loading lock to reclamp their pressure +suit helmets, and looked down at the jagged chunk of rock a hundred +yards below them. In the lock they had found scooters ... the little +one-man propulsion units so commonly used for short distance work in +space ... but decided not to use them. "They're clumsy," Johnny said, +"and the bumper units in your suits will do just as well for this +distance." He looked down at the rock. "I'll take the center section. +You each take an edge and work in. Look for any signs of work on the +surface ... chisel marks, Murexide charges, anything." + +"What about the dark side?" Greg asked. + +"If we want to see anything there, we'll either have to rig up lights or +turn the rock around," Johnny said. "Let's cover this side first and see +what we come up with." + +He turned and leaped from the airlock, moving gracefully down toward +the surface, using the bumper unit to guide himself with short bursts +of compressed CO_{2}, from the nozzle. Greg followed, pushing off +harder and passing Johnny halfway down. Tom hesitated. It looked easy +enough ... but he remembered the violent nausea of his first few hours +of free fall. + +Finally he gritted his teeth and jumped off after Greg. Instantly he +knew that he had jumped too hard. He shot away from the orbit-ship like +a bullet; the jagged asteroid surface leaped up at him. Frantically he +grabbed for the bumper nozzle and pulled the trigger, trying to break +his fall. + +He felt the nozzle jerk in his hand, and then, abruptly, he was spinning +off at a wild tangent from the asteroid, head over heels. For a moment +it seemed that asteroid, orbit-ship and stars were all wheeling crazily +around him. Then he realized what had happened. He fired the bumper +again, and went spinning twice as fast. The third time he timed the +blast, aiming the nozzle carefully, and the spinning almost stopped. + +He fought down nausea, trying to get his bearings. He was three hundred +yards out from the asteroid, almost twice as far from the orbit-ship. He +stared down at the rock as he moved slowly away from it. Before, from +the orbit-ship, he had been able to see only the bright side of the huge +rock; now he could see the sharp line of darkness across one side. + +But there was something else.... + +He fired the bumper again to steady himself, peering into the blackness +beyond the light-line on the rock. He snapped on his helmet lamp, aimed +the spotlight beam down to the dark rock surface. Greg and Johnny were +landing now on the bright side, with Greg almost out of sight over the +"horizon" ... but Tom's attention was focussed on something he could see +only now as he moved away from the asteroid surface. + +His spotlight caught it ... something bright and metallic, completely +hidden on the dark side, lying in close to the surface but not quite on +the surface. Then suddenly Tom knew what it was ... the braking jets of +a Class I Ranger, crouching beyond the reach of sunlight in the shadow +of the asteroid.... + +Swiftly he fired the bumper again, turning back toward the orbit-ship. +His hand went to the speaker-switch, but he caught himself in time. Any +warning shouted to Greg and Johnny would certainly be picked up by the +ship. But he had to give warning somehow. + +He tumbled into the airlock, searching for a flare in his web belt. It +was a risk ... the Ranger ship might pick up the flash ... but he had to +take it. He was unscrewing the fuse cap from the flare when he saw Greg +and Johnny leap up from the asteroid surface. + +Then he saw what had alarmed them. Slowly, the Ranger was moving out +from its hiding place behind the rock. Tom reached out to catch Greg as +he came plummeting into the lock. There was a flash from the Ranger's +side, and Johnny Coombs' voice boomed in his earphones: "Get inside! Get +the lock closed, fast ... hurry up, can't waste a second." + +Johnny caught the lip of the lock, dragged himself inside frantically. +They were spinning the airlock door closed when they heard the +thundering explosion, felt the ship lurch under their feet, and all +three of them went crashing to the deck. + + + + +5. The Black Raider + + +For a stunned moment they were helpless as they struggled to pick +themselves up. The stable airlock deck was suddenly no longer +stable ... it was lurching back and forth like a rowboat on a heavy sea, +and they grabbed the shock-bars along the bulkheads to steady themselves. +"What happened?" Greg yelped. "I saw a ship...." + +As if in answer there was another crash belowdecks, and the lurching +became worse. "They're firing on us, that's what happened," Johnny +Coombs growled. + +"Well, they're shaking us loose at the seams," Greg said. "We've got to +get this crate out of here." He reached for his helmet, began unsnapping +his pressure suit. + +"Leave it on," Johnny snapped. + +"But we can't move fast enough in these things...." + +"Leave it on all the same. If they split the hull open, you'll be dead +in ten seconds without a suit." + +Somewhere below they heard the steady _clang-clang-clang_ of the +emergency-station's bell ... already one of the compartments somewhere +had been breached, and was pouring its air out into the vacuum of space. +"But what can we do?" Greg said. "They could tear us apart!" + +"First, we see what they've already done," Johnny said, spinning the +wheel on the inner lock. "If they plan to tear us apart, we're done for, +but they may want to try to board us.... We'll wait and see." + +An orbit-ship under fire was completely vulnerable. One well-placed +shell could rip it open like a balloon. + +Tom and Greg followed Johnny to where the control cabin was located. In +control they found alarm lights flashing in three places on the +instrument panel. Another muffled crash roared through the ship, and a +new row of lights sprang on along the panel. + +"How are the engines?" Greg said, staring at the flickering lights. + +"Can't tell. Looks like they're firing at the main jets, but they've +ripped open three storage holds, too. They're trying to disable us...." + +"What about the _Scavenger_?" + +Johnny checked a gauge. "The airlock compartment is all right, so the +scout ships haven't been touched. They couldn't fire on them without +splitting the whole ship down the middle." Johnny leaned forward, +flipped on the viewscreen, and an image came into focus. + + * * * * * + +It was a Class I Ranger, and there was no doubt of its origin. Like the +one they had seen berthing at the Sun Lake City racks, this ship had a +glossy black hull, with the golden triangle-and-J insignia standing out +in sharp relief in the dim sunlight. + +"It's our friends, all right," Johnny said. + +"But what are they trying to do?" Tom said. + +Even as they watched, a pair of scooters broke from the side of the +Ranger and slid down toward the sun side of the asteroid. "I don't +know," Johnny said. "I think they intended to stay hidden, until Tom +lost control of his bumper, and got far enough around there to spot +them." He frowned as the first scooter touched down on the asteroid +surface. + +"Can't we fire on them?" Greg said angrily. + +"Not the way this tub is lurching around. They've got our main gyros, +and the auxilliaries aren't powerful enough to steady us. Another blast +or two could send us spinning like a top, and we'd have nothing to +stabilize us...." + +There was another flash from the Ranger's hull, and the ship jerked +under their feet. "Well, we're a sitting duck here," Greg said. "Maybe +those engines will still work." He slid into the control seat, flipped +the drive switches to fire the side jets in opposite pairs. They fired, +steadying the lurching of the ship somewhat, but there was no response +from the main engines. "No good. We couldn't begin to run from them. +We're stuck here." + +"They could outrun us anyway," Tom said, watching the viewscreen. "And +they're moving in closer now." + +"They're going to board us," Tom said. + +Johnny nodded, his eyes suddenly bright. "I think you're right. And if +they do, we may have a chance. But we've got to split up.... Greg, you +take the control cabin here, try to keep them out if you can. Tom can +cover the main corridor to the storage holds, and I'll take the engine +room section. That will sew up the entrances to control, here, and give +us a chance to stop them." + +"They may have a dozen men," Tom said. "They could just shoot us down." + +"I don't think so," Johnny said. "They want _us_, not the ship, or they +wouldn't bother to board us. We may not be able to hold them off, but we +can try." + +"What about making a run for it in the _Scavenger_?" Greg said. + +Johnny chuckled grimly. "It'd be a mighty short run. That Ranger's got +homing shells that could blow the _Scavenger_ to splinters if we tried +it. Our best bet is to put up such a brawl that they think twice about +taking us." + +They parted in the corridor outside control, Johnny heading down for the +engine room corridors, while Tom ran up toward the main outer-shell +corridor, a Markheim stunner in his hand. The entire outer shell of the +ship was storage space, each compartment separately sealed and connected +with the two main corridors that circled the ship. On each side these +corridors came together to join the short entry corridors from the +scout-ship airlocks. + +Tom knew that the only way the ship could be boarded was through those +locks; a man stationed at the place where the main corridors joined +could block any entry from the locks ... as long as he could hold his +position. Tom reached the junction of the corridors, and crouched close +to the wall. By peering around the corner, he had a good view of the +airlock corridor. + +Tom gripped the Markheim tightly, and he dialed it down to a narrow +beam. Nobody had ever been killed by a stunner ... but a direct hit with +a narrow beam could paralyze a man for three days. + +There was movement at the far end of the airlock corridor. A helmeted +head peered around the turn in the corridor; then two men in pressure +suits moved into view, walking cautiously, weapons in hand. Tom shrank +back against the wall, certain they had not seen him. He waited until +they were almost to the junction with the main corridor; then he took +aim and pressed the trigger stud on his Markheim. There was an ugly +ripping sound as the gun jerked in his hand. The two men dropped as +though they had been pole-axed. + +A shout, a scrape of metal against metal, and a shot ripped back at him +from the end of the corridor. Tom jerked back fast, but not quite fast +enough. He felt a sledge-hammer blow on his shoulder, felt his arm jerk +in a cramping spasm while the corridor echoed the low rumble of +sub-sonics. He flexed his arm to work out the spasm ... they were using +a wide beam, hardly strong enough to stun a man. His heart pounded. They +were being careful, very careful.... + +Two more men rounded the bend in the corridor. Tom fired, but they hit +the deck fast, and the beam missed. The first one jerked to his feet, +charged up the corridor toward him, dodging and sliding. Tom followed +him in his sights, fired three times as the Markheim heated up in his +hand. The beam hit the man's leg, dumping him to the deck, and bounced +off to catch the second one. + +But now there was another sound, coming from the corridor behind him. +Voices, shouts, clanging of boots. He pressed against the wall, +listening. The sounds were from below. They must have gotten past +Johnny ... probably the men on the scooters. Tom looked around +helplessly. If they came up behind him, he was trapped in a crossfire. +But if he left his position, more men could come in through the airlock. +Even now two more came around the bend, starting up the corridor for +him.... + +Quite suddenly, the lights went out. + +The men stopped. Sound stopped. The corridor was pitch black. Tom fired +wildly down the corridor, heard shouts and oaths from the men, but he +could see nothing. Then, ahead, a flicker of light as a headlamp went +on. The men from the airlock were close, moving in on him, and from +behind he saw light bouncing off the corridor walls.... + +He jerked open the hatch to a storage hold, ducked inside, and slammed +the hatch behind him. He pressed against the wall, panting. + +He waited. + +Suddenly an idea flickered in Tom's mind. + +It was a chance ... a long chance ... but it was something. If they were +going to be captured in spite of anything they could do, even a long +chance would be worth trying.... + +He waited in the darkness, tried to think it through. It was a wild +idea, an utterly impossible idea, he had never heard of it being tried +before ... but _any_ chance was better than none. He remembered what +Johnny had said in the control cabin. The Ranger ship would have homing +shells. An attempt to make a run with the _Scavenger_ might be +disastrous. + +He thought about it, trying to reason it out. The Jupiter Equilateral +men obviously wanted them alive. They did not dare to kill Roger +Hunter's sons, because Roger Hunter might have told them where the +bonanza was. And Jupiter Equilateral would not dare let anyone of them +break away. If one of them got back to Mars, the whole U.N. Patrol would +be out in the Belt.... + +The plan became clear in his mind, but he had to let Greg know. He +fingered the control of his helmet radio. The boarding party would have +a snooper, but if he was quick, they wouldn't have time to nail him. He +buzzed an attention code. "Greg? Can you hear me?" + +Silence. He buzzed again, and waited. What was wrong? Had they already +broken through to the control cabin and taken Greg? He buzzed again. +"Greg! Sound off if you can hear me." + +More silence. Then a click. "Tom?" + +"Here. Are you all right?" + +"So far. You?" + +"They got past me, but they didn't hit me. How's Johnny?" + +"I don't know," Greg said. "I think he's been hurt. Tom, you'd better +get off, they'll have snoopers...." + +"All right, listen," Tom said. "How does it look to you?" + +"Bad. We're outnumbered, they'll be through to here any minute." + +"All right, I've got an idea. It's risky, but it might let us pull +something out of this mess. I'll need some time, though." + +"How much?" + +"Ten, fifteen minutes." + +There was an edge to Greg's voice. "What are you planning?" + +"I can't tell you, they're listening in. But if it works...." + +"Look, don't do anything stupid." + +"I can't hear you," Tom said. "You try to hold them for fifteen +minutes ... and don't worry. Take care of yourself." + +Tom snapped off the speaker and moved to the hatchway. The corridor was +empty, and pitch black. He started down toward the airlock, then stopped +short at the sound of voices and the flicker of headlamps up ahead. + +He crouched back, but the lights were not moving. Guards at the lock, +making certain that nobody tried to board their own ship. Tom grinned to +himself. They weren't missing any bets, he thought. + +Except one. There was one bet they wouldn't even think of. + +He backtracked to the storage hold, crossed through it, and out into the +far corridor. He followed the gentle curve of the deck a quarter of the +way around the ship. Twice along the way he stumbled in the darkness, +but saw no sign of the raiders. At last he reached the far side, and the +corridor leading to No. 2 airlock. Again he could see the lamps of the +guards around the bend; they were stationed directly inside their own +lock. + +Inching forward, he peered into blackness. Each step made a muffled +clang on the deck plates. He edged his boots along as quietly as +possible, reaching along the wall with his hand until he felt the lip of +a hatchway. + +The lights and voices seemed nearer now. In the dim reflected light he +saw the sign on the door of the hatchway: + + No. 2 Airlock + BE SURE PRESSURE GAUGE IS AT ZERO BEFORE OPENING HATCH + +He checked the gauge, silently spun the wheel. There was a _ping_ as the +seals broke. He pulled the hatch open just enough to squeeze into the +lock, then closed it behind him. Then he switched on the pumps, waiting +impatiently until the red "all clear" signal flashed on. Then he opened +the outside lock. + +Just beyond, he could see the sleek silvery lines of the _Scavenger_. + +It was their only chance. + +He took a deep breath, and jumped across the gap to the open lock of the +_Scavenger_. + + + + +6. The Last Run of the Scavenger + + +To Greg Hunter the siege of the orbit-ship had been a nerve-wracking +game of listening and waiting for something to happen. + +In the darkness of the control cabin he stretched his fingers, cramped +from gripping the heavy Markheim stunner, and checked the corridor +outside again. There was no sound in the darkness there, no sign of +movement. Somewhere far below he heard metal banging on metal; minutes +before he thought he had heard the sharp ripping sound of a stunner +blast overhead, but he wasn't sure. Wherever the fighting was going on, +it was not here. + +He shook his head as his uneasiness mounted. Why hadn't Johnny come +back? He'd gone off to try and disable the Ranger ship leaving Greg to +guard the control cabin. Why no sign of the marauders in the control +cabin corridor? This should have been the first place they would head +for, if they planned to take the ship, but there had been nothing but +silence and darkness. Johnny had been gone near 15 minutes already. Greg +became more uneasy. + +He waited. Suddenly, bitterly, he realized the hopelessness of it. Even +if Johnny did manage to damage the Ranger ship, what difference would it +make? They had been fools to come out here, idiots to ignore Tawney's +warning, the three of them. Tawney had told them in so many words that +there would be trouble, and they had come out anyway, just begging for +it. + +Well, now they had what they'd begged for. Greg slammed his fist into +his palm angrily. What had they expected? That the big company would +step humbly aside for them, with a fortune hanging in the balance? If +they had even begun to think it through before they started.... + +But they hadn't, and now it was too late. They were under attack; Johnny +was off on a fool's errand, gone too long for comfort, and Tom ... Greg +glanced at his watch. It had been ten minutes since Tom's call. What had +he meant by it? A plan, he said. A long chance. + +He couldn't shake off the cold feeling in his chest when he thought +about Tom. What if something happened to him.... + +Greg remembered how he had grown to resent his brother. The time when +they were very young and Tom had been struck by the sickness, a native +Martian virus they called it. He remembered the endless nights of +attention given to Tom alone. From then on somehow they weren't friends +any more. But now all that seemed to disappear and Greg only wished that +Tom would appear down the corridor.... + +A sound startled him. He tensed, gripping the stunner, peering into the +darkness. Had he heard something? Or was it his own foot scraping on +the deck plate? He held his breath, listening, and the sound came +again, louder. + +Someone was moving stealthily up the corridor. + +Greg waited, covered by the edge of the hatchway. It might be Johnny +returning, or maybe even Tom ... but there was no sign of recognition. +Whoever it was was coming silently.... + +Then a beam of light flared from a headlamp, and he saw the blue crackle +of a stunner. He jerked back as the beam bounced off the metal walls. +Then he was firing point blank down the corridor, his stunner on a tight +beam, a deadly pencil of violent energy. He heard a muffled scream and a +bulk loomed up in front of him, crashed to the deck at his feet. + +He fired again. Another crash, a shout, and then the sound of footsteps +retreating. He waited, his heart pounding, but there was nothing more. + +The first attempt on the control cabin had failed. + + * * * * * + +Five minutes later the second attempt began. This time there was no +warning sound. A sudden, ear-splitting crash, a groan of tortured metal, +and the barricaded hatchway glowed dull red. Another crash followed. The +edge of the hatch split open, pouring acrid Murexide fumes into the +cabin. A third explosion breached the door six inches; Greg could see +headlamps in the corridor beyond. + +He fired through the crack, pressing down the stud until the stunner +scorched his hand. Then he heard boots clanging up the other corridor. +He pressed back against the wall, waited until the sounds were near, +then threw open the hatch. For an instant he made a perfect target, but +the raiders did not fire. The stunner buzzed in his hand, and once again +the footfalls retreated. + +They _were_ being careful! + +Silence then, and blackness. Minutes passed ... five, ten.... Greg +checked the time again. It was over twenty minutes since Tom had talked +to him. What had happened? Whatever Tom had planned must have misfired, +or something would have happened by now. For a moment he considered +leaving his post and starting down the dark corridor to search ... but +where to search? There was nothing to do but wait and hope for a +miracle. + +Then suddenly the lights blazed on in the control cabin and the corridor +outside. An attention signal buzzed in Greg's earphones. "All right, +Hunter, it's all over," a voice grated. "You've got five minutes to get +down to No. 3 lock. If you make us come get you, you'll get hurt." + +"I'll chance it," Greg snapped back. "Come on up." + +"We're through fooling," the voice said. "You'd better get down here. +And bring your brother with you." + +"Sure," Greg said. "Start holding your breath." + +The contact broke for a moment, then clicked on again. This time it was +another voice. "We've got Johnny Coombs down here," it said. "You want +him to stay alive, you start moving. Without your stunner." + +Greg chewed his lip. They could be bluffing ... but they might not be. +"I want to see Johnny," he said. + +On the control panel a viewscreen flickered to life. "Take a look, +then," the voice said in his earphones. + +They had Johnny, all right. A burly guard was holding his good arm +behind his back. Greg could see the speaker wires jerked loose from his +helmet. + +"It's up to you," the voice said. "You've got three minutes. If you're +not down here by then, this helmet comes off and your friend goes out +the lock. It's quick that way, but it's not very pleasant." + +Johnny was shaking his head violently; the guard wrenched at his arm, +and the miner's face twisted in pain. "Two minutes," the voice said. + +"Okay," Greg said. "I'm coming down." + +"Drop the stunner right there." + +He dropped the weapon onto the deck. Three steps out into the corridor, +and two guards were there to meet him, stunners raised. They marched him +up the ramp to the outer level corridor and around to No. 3 lock. + +They were waiting there with Johnny. A moment later the guards herded +them through the lock and into the hold of the Ranger ship, stripped off +their suits, and searched them. + +A big man with a heavy face and coarse black hair came into the cabin. +He looked at Johnny and Greg and grunted. "You must be Hunter," he said +to Greg. "Where's the other one?" + +"What other one?" Greg said. + +"Your brother. Where is he?" + +"How would I know?" Greg said. + +The man's face darkened. "You'd be smart to watch your tongue," he said. +"We know there were three of you, we want the other one." + +The man turned to a guard. "What about it?" + +"Don't know, Doc. Nobody's reported him." + +"Then take a crew and search the ship. We were due back hours ago. He's +in there somewhere." + +"Sure, Doc." The guard disappeared through the lock. The man called Doc +motioned Greg and Johnny through into the main cabin. + +"What are you planning to do with us?" Greg demanded. + +"You'll find out soon enough." Doc's mouth twisted angrily. + +A guard burst into the cabin. "Doc, there's just nobody there! We've +scoured the ship." + +"You think he just floated away in his space suit?" Doc growled. "_Find +him._ Tawney only needs one of them, but we can't take a chance on the +other one getting back...." He broke off, his eyes on the viewscreen. +"Did you check those scout ships?" + +"No, I thought...." + +"Get down there and check them." Doc turned back to the viewscreen +impatiently. + +Greg caught Johnny's eye, saw the big miner's worried frown. "Where is +he?" he whispered. + +"I don't know. Thought you did...." + +"All I know is that he had some kind of scheme in mind." + +"Shut up," Doc said to them. "If you're smart, you'll be strapping down +before we...." He broke off in mid sentence, listening. + +Quite suddenly, the Ranger ship had begun to vibrate. Somewhere, far +away, there was the muffled rumble of engines. + +Doc whirled to the viewscreen. Greg and Johnny looked at the same +instant, and Johnny groaned. + +Below them, the _Scavenger_'s jets were flaring. First the pale starter +flame, then a long stream of fire, growing longer as the engines +developed thrust. + +Doc slammed down a switch, roared into a speaker. "That scout +ship ... stop it! He's trying to make a break!" + +Two guards appeared at the lock almost instantly, but it was too late. +Already she was straining at her magnetic cable moorings; then the +exhaust flared, and the little scout ship leaped away from the +orbit-ship, moving out at a tangent to the asteroid's orbit, picking up +speed, moving faster and faster.... + +In toward the orbit of Mars. + +The man called Doc had gone pale. Now he snapped on the speaker again. +"Frank? Stand by on missile control. He's asking for it." + +"Right," the voice came back. "I'm sighting in." + +The _Scavenger_ was moving fast now, dwindling in the viewscreen. One +panel of the screen went telescopic to track her. "All right," Doc said. +"Fire one and two." + +From both sides of the Ranger, tiny rockets flared. Like twin bullets +the homing shells moved out, side by side, in the track of the escaping +_Scavenger_. With a strangled cry, Greg leaped forward, but Johnny +caught his arm. + +"Johnny, _Tom's on ... that thing_...." + +"I know. But he's got a chance." + +Already the homing shells were out of sight; only the twin flares were +visible. Greg stared helplessly at the tiny light-spot of the +_Scavenger_. At first she had been moving straight, but now she was +dodging and twisting, her side-jets flaring at irregular intervals. The +twin pursuit shells mimicked each change in course, drawing closer to +her every second. + +And then there was a flash, so brilliant it nearly blinded them, and the +_Scavenger_ burst apart in space. The second shell struck a fragment; +there was another flash. Then there was nothing but a nebulous powdering +of tiny metal fragments. + +The last run of the _Scavenger_ had ended. + +Dazed, Greg turned away from the screen, and somewhere, as if in a +dream, he heard Doc saying, "All right, boys, strap this pair down. +We've got a lot of work to do before we can get out of here." + + + + +7. Prisoners + + +Wherever they were planning to take them, the captors took great pains +to make sure that their two prisoners did not escape before they were +underway. Greg and Johnny were strapped down securely into accelleration +cots. Two burly guards were assigned to them, and the guards were taking +their job seriously. One of the two was watching them at all times, and +both men held their stunners on ready. + +Meanwhile, under Doc's orders, the crew of the Jupiter Equilateral ship +began a systematic looting of the orbit-ship they had disabled. Earlier +they had merely searched the cabins and compartments. Now a steady +stream of pressure-suited men crossed through the airlocks into the +crippled vessel, marched back with packing cases full of tape records, +microfilm spools, stored computer data ... anything that might +conceivably contain information. The control cabin was literally torn +apart. Every storage hold was ransacked. + +A team of six men was dispatched to the asteroid surface, searching for +any sign of mining or prospecting activity. They came back an hour +later, long-faced and empty handed. Doc took their reports, his scowl +growing deeper and deeper. + +Finally the last of the searchers reported in. "Doc, we'd scraped it +clean, and there's nothing there. Not one thing that we didn't check +before." + +"There's _got_ to be something there," Doc said. + +"You tell me where else to look, and I'll do it." + +Doc shook his head ominously. "Tawney's not going to like it," he said. +"There's no other place it could be...." + +"Well, at least we have this pair," the other said, jerking a thumb at +Greg and Johnny. "They'll know." + +Doc looked at them darkly. "Yes, and they'll tell, too, or I don't know +Tawney." + +Greg watched it all happening, heard the noises, saw the packing-cases +come through the cabin, and still he could not quite believe it. He +caught Johnny's eye, then turned away, suddenly sick. Johnny shook his +head. "Take it easy, boy." + +"He didn't even have a chance," Greg said. + +"I know that. He must have known it too." + +"But why? What was he thinking of?" + +"Maybe he thought he could make it. Maybe he thought it was the only +chance...." + +There was no other answer that Greg could see, and the ache in his chest +was deeper. + +There was no way to bring Tom back now. However things had been between +them, they could never be changed now. But he knew that as long as he +was still breathing, somebody somehow was going to answer for that last +desperate run of the _Scavenger_.... + + * * * * * + +It had been an excellent idea, Tom Hunter thought to himself, and it had +worked perfectly, exactly as he had planned it ... so far. But now, as +he clung to his precarious perch, he wondered if it had not worked out a +little too well. The first flush of excitement that he had felt when he +saw the _Scavenger_ blow apart in space had begun to die down now; on +its heels came the unpleasant truth, the realization that only the easy +part lay behind him so far. The hard part was yet to come, and if that +were to fail.... + +He realized, suddenly, that he was afraid. He was well enough concealed +at the moment, clinging tightly against the outside hull of the Ranger +ship, hidden behind the open airlock door. But soon the airlock would be +pulled closed, and then the real test would come. + +Carefully, he ran through the plan again in his mind. He was certain now +that his reasoning was right. There had been two dozen men on the raider +ship; there had been no question, even from the start, that they would +succeed in boarding the orbit-ship and taking its occupants prisoners. +The Jupiter Equilateral ship had not appeared there by coincidence. They +had come looking for something that they had not found. + +And the only source of information left was Roger Hunter's sons. The +three of them together might have held the ship for hours, or even +days ... but with engines and radios smashed, there had been no hope +of contacting Mars for help. Ultimately, they would have been taken. + +As he had crouched in the dark storage hold in the orbit-ship, Tom had +realized this. He had also realized that, once captured, they would +never have been freed and allowed to return to Mars. + +If the three of them were taken, they were finished. But what if only +two were taken? He had pushed it aside as a foolish idea, at first. The +boarding party would never rest until they had accounted for all three. +They wouldn't dare go back to their headquarters leaving one live man +behind to tell the story.... + +Unless they thought the third man was dead. If they were sure of +that ... _certain_ of it ... they would not hesitate to take the +remaining two away. And if, by chance, the third man wasn't as dead as +they thought he was, and could find a way to follow them home, there +might still be a chance to free the other two. + +It was then that he thought of the _Scavenger_, and knew that he had +found a way. + +In the cabin of the little scout ship he had worked swiftly, fearful +that at any minute one of the marauders might come aboard to search it. +Tom was no rocket pilot, but he did know that the count-down was +automatic, and that every ship could run on an autopilot, as a drone, +following a prescribed course until it ran out of fuel. Even the +shell-evasion mechanism could be set on automatic.... + +Quickly he set the autopilot, plotted a simple high school math course +for the ship, a course the Ranger ship would be certain to see, and to +fire upon. He set the count-down clock to give himself plenty of time +for the next step. + +Both the airlock to the _Scavenger_ and to the orbit-ship worked on +electric motors. The _Scavenger_ was grappled to the orbit-ship's hull +by magnetic cables. Tom dug into the ship's repair locker, found the +wires and fuses that he needed, and swiftly started to work. + +It was an ingenious device. The inner airlock door in the orbit-ship was +triggered to a fuse. He had left it ajar; the moment it was closed, by +anyone intending to board the _Scavenger_, the fuse would burn, a +circuit would open, and the little ship's autopilot would go on active. +The ship would blast away from its moorings, head out toward Mars.... + +And the fireworks would begin. All that he would have to worry about +then would be getting himself aboard the Ranger ship without being +detected. + +Which was almost impossible. But he knew there was a way. There was one +place no one would think to look for him, if he could manage to keep out +of range of the viewscreen lenses ... the outer hull of the ship. If he +could clamp himself to the hull, somehow, and manage to cling there +during blastoff, he could follow Greg and Johnny right home. + +He checked the fuse on the airlock once again to make certain it would +work. Then he waited, hidden behind the little scout ship's hull, +until the orbit-ship swung around into shadow. He checked his suit +dials ... oxygen for twenty-two hours, heater pack fully charged, +soda-ash only half saturated ... it would do. Above him he could see the +rear jets of the Ranger. He swung out onto the orbit-ship's hull, and +began crawling up toward the enemy ship. + +It was slow going. Every pressure suit had magnetic boots and hand-pads +to enable crewmen to go outside and make repairs on the hull of a ship +in transit. Tom clung, and moved, and clung again, trying to reach the +protecting hull of the Ranger before the orbit-ship swung him around to +the sun-side again.... + +He couldn't move fast enough. He saw the line of sunlight coming around +the ship as it swung full into the sun. He froze, crouching motionless. +If somebody on the Ranger spotted him now, it was all over. He was +exposed like a lizard on a rock. He waited, hardly daring to breathe, as +the ship spun ponderously around, carrying him into shadow again. + +And nothing happened. He started crawling upward again, reached up to +grab the mooring cable, and swung himself across to the hull of the +Ranger. The airlock hung open; he scuttled behind it, clinging to the +hull in its shadow just as Greg and Johnny were herded across by the +Jupiter Equilateral guards. + +Then he waited. There was no sound, no sign of life. After a while the +Ranger's inner lock opened, and a group of men hurried across to the +orbit-ship. Probably a searching party, Tom thought. Soon the men came +back, then returned to the orbit-ship. After another minute, he felt the +vibration of the _Scavenger_'s motors, and he knew that his snare had +been triggered. + +He saw the little ship break free and streak out in its curving +trajectory. He saw the homing shells burst from the Ranger's tubes. The +_Scavenger_ vanished from his range of vision, but moments later he saw +the sudden flare of light reflected against the hull of the orbit-ship, +and he knew his plan had worked, but the ordeal lay ahead. + +And at the end of it, he might really be a dead man. + + * * * * * + +Hours later, the last group of looters left the orbit-ship, and the +airlock to the Ranger clanged shut. Tom heard the sucking sound of the +air-tight seals, then silence. The orbit-ship was empty, its insides +gutted, its engines no longer operable. The Ranger hung like a long +splinter of silver alongside her hull, poised and ready to move on. + +He knew that the time had come. Very soon the blastoff and the +accelleration would begin. He had a few moments to find a position of +safety, no more. + +Quickly, he began scrambling toward the rear of the Ranger's hull, +hugging the metal sides, moving sideways like a crab. Ahead, he knew, +the viewscreen lenses would be active; if one of them picked him up, it +would be quite a jolt to the men inside the ship ... but it would be the +end of his free ride. + +But the major peril was the blastoff. Once the engines cut off, the ship +would be in free fall. Then he could cling easily to the hull, walk all +over it if he chose to, with the aid of his boots and hand-pads. But +unless he found a way to anchor himself firmly to the hull during +blastoff, he could be flung off like a pebble. + +He heard a whirring sound, and saw the magnetic mooring cables jerk. The +ship was preparing for blastoff. Automatic motors were drawing the +cables and grappling plates into the hull. Moving quickly, Tom reached +the rear cable. Here was his anchor, something to hold him tight to the +hull! With one hand he loosened the web belt of his suit, looped it over +a corner of the grappling plate as it pulled in to the hull. + +The plate pulled tight against the belt. Each plate fit into a shallow +excavation in the hull, fitting so tightly that the plates were all but +invisible when they were in place. Tom felt himself pulled in tightly as +the plate gripped the belt against the metal, and the whirring of the +motor stopped. + +For an instant it looked like the answer. The belt was wedged +tight ... he couldn't possibly pull loose without ripping the nylon +webbing of the belt. But a moment later the motor started whirring again. +The plate pushed out from the hull a few inches, then started back, again +pulling in the belt.... + +A good idea that just wouldn't work. The automatic machinery on a +spaceship was built to perfection; nothing could be permitted to +half-work. Tom realized what was happening. Unless the plate fit +perfectly in its place, the cable motor could not shut off, and +presently an alarm signal would start flashing on the control panel. + +He pulled the belt loose, reluctantly. He would have to count on his +boots and his hand-pads alone. + +He searched the rear hull, looking for some break in the polished metal +that might serve as a toehold. To the rear the fins flared out, +supported by heavy struts. He made his way back, crouching close to the +hull, and straddled one of the struts. He jammed his magnetic boots down +against the hull, and wrapped his arms around the strut with all his +strength. + +Clinging there, he waited. + +It wasn't a good position. The metal of the strut was polished and +slick, but it was better than trying to cling to the open hull. He +tensed now, not daring to relax for fear that the blastoff accelleration +would slam him when he was unprepared. + +Deep in the ship, the engines began to rumble. He felt it rather +than heard it, a low-pitched vibration that grew stronger and stronger. +The Ranger would not need a great thrust to move away from the +orbit-ship ... but if they were in a hurry, they might start out at +nearly Mars-escape.... + +The jets flared, and something slammed him down against the fin strut. +The Ranger moved out, its engines roaring, accellerating hard. Tom felt +as though he had been hit by a ton of rock. The strut seemed to press in +against his chest; he could not breathe. His hands were sliding, and he +felt the pull on his boots. He tightened his grip desperately. This was +it. He had to hang on, _had_ to hang on.... + +He saw his boot on the hull surface, sliding slowly, creeping back and +stretching his leg, suddenly it broke loose; he lurched to one side, and +the other boot began sliding. There was a terrible ache in his arms, as +though some malignant giant were tearing at him, trying to wrench him +loose as he fought for his hold. + +There was one black instant when he knew he could not hold on another +second. He could see the blue flame of the jet streaming behind him, the +cold blackness of space beyond that. It had been a fool's idea, he +thought in despair, a million-to-one shot that he had taken, and +lost.... + +And then the pressure stopped. His boots clanged down on the hull, and +he almost lost his hand-grip. He stretched an arm, shook himself, took a +great painful breath, and then clung to the strut, almost sobbing, +hardly daring to move. + +The ordeal was over. Somewhere, far ahead, an orbit-ship was waiting for +the Ranger to return. He would have to be ready for the braking thrust +and the side-maneuvering thrusts, but he would manage to hold on. +Crouching against the fin, he would be invisible to viewers on the +orbit-ship ... and who would be looking for a man clinging to the +outside of a scout-ship? + +Tom sighed, and waited. Jupiter Equilateral would have its prisoners, +all right. He wished now that he had not discarded the stunner, but +those extra pounds might have made the difference between life and death +during the blastoff. And at least he was not completely unarmed. He +still had Dad's revolver at his side. + +He smiled to himself. The pirates would have their prisoners, +indeed ... but they would have one factor to deal with that they +had not counted on. + + * * * * * + +For Greg it was a bitter, lonely trip. + +After ten hours they saw the huge Jupiter Equilateral orbit-ship looming +up in the viewscreen like a minor planet. Skilfully Doc maneuvered the +ship into the launching rack. The guards unstrapped the prisoners, and +handed them pressure suits. + +Moments later they were in a section in crews' quarters where they +stripped off their suits. This orbit-ship was much larger than Roger +Hunter's; the gravity was almost Mars-normal, and it was comforting just +to stretch and relax their cramped muscles. + +As long as they didn't think of what was ahead. + +Finally Johnny grinned and slapped Greg's shoulder. "Cheer up," he said. +"We'll be honored guests for a while, you can bet on that." + +"For a while," Greg said bitterly. + +Just then the hatchway opened. "Well, who do we have here?" a familiar +voice said. "Returning a call, you might say. And maybe this time you'll +be ready for a bit of bargaining." + +They turned to see the heavy face and angry eyes of Merrill Tawney. + + + + +8. The Scavengers of Space + + +The casual observer might have been fooled. Tawney's guard was down only +for an instant; then the expression of cold fury and determination on +his face dropped away as though the shutter of a camera had clicked, and +he was all smiles and affability. They were honored guests here, one +would have thought, and this pudgy agent of the Jupiter Equilateral +combine was their genial host, anxious for their welfare, eager to do +anything he could for their comfort.... + +They were amazed by the luxuriousness of the ship. For the next few +hours they received the best treatment, sumptuous accommodations, +excellent food. + +They were finishing their second cup of coffee when Tawney asked, +"Feeling better, gentlemen?" + +"You do things in a big way," Johnny said. "This is real coffee, made +from grounds. Must have cost a fortune to ship it out here." + +Tawney spread his hands. "We keep it for special occasions. Like when we +have special visitors." + +"Even when the visits aren't voluntary," Greg added sourly. + +"We have to be realistic," Tawney said. "Would you have come if we +invited you? Of course not. You gentlemen chose to come out to the Belt +in spite of my warnings. You thus made things very awkward for us, upset +certain of our plans." He looked at Greg. "We don't ordinarily allow +people to upset our plans, but now we find that we're forced to include +you in our plans, whether you happen to like the idea or not." + +"You're doing a lot of talking," Greg said. "Why don't you come to the +point?" + +Tawney was no longer smiling. "We happen to know that your father struck +a rich lode on one of his claims." + +"That's interesting," Greg said. "Did Dad tell you that?" + +"He didn't have to. A man can't keep a secret like that, not for very +long. Ask your friend here, if you don't believe me. And we make it our +business to know what's going on out here. We have to, in order to +survive." + +"Well, suppose you heard right. The law says that what a man finds on +his own claim is his." + +"Certainly," Tawney said. "Nobody would think of claim-jumping, these +days. But when a man happens to die before he can bring in his bonanza, +then it's a question of who gets there first, wouldn't you think?" + +"Not when the man is murdered," Greg said hotly, "not by a long shot." + +"But you can't prove that your father was murdered." + +"If I could, I wouldn't be here." + +"Then I think we'll stick to the law," Tawney said, "and call it an +accident." + +"And what about my brother? Was that an accident?" + +"Ah, yes, your brother." Tawney's eyes hardened. "Quite a different +matter, that. Sometimes Doc tends to be over-zealous in carrying out his +assigned duties. I can assure you that he has been ... disciplined." + +"That's not going to help Tom very much." + +"Unfortunately not," Tawney said. "Your brother made a very foolish +move, under the circumstances. But from a practical point of view, +perhaps it's not entirely a tragedy." + +"What do you mean by that?" + +"From what I've heard," Tawney said, "you didn't have much use for your +twin brother. And now you certainly won't have to share your father's +legacy...." + +It was too much. With a roar Greg swung at the little fat man. The blow +caught Tawney full in the jaw, jerked his head back. Greg threw his +shoulder into a hard left, slamming Tawney back against the wall. The +guard charged across the room, dragging them apart as Tawney blubbered +and tried to cover his face. Greg dug his elbow into the guard's +stomach, twisted away and started for Tawney again. Then Johnny caught +his arm and spun him around. "Stop it," he snapped. "Use your head, +boy...." + +Greg stopped, glaring at Tawney and gasping for breath. The company man +picked himself up, rubbing his hand across his mouth. For a moment he +trembled with rage. Then he gripped the table with one hand, forcibly +regaining his control. He even managed a sickly smile. "Just like your +father," he said, "too hot-headed for your own good. But we'll let it +pass. I brought you here to make you an offer, a very generous offer, +and I'll still make it. I'm a businessman, when I want something I want +I bargain for it. If I have to share a profit to get it, I share the +profit. All right ... you know where your father's strike is. We want +it. We can't find it, so you've got us over a barrel. We're ready to +bargain." + +Greg started forward. "I wouldn't bargain with you for...." + +"Shut up, Greg," Johnny said. + +Greg stared at him. The big miner's voice had cracked like a whip; now +he was drawing Merrill Tawney aside, speaking rapidly into his ear. +Tawney listened, shot a venomous glance across at Greg, and finally +nodded. "All right," he said, "but I can't wait forever...." + +"You won't have to." + +Tawney turned to the guard. "You have your orders," he said. "They're to +have these quarters, and the freedom of the ship, except for the outer +level. They're not to be harmed, and they're not to be out of your sight +except when they're locked in here. Is that clear?" + +The guard nodded. Tawney looked at Johnny, and started for the door, +still rubbing his jaw. "We'll talk again later," he said, and then he +was gone. + +When the guard had left, and the lock buzzed in the door, Johnny looked +at Greg and shook his head sadly. "You just about fixed things, boy, you +really did. You've got to use your head if you want to stay alive a +while, that's all. Look, there isn't going to be any bargaining with +Tawney, he just doesn't work that way. It's heads he wins, tails we +lose. Once he has what he wants we won't last six minutes. All right, +then there's just one thing that can keep us alive ... stalling him. +We've got to make him think you'll give in if he plays his cards right." + +Greg was silent for a minute. "I hadn't thought of it that way." + +"And we've got to use the time we have to find some way to break for +it." Johnny stood up, staring around the luxurious lounge. "If you want +my opinion, it's going to take some pretty fancy footwork to get out of +here with our skins." + + * * * * * + +True to his word, Tawney had given them the freedom of the ship. Greg +and Johnny discovered that their guard was also an excellent guide. All +day he had been leading them through the ship, chatting and answering +their questions about asteroid mining, until they almost forgot that +they were really prisoners here. And the guard's obvious pride in the +scope and skill of his company's mining operations was strangely +infectious. + +Watching the Jupiter Equilateral ship in operation, Greg felt his heart +sink. Here was a huge, powerful organization, with all the equipment and +men and know-how they could ever need. How could one man, or two or +three in a team, hope to compete with them? For the independent miner, +the only hope was the Big Strike, the single lode that could make him +rich. He might work all his life without finding it, and then stumble +upon it by sheer chance.... + +But if he couldn't keep it when he found it, then what? What if the +great mining company became so strong that they could be their own law +in the Belt? What if they grew strong enough and powerful enough to +challenge the United Nations on Mars itself, and gain control of the +entire mining industry? What chance would the independent miner have +then? + +It was a frightening picture. Suddenly something began to make sense to +Greg; he realized something about his father that he had never known +before. + +Roger Hunter had been a miner, yes. But he had been something else too, +something far more important than just a miner. + +Roger Hunter had been a fighter, fighting to the end for something he +believed in.... + +Tawney interrupted Greg's thought. + +"Quite an operation," he said. + +Greg looked at him. "So I see." + +"And very efficient, too. Our men have everything they need to work +with. We can mine at far less cost than anyone else." + +"But you still can't stand the idea of independent miners working the +Belt," Greg said. + +Tawney's eyebrows went up. "But why not? There's lots of room out here. +Our operation with Jupiter Equilateral is no different from an +independent miner's operation. We aren't different kinds of people." +Tawney smiled. "When you get right down to it, we're both exactly the +same thing ... scavengers in space, vultures picking over the dead +remains to see what we can find. We come out to the asteroids, and we +bring back what we want and leave the rest behind. And it doesn't matter +whether we've got one ship working or four hundred ... we're still just +scavengers." + +"With just one difference," Greg said, turning away from the viewscreen. + +"Difference?" + +Greg nodded. "Even vultures don't kill their own," he said. + + * * * * * + +Later, when they were alone in their quarters again, Greg and Johnny +stared at each other gloomily. + +"Didn't you see _anything_ that might help us?" Greg said. + +"Not much. For an orbit-ship, this place is a fortress. I got a good +look at that scout ship coming in ... it was armed to the teeth. +Probably they all are. And they're keeping a guard now at every +airlock." + +"So we're sewed up tight," Greg said. + +"Looks that way. They've got us, boy, and I think Tawney's patience is +wearing thin, too. We're either going to have to produce or else." + +"But what can we do?" + +"Start bluffing." + +"It seems to me we're just about bluffed out." + +"I mean talk business," Johnny said. "Tell Tawney what he wants to +know." + +"When we don't know any more than he does? How?" + +Johnny Coombs scratched his jaw. "I've been thinking about that," he +said slowly, "and I wonder if we don't know a whole lot more than we +think we do." + +"Like what?" Greg said. + +"We've all been looking for the same thing ... a Big Strike, a bonanza +lode. Tawney's men have raked over every one of your Dad's claims, and +they haven't turned up a thing." Johnny looked at Greg. "Makes you +wonder a little, doesn't it? Your Dad was smart, but he was no magician. +And how does a man go about hiding something like a vein of ore?" + +"I don't know," Greg said. "It doesn't seem possible." + +"It isn't possible," Johnny said flatly. "There's only one possible +explanation, and we've been missing it all along. Whatever he found, _it +wasn't an ore strike_. It was something else, something far different +from anything we've been thinking of." + +Greg stared at him. "But if it wasn't an ore strike, what was it?" + +"I don't know," Johnny said. "But I'm sure of one thing ... it was +something important enough that he was ready to die before he'd reveal +it. And that means it was important enough that Tawney won't dare kill +us until he finds out what it was." + + + + +9. The Invisible Man + + +Crouching back into the shadow, Tom Hunter waited as the heavy footsteps +moved up the corridor, then back down, then up and down again. He peered +around the corner for a moment, looking quickly up and down the curving +corridor. The guard was twenty yards away, moving toward him in a slow +measured pace. Tom jerked his head back, then peered out again as the +footsteps receded. + +The guard was a big man, with a heavy-duty stunner resting in the crook +of his elbow. He paused, scratched himself, and resumed his pacing. Tom +waited, hoping that something might distract the big man, but he moved +stolidly back and forth, not too alert, but far too alert to risk +breaking out into the main corridor. + +Tom moved back into the darkened corridor where he was standing, trying +to decide what to do. It was a side corridor, and a blind alley; it +ended in a large hatchway marked HYDROPONICS, and there were no +branching corridors. If he were discovered here, there would be no place +to hide. + +But he knew that he could never hope to accomplish his purpose here.... + +A hatch clanged open, and there were more footsteps down the main +corridor as a change of guards hurried by. There was a rumble of voices, +and Tom listened to catch the words. + +"... don't care what you think, the boss says tighten it up...." + +"But they got them locked in...." + +"So tell it to the boss. We're supposed to check every compartment in +the section every hour. Now get moving...." + +The footsteps moved up and down the corridor then, and Tom heard hatches +clanging open. If they sent a light down this spur ... he turned to the +hatch, spun the big wheel on the door, and slipped inside just as the +footsteps came closer. + +The stench inside was almost overpowering. The big, darkened room was +extremely warm, the air damp with vapor. The plastic-coated walls +streamed with moisture. Against the walls Tom could see the great +hydroponic vats that held the yeast and algae cultures that fed the crew +of the ship. Water was splashing in one of the vats, and there was a +gurgling sound as nutrient broth drained out, to be replaced with +fresh. + +He moved swiftly across the compartment, into a darkened area behind the +rows of vats, and crouched down. He heard footsteps, and the ring of +metal as the hatchway came open. One of the guards walked in, peered +into the gloom, wrinkled his nose, and walked out again, closing the +hatchway behind him. + +It would do for a while ... if he didn't suffocate ... but if this ship +was organized like smaller ones, it would be a blind alley. Modern +hydroponic tanks did not require much servicing, once the cultures were +growing; the broth was drained automatically and sluiced through a +series of pipes to the rendering plant where the yeasts could be +flavored and pressed into surrogate steaks and other items for spaceship +cuisine. There would be no other entrances, no way to leave except the +way he had come in. + +And with the guards on duty, that was out of the question. He waited, +listening, as the check-down continued in nearby compartments. Then +silence fell again. The heavy yeast aroma had grown more and more +oppressive; now suddenly a fan went on with a whir, and a cool draft of +freshened reprocessed air poured down from the ventilator shaft above +his head. + +Getting into the orbit-ship had been easier than he had hoped. In the +excitement as the new prisoners were brought aboard, security measures +had been lax. No one had expected a third visitor; in consequence, no +one looked for one. Huge as it was, the Jupiter Equilateral ship had +never been planned as a prison, and it had taken time to stake out the +guards in a security system that was at all effective. In addition, +every man who served as a guard had been taken from duty somewhere else +on the ship. + +So there had been no guard at the airlock in the first few moments after +the prisoners were taken off the Ranger ship. Tom had waited until the +ship was moored, clinging to the fin strut. He watched Greg and Johnny +taken through the lock, and soon the last of the crew had crossed over +after securing the ship. Presently the orbit-ship airlock had gone dark, +and only then had he ventured from his place of concealment, creeping +along the dark hull of the Ranger ship and leaping across to the +airlock. + +A momentary risk, then, as he opened the lock. In the control room, he +knew, a signal light would blink on a panel as the lock was opened. Tom +moved as quickly as he could, hoping that in the excitement of the new +visitors, the signal would go unnoticed ... or if spotted, that the +spotter would assume it was only a crewman making a final trip across to +the Ranger ship. + +But once inside, he began to realize the magnitude of his problem. This +was not a tiny independent orbit-ship with a few corridors and +compartments. This was a huge ship, a vast complex of corridors and +compartments and holds. There was probably a crew of a thousand men on +this ship ... and there was no sign where Greg and Johnny might have +been taken. + +He moved forward, trying to keep to side corridors and darkened areas. +In the airlock he had wrapped up his pressure suit and stored it on a +rack; no one would notice it there, and it might be handy later. He had +strapped his father's gun case to his side, some comfort, but a small +one. + +Now, crouching behind the yeast vat, he lifted out the gun, hefted it +idly in his hand. It was a weapon, at least. He was not well acquainted +with guns, and in the shadowy light it seemed to him that this one +looked odd for a revolver; it even felt wrong, out of balance in his +hand. He slipped it back in the case. After all, it had been fitted to +Dad's hand, not his. And Johnny or Greg would know how to use it better +than he would. + +If he could find them. But to do that, he would have to search the ship. +He would have to move about, he couldn't just wait in a storage hold. +And with all the guards that were posted, he would certainly stumble +into one of them sooner or later if he tried leaving this spot.... + +He shook his head, and started for the hatch. He would have to chance +it. There was no way to tell how much time he had, but it was a sure bet +that he didn't have very long. + +In the spur corridor again, he waited until the guard's footsteps were +muffled and distant. Then he darted out into the main corridor, moving +swiftly and silently away from the guard. At the first hatchway he +ducked inside, waited in the darkness, panting.... + +The guard had stopped walking. Then his footsteps resumed, but more +quickly, coming down the corridor. He stopped, almost outside the +hatchway door. "Funny," Tom heard him mutter. "I'd have sworn...." + +Tom held his breath, waiting. This was a storage hold, but he didn't +dare to move, even to take cover. The guard stood motionless for a +moment, then grunted, and resumed his slow pacing. + +When he had moved away Tom caught his breath in huge gasps, his heart +beating in his throat. It was no use, he thought in despair. Once or +twice he might get away with it, but sooner or later a guard would be +alert enough to investigate an obscure noise, a flicker of movement in +the corner of his eye.... + +There had to be another way. His eye probed the storage hold, +hopelessly, and then stopped on a metal grill in the wall. + +For a moment, he didn't recognize what it was. Then there was a +_whoosh-whoosh-whoosh_ as a fan went on, and he felt cool air against +his cheek. He held out his hand to the grill, found the air coming from +there. + +A ventilation shaft. Every space craft had to have reconditioning units +for the air inside the ship; the men inside needed a constant supply of +fresh oxygen, but even more, without pumps to move the air in each +compartment they would soon suffocate from the accumulation of carbon +dioxide in the air they breathed out, or bake from the heat their bodies +radiated. On the other hand, the yeasts and algae required carbon +dioxide and yielded copious amounts of oxygen as they grew. + +In Roger Hunter's little orbit-ship the ventilation shafts were small, a +loose network of foot-square ducts leading from the central pumps and +air-reconditioning units to every compartment in the ship. But in a ship +of this size.... + +The grill was over a yard wide, four feet tall. It started about +shoulder height and ran up to the overhead. The ducts would network the +ship, opening into every compartment, and no one would ever open them +unless something went wrong. + +And then he was laughing out loud, working the grill out of the slots +that held it to the wall, trying to make his hands work in his +excitement. + +He knew he had found his answer. + +The grill came loose, lifted down in a piece. He stopped short as +footsteps approached in the corridor, paused, and went on. Then he +peered into the black gaping hole behind the grill. It was big enough +for a man to crawl in. He shinned up into the hole, and pulled the grill +back into its slot behind him. + +Somewhere far away he heard a throbbing of giant pumps. There was a rush +of cool fresh air past his cheek, cold when it contacted the sweat +pouring down his forehead. He could not quite stand up, but there was +plenty of room for him to crouch and move. + +Ahead of him was a black tunnel, broken only by a patch of light coming +through the grill that opened into the next compartment. He started into +the blackness, his heart racing. + +Somewhere in the ship Johnny Coombs and Greg Hunter were +prisoners ... but now, Tom knew, there was a way to escape. + + * * * * * + +It was a completely different world, a world within a world, a world of +darkness and silence, of a thousand curving and intersecting tunnels, +some large, some small. For hours it seemed to him that he had been +wandering through a tomb, moving through the corridors of a dead ship, +the lone surviving crewman. There was some contact with the other world, +of course, the world of the spaceship outside ... each compartment had +its metal grill, and he passed many of them. But there were like doors +that only he knew existed. He met no one in _these_ corridors, there was +no danger of sudden discovery and arrest in these dark alleys.... + +His boots had made too much noise as he started out, so he had slipped +them off, hanging them from his belt and moving on in his stocking feet. +As he went from duct to duct, he had an almost ridiculous feeling of +freedom and power. In every sense, he was an invisible man. Not one soul +on this great ship knew he was here, or even suspected. He had the run +of the ship, complete freedom to go wherever he chose. He could move +from compartment to compartment as silently and invisibly as if he had +no substance at all. + + * * * * * + +He knew the first job was to learn the pattern of the ducts, and +orientation was a problem. He had heard stories of men getting lost in +the deep underground mining tunnels on Mars, wandering in circles for +days until their food gave out and they starved. And there was that +hazard here, for every duct looked like every other one. + +But there was a difference here, because the ducts curved just as the +main ship's corridors did. He could always identify the center of the +ship by the force of false gravity pulling the other way. Furthermore, +as the ducts drew closer to the pumps and reconditioning units, they +opened into larger vents, and the noise of the pumps thundered in his +ears. After an hour of exploration, Tom was certain that from any place +in the ship he could at least find his way to the outer layer, and from +there to one of the scout-ship airlocks. + +Finding Greg and Johnny was quite a different matter. + +He could not see enough through the compartment grills to identify just +what the compartments were; he was forced to rely on what he could hear. +The engine rooms were easily identified. In one area he heard the +banging of pots and pans, the steaming of kettles ... obviously the +galley. He found the control area. He could hear the clatter of typing +instruments, the _click-click-click_ of the computers working out the +orbits and trajectories for the scout-ships as they moved out from the +orbit-ship or came back in. In another compartment he heard a dispatcher +chattering his own special code-language into a microphone in a +low-pitched voice. He passed another grill, and then stopped short as a +familiar voice drifted through. + +Merrill Tawney's voice. + +Tom hugged the grill, straining to catch the words. The company man +sounded angry; the man he was talking to sounded even angrier. "I can't +help what you want or don't want, Merrill, I can only report what we've +found, and that's nothing at all. Every one of those claims has been +searched twice over. Doc and his boys went over them, and we didn't find +anything they missed. I think you're barking up the wrong tree." + +"There's _got_ to be something," Tawney said, his voice tight with +anger. "Hunter couldn't have taken anything away from there, he didn't +have a chance to. You read the reports..." + +"I know," the other said wearily, "I know what the reports said." + +"Then what he found is still there. There's no other possibility," +Tawney said. + +"We went over that rock with a microscope. We blew it to shreds. Assay +has gone through the fragments literally piece by piece. They found low +grade iron, a trace of nickel, a little tin, and lots of granite. If we +never found anything richer than that, we'd have been out of business +ten years ago." + +There was a long silence. Tom pressed closer to the grill. Then he heard +Tawney slam his fist into his palm. "You know what Roger Hunter's doing, +don't you?" he said. "He's making fools of us, that's what! The man's +dead, and he's making us look like idiots. If we hadn't been so sure we +had the lode spotted ..." He broke off. "Well, that's done, we can't +undo it. But this brat of his...." + +"Any luck there?" + +"Not a word. He's playing coy." + +"Maybe he doesn't know anything. Doc made a bad mistake when he blasted +the other one ... suppose _he_ was the only one that knew." + +"All right, it was a mistake," Tawney snapped. "What was he supposed to +do, let him get back to Mars? We've got a good front there, but it's not +that good. If the United Nations gets a toehold out here, the whole Belt +will go into their pocket, you realize that. They're waiting for us to +make one slip." He paused, and Tom heard him pacing the compartment. +"But I think we've got our boy. This one knows. We've been spoiling him +so far, that's all. Well, now we start digging. When I get through with +him, he'll be begging us to let him tell. You just watch me, as soon as +the okay comes through...." + +Tom drew back from the grill, moving on in the darkness. So far he had +not rushed his exploration ... there was a chance to use the ducts for +escape, he wanted to know them well. But now he knew the hour was +getting late. So far Greg and Johnny had been stalling Tawney ... but +Tawney was getting impatient. + +He moved quickly and he thought again of what Tawney had said. Tawney +was right about one thing ... there was no way that Dad could have +hidden a Big Strike so nobody could find it. It had to be there.... + +And yet it wasn't. He and Greg hadn't found it. Tawney's men hadn't +found it, either. Why not? There must be a reason. + +But he could not put his finger on it. + +Half an hour later he was seriously worried. Half the compartments in +the area were deserted, the men leaving for the cafeteria. The thought +reminded Tom how hungry he was, and thirsty. His small emergency ration +kit was empty. He toyed with the thought of sneaking into a food storage +compartment, then thrust it out of his mind as too risky. He had to find +Greg and Johnny before anything. + +He passed a grill, and heard a murmur of voices; something in the deep +bass rumble caught his ear, and he stopped, listened. + +The voices stopped also. + +He waited for them to begin, pressing against the grill. Johnny Coombs +was not the only man with a deep bass voice, he might have been +mistaken. He listened, but there was no sound. He heard the whir of a +fan begin, still no sound, not even footsteps. + +And then it happened, so fast he was taken completely off guard. The +grill suddenly gave way, pitching him forward into the compartment. +Something struck him behind the ear as he fell; there was a grunt, a +sharp command, and he was pinned to the floor in the semi-darkness of +the compartment. + +Then he heard a gasp, and he opened his eyes. He was staring into his +brother's startled face. Greg was pinning his shoulders to the carpeted +deck, and behind him Johnny Coombs had a fist raised.... + +But they had stopped in mid-air, like a tableau of puppets. Greg gaped, +his jaw falling open, and Tom heard himself saying, "What are you trying +to do, kill a guy? Seems to me one time is enough." + +He had found them. + + + + +10. The Trigger + + +In the first instance of astonishment they were speechless. Later, Tom +said it was the first time in his life that he had ever seen Greg +totally without words; his brother jumped back, as if he had seen a +ghost, and his mouth worked, but no sounds came out. + +"Don't worry, it's me all right," Tom said, "and I'm mighty hungry." + +Greg and Johnny stared at the black hole behind the grill ... and then +Greg was pumelling him, pounding him on the back, so excited he couldn't +get a sentence out, and Johnny was hovering over them, incredulous but +forced to believe his eyes, like a father overwhelmed by the impossible +behavior of a pair of unpredictable children. It was a jubilant reunion. +They broke open the cabinets and refrigerator in the back of the lounge +and pulled out surro-ham and rolls, while Johnny got some coffee going. +Tom was so famished he could hardly wait to make sandwiches of the ham. +He ate it as fast as he got it. + +But finally he slowed up, got his mouth empty enough to talk. "All +right, let's have the story," Greg said, still looking as though he +couldn't believe his eyes. "The last we saw, you were blown into atoms +out there in that _Scavenger_ ... you've got some nerve turning up now +and scaring us half out of our skins...." + +"You want me to go back in my hole?" + +"Just sit still and talk!" + +Tom told them, then, starting from the beginning. + +Through it all Greg stared in admiration. "We've got a genius among us, +that's all," he said finally. "And I always thought you were the timid +one...." + +"But what else could I do?" Tom said. "You know what they say about +grabbing a tiger by the tail ... once you get hold, you've got to hold +on." + +"Okay," Greg said, "but the next time I make a crack about your retiring +nature, remind me to stick my foot in my mouth." + +"I'll do it for him," Johnny Coombs rumbled. + +Tom nodded toward the open grill. "The only thing I don't see is how you +knew I was back there." + +Johnny grinned. "We were busy taking down the grill when you came +along. We'd found three microphones in this place, and figured they +might have one behind the grill. And then we heard somebody breathing +back there ... we thought they'd posted a guard back there, just to snoop +us." + +"Well, I'm glad you didn't hit him any harder...." + +Johnny started to say something, then stopped, cocked his head toward +the door. There were footsteps in the corridor outside; they came +closer, stopped by the door. "Quick," Johnny hissed, "back inside!" + +There was no time to look for other concealment. Tom leaped across the +room, jumped up into the shaft again, and Greg slammed the grate up into +place just as the hatchway door swung open. + +Merrill Tawney walked into the room, with two burly guards behind him. + + * * * * * + +For the first few seconds, Greg was certain that they were lost. He +stood with his back to the ventilator grill, frozen in his tracks as the +fat little company man came in the room. He tried to keep his face +blank, but he knew he wasn't succeeding. He saw the puzzled frown form +on Tawney's face. + +The company man motioned the guards into the room, peered suspiciously +at Greg and Johnny. "Am I interrupting something, by any chance?" + +"Nothing at all," Johnny blurted. "We were just talking." + +"Talking." Tawney repeated the word as if it were some strange language +he didn't quite understand. He looked at the guard. "Let's just check +them." + +While one guard patted down their clothes, the other withdrew a stunner, +held it on ready. Tawney prowled the lounge. He glanced at the food on +the table, then reached under the chair cushion and withdrew the +disconnected microphone, looked at the loose wires, and tossed it aside. + +"They're clean," the guard said. + +Tawney's face was a study of uneasiness, but he clearly could not +pinpoint what the trouble was. Finally he shrugged, turned on the smile +again, although his eyes remained watchful. "Well, maybe you won't mind +if I join in the talking for a while," he said. "You've been +comfortable? No complaints?" + +"No complaints," Greg said. + +"Then I presume we're ready to talk business." He looked at Greg. + +"You said you were ready to bargain," Greg said, "but I haven't heard +any terms yet." + +"Terms? Very simple. You direct us to the lode, we give you half of +everything we realize from it," Tawney said, smiling. + +"You mean you'll write us a contract? With a U.N. witness to it?" + +"Well, hardly ... under the circumstances. I'm afraid you'll have to +take our word." + +Greg looked at the company man, and shook his head. "Not that I don't +trust you," he said, "but I'm afraid I can't give you what you want," +Greg said. + +"Why not?" + +"Because I don't know where Dad made his strike." + +The company man's face darkened. "Somebody knows where it is. Your +father would never have found something like that without telling his +own sons...." + +"Sorry," Greg said. "Of course, I can tell you where you can find out, +if you want to go look." + +"We've already searched his records...." + +"_Some_ of his records," Greg said. "Not all of them. There was a +compartment behind the main control panel in Dad's orbit-ship. Dad used +it to store deeds, claims, other important papers. There was a packet of +notes in there before your men fired on the ship. But of course, maybe +you searched more thoroughly, the second time." + +Tawney stared at him for a moment, then at Johnny. Johnny Coombs +shrugged his shoulders solemnly, and shook his head. Without a word, the +little company man walked to the intercom speaker on the wall. He spoke +sharply into it, waited, then had a brief, pungent conversation with +someone. Then he turned back to Greg, his face heavy with suspicion. +"You saw these papers?" + +"Certainly I saw them. I didn't have time to read them through, but what +else could they be?" + +"Let me warn you," Tawney said coldly, "if I send a crew out there on a +wild goose chase, the party will be over when they get back, do you +understand? You've been given every consideration. If this is a fool's +errand, you'll pay for it very dearly." He turned on his heel, snarled +at one of the guards. "I want them watched every minute," he said. "One +of you stay with them constantly. It won't take long to find out if this +is a stall...." + +He stalked out, and the hatchway clanged behind him. One guard went +along; the big one with the stunner stayed behind, eyeing his prisoners +unpleasantly. The stunner was in his hand, the safety off. + +Johnny Coombs started across the room toward the kitchennette, passing +close to the guard. Suddenly he turned, swung his fist heavily down on +the guard's neck. The stunner crackled, but Greg had jumped aside. +Another blow from Johnny's fist sent the gun flying. Another blow, and +the guard's legs slid out from under him. He fell unconscious to the +floor. + +In an instant they were across the room, lifting down the grill, helping +Tom out of his hiding place. "Okay, boy," Johnny said to Greg, "I guess +you pulled the trigger with that story of yours." + +"Not me," Greg said. "Tom did. He's the one that showed us the way +out ... the same way he came in." + + * * * * * + +The guard was out for a while, they made sure of that first. Then there +was a hasty consultation. "The airlocks are guarded," Johnny said, "and +if they tumble to the ventilator shafts, they can smoke us out in no +time. How are we going to get a scout-ship without showing ourselves? +For that matter, how are we going to get a scout-ship away from here +without being blown up the way the _Scavenger_ was blown up?" + +"I think I know a way," Tom said. "We have to have something to keep a +lot of the crew busy. If we could get to the ship's generators and put +them out of commission somehow, it might do it." + +"Why?" Greg wanted to know. + +"Because of the air supply," Tom said. "Without the generators, the fans +won't run. They'll have to get a crew to fix them or they'll suffocate." + +"But that would only take a few men," Johnny said. "As soon as +the generators went out, they'd look for us, and if we were +missing ... well, they'd have the whole crew beating the bushes for us. +It wouldn't be long before somebody thought of the ventilators." + +"But we've got to do something, and do it fast," Tom said. + +"I know." Johnny chewed his lip. "It's a good idea, but we need more +than just the generators. We've got to disable the ship ... throw so +many things at them so fast from so many different directions that they +don't know which way to turn. That means we'd need to split up, and we'd +need weapons." He hefted the guard's Markheim. "One stunner between +three of us isn't enough." + +"Well, we have this." Tom unbuckled Roger Hunter's gun case from his +belt. "Dad's revolver. It's not a stunner, but it might help." He tossed +the case to Johnny. "I can give you both a rundown on how the shafts go. +We could plan to meet at a certain spot in a certain length of time...." + +He broke off, looking at Johnny. The big miner had taken Roger Hunter's +gun from the case, and hefted it in his hand, started to check it +automatically as Tom talked. But now his hand froze as he stared at the +weapon. + +"What's wrong?" Tom asked. + +"This gun is wrong," Johnny said. "All wrong. Where did you get this +thing?" + +"From Dad's spacer pack, the one the Patrol brought back. The Major gave +it to us in Sun Lake City." Tom peered at the gun. "Is it broken or +something? It's just Dad's revolver...." + +"It is, eh?" Johnny turned the gun over in his hand. "Whoever told you +about guns?" + +"What's wrong with it?" + +There was an odd expression on Johnny's face as he handed the weapon +back to Tom. "Take a look at it," he said. "Tell me whether it's loaded +or not." + +Tom looked at it. Except for a few hours on the firing range, he had had +no experience with guns; he couldn't have taken down a Markheim and +reassembled it if his life depended on it. But he had seen his father +take the old revolver out of the leather case many times before. + +Now Tom could see that this was not the same gun. + +The thing in his hand was large and awkward. The hand-grips didn't fit; +there was no trigger guard, and no trigger. Several inches along the +gleaming metal barrel was a shiny stud, and below it a dial with notches +on it. + +"That's funny," Tom said. "I've never seen this thing before." + +Greg took it from him, balanced it in his hand. "Doesn't feel right," he +said. "All out of balance." + +"Look at the barrel," Johnny said quietly. + +Greg looked. There was no hole in the end of the barrel. "This thing's +crazy," he said. + +"And then some," Johnny said. "You haven't had this out of the case +since you took it from the pack?" + +"Just once," said Tom. "And I put it right back. I hardly looked at it. +Look, maybe it's just a new model Dad got." + +"It's no new model. I'm not even sure it's a gun," Johnny said. "Doesn't +_feel_ like a gun." + +"What happens when you push the stud here?" Greg asked. + +Johnny licked his lips nervously. "Try it," he said. + +Greg leveled the thing at the rear wall of the lounge and pressed the +stud. There was a sharp buzzing sound, and a blinding flash of blue +light against the wall. It looked for all the world like the flash of a +live power line shorting out. They squinted at the flash, rubbed their +eyes.... + +And stared at the wall. Or at what was left of the wall, because most of +the wall was gone. The metal had bellied out in a six-foot hole into the +storage hold beyond.... + +Johnny Coombs whistled. "This thing did _that_?" he whispered. + +"It must have...." + +"But there's no gun ever made that could do that." He walked over to the +hole in the wall. "That's half-inch steel plate. There's no way to pack +that kind of energy into a hand gun." + +They stared at the innocent-looking weapon in Greg's hand. "Whatever it +is, Dad must have put it in the gun-case." + +"Yes, he must have," Johnny said. + +"Well, don't you see what that means? _Dad must have found it +somewhere_. Somewhere out here in the Belt ... a gun that no man could +have made...." + +He took the weapon, ran his finger along the gleaming barrel. "I +wonder," he said, "what else Dad might have found out there." + + * * * * * + +Somewhere below them they heard a hatch clang shut, and even deeper in +the ship generator motors began throbbing in a steady even rhythm. In +the silence of the lounge they could hear their own breathing, and +outside a thousand tiny sounds of the ship's activity were audible. + +But now they had attention only for the odd-shaped piece of metal in +Greg's hand, and for the hole that gaped in the wall. + +"You think that _this_ was what Dad found?" Greg said. "The Big Strike +he told Johnny about?" + +"It must be part of it," Tom said. + +"But what is it? And where did it come from? It doesn't make sense," +Greg protested. + +"It doesn't make sense the way we've been looking at it," Tom said. "All +we've found was some gobbledegook in Dad's private log to tell us what +he found ... but it couldn't have been a vein of ore, or Tawney's men +would have unearthed it. It had to be something else. Something that was +so big and important that Dad didn't even dare let Johnny in on it." + +"Yes, that's been the craziest part of it, to me," Johnny said. "I've +done a lot of mining with your Dad. If he'd hit rich ore, he would have +taken me out there to mine it with him. But he didn't. He said it was +something he had to work on alone for a while, and he sent me back." + +"As if he'd found something that scared him," Tom said, "or something +that he didn't understand. He was _afraid_ to tell anybody. And whatever +he found, he managed to hide it somewhere, so that nobody would find +it...." + +"Then why didn't he hide this part of it, too?" Greg said. + +"Maybe to be sure there was some trace left, if anything happened to +him," Tom said. + +They were silent for a moment. The only sound was the stertorous +breathing of the unconscious guard. "Well," Greg said finally, "I have +to admit it makes sense. It makes other things add up better, too. Dad +was no fool, he must have known that Tawney was onto something. And Dad +would never have risked his life for an ore strike. He'd either have +made a deal with Tawney or let him hijack the lode, if that was all +there was to it. But there's still one big question ... where did he +hide what he found? And we aren't going to find the answer here." He +walked over to the hole in the wall. + +"Made quite a mess of it, didn't it?" Johnny said. + +"Looks like it. I wonder what that thing would do to a ship's generator +plant." He turned to Johnny. "We haven't much time. With this thing, we +could tear this ship apart, leave them so confused they'll never know +what broke loose. And if we could get that gun back to Major Briarton, +he'd have to listen to us, and get the U.N. Patrol into the search...." + +They had been so intent on their talking that they did not hear the +footsteps in the corridor until the door swung open. It was another +guard, the one who had departed with Tawney. He stopped short, blinking +at his companion on the floor, and then at the gaping hole in the wall. +When he saw the twins, side by side, his jaw sagged and a strangled +sound came from his throat. + +Then Johnny grabbed his arm, jerked him into the lounge, and slammed the +hatch shut. Greg pulled the stunner from his holster and tossed it to +Tom. The guard let out a roar, twisted free, and met Johnny's fist as he +came around. He sagged at the knees and slid to the floor beside the +other guard. "All right," Johnny said, "we've dealt the cards, now we'd +better play the hand. Tom, you first." + +Tom pulled the ventilator grill down, and climbed up into the shaft. +Greg followed, with Johnny at his heels, pulling the grill back up into +place from the inside. They waited for a moment, but there was no sound +from the lounge. + +"All right," Johnny said breathlessly. "Let's move." + +Swiftly they started down the dark tunnel. + + + + +11. The Haunted Ship + + +They did not pause, even to catch their breath, for the first twenty +minutes as Tom led them swiftly and silently down through the maze of +corridors and chutes that made up the ventilation system of the huge +ship. Greg lost his bearing completely in the first twenty seconds; each +time his brother paused at a junction of tubes, he felt a wave of panic +rise up in his throat ... suppose they lost themselves in here! He heard +Johnny's trousers flapping behind him, saw Tom's figure flit past +another grill up ahead, and plunged doggedly on. + +It was amazingly hard to move quietly. Even in stocking feet they made a +soft thud with each footfall. + +But there was no sign of detection, no sound of alarm. Finally they came +out into a large shaft which allowed them to stand upright, and they +stopped to catch their breath. + +"Main tube to the living quarters," Tom said when they had caught up to +him. "Joins with the lower-level tube by a series of chutes. We've +actually been circumnavigating the ship ... I wanted to get as far away +from that lounge compartment as possible, in case they check up on you +right away." + +"We can't have much time," Johnny said. "That second guard must have +been coming to relieve the other, and when the first one doesn't report +back, they'll smell something fishy." + + * * * * * + +They talked it over for a moment. Johnny had been careful to leave the +hatchway into the corridor ajar before he climbed into the ventilator +shaft, and then he had pulled the shaft snugly into place behind him. +Anyone who came would find two unconscious guards, a burnt-out hole in +the wall, and the door unlocked. + +"We'll hope that he takes things at face value, and assumes we're at +large in the ship somewhere, for a while at least," Johnny said. "That +hole in the wall is going to set them back a couple of steps, too." + +"But they'll sound the alarm, at least," Tom said. + +"You bet they will! They'll have every man on the crew shaking down the +ship for us. But they may not think of the ventilators until they can't +find us anywhere else." + +"But sooner or later they're bound to think of it." + +"That's true," Johnny said. "Unless they keep seeing us in the ship. The +way I figure it, this crew has been on battle stations plenty of times. +They'll be able to search the whole ship in half an hour. We're just +going to have to show ourselves ... at least enough to keep them +searching." + +"Well, what if they do think of the ventilators?" Greg said. "They'd +still have a time finding us." + +"Maybe, but don't underestimate Tawney. He might just mask up his crew +and flood the tubes with cyanide." + +They thought about that for a minute. There was no sound here but their +own breathing, and the low chug-chug-chug of the pumps somewhere deep in +the ship. Momentarily they expected to hear the raucous clang of the +alarm bell, as some crew member or another walked into the lounge and +found them gone. But so far there was no sign they had been discovered +missing. "No," Johnny said finally, "if we just hide out in here, and +hope for a chance at one of the scout ships, they'll find us eventually. +But we've got three big advantages, if we can figure out how to use +them. That fancy gun, for one. A way to get around the ship, for +another ... and the fact that there's one more of us than they count on." +He flipped on his pocket flash, began drawing lines on the dusty floor of +the shaft. "My idea is to keep them so busy fighting little fires that +they won't have a chance to worry about where the big one is." + +He drew a rough outline-sketch of the organization of the ship. "This +look right to you, from what you've seen?" he asked Tom. + +"Pretty much," Tom said. "There are more connecting tubes." + +"All the better. We want to get the generators with our little toy here +first. That'll darken the ship, and put the blowers out of commission in +case they think of using gas. Also, it will cut out their computers and +missile-launching rigs, which might give us a chance to get a scout-ship +away in one piece if we could get aboard one." + +"All right, the generators are first," Tom said. "But then what? There +are four hundred men on this ship. They'll have every airlock triple +guarded. They'll block us for sure." + +"Not when we get through, they won't," Johnny grinned. "We've got an old +friend aboard who's going to help us." + +"_Friend?_" + +"Ever hear of panic?" Johnny said. "Just listen a minute." + +Quickly then, he outlined his plan. Tom and Greg listened, watched +Johnny make marks with his finger in the dust. When he finished, Greg +whistled softly. "You missed your life work," he said. "You should have +gone into crime." + +"If I'd had a ghost to help me, I might have," Johnny said. + +"It's perfect," Tom said, "if it works. But it all depends on one +thing ... keeping it rolling after we start...." + +For another five minutes they went over the details. Then Johnny clapped +them each on the shoulder. "It's up to you two," he said. "Let's go." + +They moved down the large shaft to the place where it broke into several +spurs. Johnny started down the chute toward the engine rooms; Tom and +Greg headed in opposite directions toward the main body of the ship. +Just as they broke up, they heard a muffled metallic sound from the +nearest compartment grill. + +It was the _clang-clang-clang_ of the orbit-ship's general alarm. + + * * * * * + +Crewmen stopped with food halfway to their mouths, jerked away from +tables. Orders buzzed along a dozen wires, and section chiefs began +reporting their battle-stations alert and ready. Finally Tawney snapped +on the general public address system speaker. "Now get this," he roared. +"I want every inch of this ship searched ... every corridor, every +compartment. I want a special crew standing by for missile launching. +I want double guards at every airlock. If they get a ship away from +here, the man who lets them through had better be dead when I find +him...." He broke off, clutching the speaker until his voice was under +control again. "All right, move. They're armed, but there's no place they +can go. Find them." + +A section-chief came back over the speaker. "Dead or alive, boss?" + +"Alive, you idiot! At least the Hunter brat. I'll take the other one any +way you can get him." + +He switched off, and waited, pacing the control cabin like a caged +animal. Ten minutes later a buzzer sounded. "Hydroponics, boss. All +clear." + +"No sign of them?" + +"Nothing." + +Another buzz. "Number seven ore hold. Nothing here." + +Still another buzz. "Crew's quarters. Nothing, boss." + +One by one the reports came in. Fuming, Tawney checked off the sections, +watched the net draw tighter throughout the ship. They were somewhere, +they _had_ to be.... + +But nobody seemed to find them. + +He was buzzing for his first mate when the power went off. The lights +went out, the speaker went dead in his hand. The computers sighed +contentedly and stopped computing. Abruptly the emergency circuits went +into operation, flooding the darkness with harsh white lights. The +intercom started buzzing again. + +"Engine room, boss." + +"What happened down there?" Tawney roared. + +The man sounded like he'd just run the mile. "Generators," he panted. +"Blown out." + +"Well, get somebody in there to fix them. Have a crew seal off the +area...." + +"Can't, boss. Fix them, I mean." + +"Why not? What have we got electricians for?" + +"There's nothing left to fix. The generators aren't wrecked ... they're +demolished...." + +"Then get the pair that did it...." + +"They're not here. We've been sealed up tight. There's no way anybody +could have gotten in here...." + +After that, things began to get confusing. + + * * * * * + +For a while Merrill Tawney thought that his crew was going crazy ... and +then he began to wonder if he were the one who was losing his mind. + +Whatever the case, Merrill Tawney was certain of one thing. The things +that were happening on his orbit-ship could not possibly be happening. + +A guard in one of the outer shell storage holds called in with a +disquieting report. Greg Hunter, it seemed, had just been spotted +vanishing into one of the storage compartments from the main outer-shell +corridor. When the guard had broken through the jammed hatchway to +collar his trapped victim, there was no sign of the victim anywhere +around. + +At the same moment, a report came in from a guard on the opposite side +of the ship. He had just spotted Greg Hunter _there_, it seemed, moving +down a spur corridor. The guard had held his fire (according to Tawney's +orders) and summoned help to corner the quarry ... but when help +arrived, the quarry had vanished. + + * * * * * + +Five minutes later the Hunter boy was discovered in the Hydroponics +section, busily reducing all the yeast vats to shambles with a curious +weapon that seemed to eat holes in things. It ate the deck out from +under the guard's feet, sending him plunging through the floor into the +galley. By the time he had scrambled back again, the Hunter boy was +gone, and a rapid move to seal off the region failed to turn him up +again. The guard was upset; Tawney was a great deal more upset, because +at the time Greg Hunter was (reportedly) playing havoc with the +yeast-vats in Hydroponics he was also (reportedly) knocking guards down +like ten-pins in the main corridor off the engine room while +reinforcements tried to pin him down with a wide-beam stunner.... + +Quite suddenly emergency circuits closed and lights flashed in the +control cabin, the special signal for a meteor-collision with the outer +shell in No. 3 hold. Tawney signalled for the section chief frantically. +"What's happening down there?" + +"I can't talk," the section chief gasped. "Gotta get into a suit, we're +leaking in here...." + +"Well, plug up the hole!" + +"The hole's four feet wide, sir!" There was a fit of coughing and the +contact broke. The signals for No. 4 hold and No. 5 hold were flashing +now; while the crew members in the vicinity scrambled for pressure suits +someone systematically proceeded to blow holes in No. 9, No. 10 and No. +11 holds.... + +It was impossible. The reports came in thick and fast. Greg Hunter +was in two places at once, and everywhere he went ... in both +places ... there was a trail of unbelievable destruction. Bulkheads +demolished, gaping holes torn in the outer shell, the air-reconditioning +units smashed beyond repair.... Tawney buzzed for his first mate. + +An emergency switch cut into the line, with the frantic voice of a +section chief. Johnny Coombs had been spotted disappearing into the +ventilator shaft in the engine sector. "Well, go in after him!" Tawney +screamed. He got his first mate finally, and snarled orders into the +speaker. "They're in the ventilators. Get a crew in there and stop +them." + +But it was dark in the ventilator shafts. No emergency lights in there. +Worse, the crewmen were hearing the things that were being whispered +around the ship. The ventilator shafts yawned menacingly before them; +they went in reluctantly. Once in the dark maze of tunnels, +identification was difficult. Two guards met each other headlong in the +darkness, and put each other out of the fight in a flurry of nervous +stunner-fire. While they searched more of the holds were broken open, +leaking air through gaping rents in the hull.... + +Tawney felt the panic spreading; he tried to curb it, and it spread in +spite of him. The fugitives were appearing and disappearing like +wraiths. Reports back to control cabin took on a frantic note, confused +and garbled. Now the second-level bulkheads were being attacked. Over a +third of the compartments were leaking precious air into outer space. + +When a terrified section chief came through with a report that two Greg +Hunters had been spotted by the same man at the same time, and that the +guards in the sector were shooting at anything that moved, including +other guards, Tawney made his way to the radio cabin and put through a +frantic signal to Jupiter Equilateral headquarters on Mars. + +The contact took forever, even with the ship's powerful emergency +boosters. By the time someone at headquarters was reading him, Tawney's +report sounded confused. He was trying for the third time to explain, +clearly and logically, how two men and a ghost were scuttling his +orbit-ship under his very feet when one wall of the cabin vanished in a +crackle of blue fire, and he found himself staring at two Greg Hunters +and a grim-faced Johnny Coombs. + +He made squeaky noises into the microphone and dropped it with a crash. +He groped for a chair; Johnny jerked him to his feet again. "A +scout-ship," he said tersely. "Clear it for launching. We want one with +plenty of fuel, and we don't want a single guard anywhere near the +airlock." He picked up an intercom microphone and thrust it into the +little fat man's trembling hand. "Now move! And you'd better be sure +they understand you, because you're coming with us." + +Merrill Tawney stared first at Tom, then at Greg, and finally at the +microphone. Then he moved. The orders he gave to his section chiefs were +very clear and concise. + +He had never argued with a ghost before, and he didn't care to start +now. + + * * * * * + +It was over so quickly that it seemed to Tom it had just begun, and if +so much had not been at stake, it might have been fun. + +It had been the gun ... the remarkable gun that Roger Hunter had left as +his legacy ... that had been the key. It ate through steel and aluminum +alloy like putty. Whatever its power source, however it worked, by +whatever means it had been built, there had been no match for it on the +orbit-ship. + +It had _worked_ ... and that was all that mattered right then. + +With it, and with the advantage of a ghost that walked like a +man ... Tom Hunter, to be exact ... they had reduced the Jupiter +Equilateral orbit-ship to a smoking wreck in something less than thirty +minutes. + +The signal came back that a scout-ship was ready, unguarded. Johnny +prodded Tawney with the stunner. "You first," he said. + +"But where are you taking me?" + +"You'll see," Johnny said. + +"It was a trick," Tawney said, glaring at Tom. "They told me they shot +your ship to pieces...." + +"The ship, yes," Tom said. "Not me." + +"Well ... well, that's good, that's good," Tawney said quickly. He +turned to Greg. "You don't have to take me back ... the bargain is still +good...." + +"Move," Johnny Coombs said. + +With Tawney between them, Greg and Tom marched down the corridor toward +the airlock, with Johnny bringing up the rear. No one stopped them. No +one even came near them. One crewman stumbled on them in the corridor; +he saw Tawney with a gun in his back, and fled in terror. + +They found the scout-ship, and strapped Tawney down to an accelleration +bunk, binding his hands and feet so he couldn't move. Greg checked the +controls while Tom and Johnny strapped down. A moment later the engines +fired, and the leaking wreck of the orbit-ship fell away, dwindling and +disappearing in the blackness of space. + +It was a quiet journey. The red dot that was Mars grew larger every +hour. One of the three stayed awake at all times to watch Tawney while +the others slept. During the second rest period, Tom woke up while Greg +was on duty. + +"How's our prisoner doing?" Tom asked. + +"No problem there, he can barely move. I almost wish he'd try something, +he's too quiet." + +It was true. Tawney had recovered from his shock ... but rather than +grow more worried as Mars grew large on the screen, he seemed to become +more cheerful by the minute. "He doesn't seem very worried, does he?" +Tom said. + +"No, and it doesn't quite add. We've got enough on him to get Jupiter +Equilateral pushed right out of the Belt." + +"I'd still feel better if we had the whole picture for the Major," Tom +said. "We still don't know what Dad found, or where he hid it...." + +The uneasiness grew. Tawney ignored them, staring at the image of the +red planet on the viewscreen almost eagerly. Then, eight hours out of +Sun Lake City a U.N. Patrol ship appeared, moving toward them swiftly. +"Intercepting orbit," Greg said. "Looks like they were waiting for us." + +They watched as the big ship moved in to tangential orbit, matching its +speed to theirs. Then Greg snapped the communicator switch. "Sound off," +he said cheerfully. "We've got a prize for you." + +"Stand by, we're boarding you," the Patrol sent back. "And put your +weapons aside." + +Four scooters broke from the side of the Patrol ship. Greg activated the +airlock. Five minutes later a man in Patrol uniform with captain's bars +stepped into the control cabin, a stunner on ready in his hand. Three +Patrolmen came in behind him. + +The captain looked around the cabin, then saw Tawney, and took a deep +breath. "Well, thank the stars you're safe at any rate. Pete, Jimmy, +take the controls." + +"Hold on," Greg said. "We don't need a pilot." + +The Captain looked at him. "Sorry, but we're taking you in. There won't +be any trouble unless you make it. You three are under arrest, and I'm +authorized to make it stick if I have to. I suggest you just cooperate." + +They stared at him. Then Johnny said, "What are the charges?" + +"You ought to know," the Captain said. "We have a formal complaint from +the main offices of Jupiter Equilateral, charging you with piracy, +murder, kidnapping of a company official, and totally wrecking a company +orbit ship. I don't quite see how you managed it, but we're going to +find out in short order." + +There was a stunned silence in the cabin, and then a sound came from the +rear of the cabin. + +Merrill Tawney was laughing. + + + + +12. The Sinister Bonanza + + +They were taken to a small, drab internment room. A half hour passed and +still no word from the Major. From the moment the Patrol crew had +boarded them, everything had seemed like a bad dream. The shock of the +arrest, the realization that the Captain had been serious when he reeled +off the charges lodged against them ... they had been certain it was +some kind of ill-planned joke until they saw the delegation of Jupiter +Equilateral officials waiting at the port to greet Merrill Tawney like a +man returned from the dead. They had watched Tawney climb into the sleek +company car and drive off toward the gate, while the Captain had +escorted them without a word down to the internment rooms. + +The door clicked, and the Captain looked in. "All right, come along +now," he said. + +"Is the Major here?" Tom said. + +"You'll see the Major soon enough." The Captain herded them into another +room, where a clerk efficiently fingerprinted them. Then they went down +a ramp to a jitney-platform, and boarded a U.N. official car. The trip +into the city was slow; rush-hour traffic from the port was heavy. When +they reached U.N. headquarters, there was another wait in an upper +level ante-room. The Captain stood stiffly with his hands behind his +back and ignored them. + +"Look, this is ridiculous," Greg burst out finally. "We haven't done +anything. You haven't even let us make a statement." + +"Make your statement to the Major. It's his headache, not mine, I'm +happy to say." + +"But you let that man walk out of there scot free...." + +The Captain looked at him. "If I were you," he said, "I'd stop +complaining and start worrying. If I had Jupiter Equilateral at my +throat, I'd worry plenty, because once they start they don't stop." + +A signal light blinked, and he took them downstairs. Major Briarton was +behind his desk; his eyes tired, his face grim. He dismissed the +Captain, and motioned them to seats. "All right, let's have the story," +he said, "and by the ten moons of Saturn it had better be convincing, +because I've about had my fill of you three." + +He listened without interruption as Tom told the story, with Greg and +Johnny adding details from time to time. Tom told him everything, from +the moment they had blasted off for Roger Hunter's claim to the moment +the Patrol ship had boarded them, except for a single detail. + +He didn't mention the remarkable gun from Roger Hunter's gun case. The +gun was still in the spacer's pack he had slung over his shoulder; he +had not mentioned it when the Patrolmen had taken their stunners away. +Now as he talked, he felt a twinge of guilt in not mentioning it.... + +But he had a reason. Dad had died to keep that gun secret. It seemed +only right to keep the secret a little longer. When he came to the part +about their weapons, he simply spoke of "Dad's gun" and omitted any +details. + +And through the story, the Major listened intently, interrupting only +occasionally, pulling at his lip and scowling. + +"So we decided that the best way to convince you that we had the +evidence you wanted was to bring Tawney back with us," Tom concluded. + +"A brilliant maneuver," the Major said dryly. "A real stroke of genius." + +"But then the Patrol ship intercepted us and told us we were under +arrest. And when we landed, they let Tawney drive off without even +questioning him." + +"The least we could do, under the circumstances," the Major said. + +"Well, I'd like to know why," Greg broke in bitterly. "Why pick on us? +We've just been telling you...." + +"Yes, yes, I heard every word of it," the Major sighed. "If you knew the +trouble ... oh, what's the use? I've spent the last three solid hours +talking myself hoarse, throwing in every bit of authority I could +muster and jeopardizing my position as Coordinator here, for the sole +purpose of keeping you three idiots out of jail for a few hours." + +"Jail!" + +"That's what I said. The brig. The place they put people when they don't +behave. You three are sitting on a nice, big powder keg right now, and +when it blows I don't know how much of you is going to be left." + +"Do you think we're lying?" Greg said. + +"Do you know what you're charged with?" the Major snapped back. + +"Some sort of nonsense about piracy...." + +"Plus kidnapping. Plus murder. To say nothing of totally disabling a +seventeen-million-dollar orbit-ship and placing the lives of four +hundred crewmen in jeopardy." The Major picked up a sheet of paper from +his desk. "According to Merrill Tawney's statement, the three of you +hijacked a company scout-ship that chanced to be scouting in the +vicinity of your father's claim. Your attack was unprovoked and violent. +Everybody on Mars knows you were convinced that Jupiter Equilateral was +responsible for your father's death." He looked up. "In the absence of +any evidence, I might add, although I did my best to tell you that." He +rattled the report-sheet. "All right. You took the scout-ship by force, +with the pilot at gunpoint, and made him home in on his orbit-ship. Then +you proceeded to reduce that orbit-ship to a leaking wreck, although +Tawney tried to reason with you and even offered you amnesty if you +would desist. By the time the crew stopped shooting each other in the +dark ... fifteen of them subsequently expired, it says here ... you had +stolen another scout-ship and kidnapped Tawney for the purpose of +extorting a confession out of Jupiter Equilateral, threatening him with +torture if he did not comply...." The Major dropped the paper to the +desk. + +Johnny Coombs picked it up, looked at it owlishly, and put it back +again. "Pretty large operation for three men, Major," he said. + +The Major shrugged. "You were armed. That orbit-ship was registered as a +commercial vessel. It had no reason to expect a surprise attack, and had +no way to defend itself." + +"They were armed to the teeth," Greg said disgustedly. "Why don't you +send somebody out to look?" + +"Oh, I could, but why waste the time and fuel? There wouldn't be any +weapons aboard." + +"Then how do they explain the fact that the _Scavenger_ was blown to +bits and Dad's orbit-ship ripped apart from top to bottom?" + +"Details," the Major said. "Mere details. I'm sure that the company's +lawyers can muddy the waters quite enough so that little details like +that are overlooked. Particularly with a sympathetic jury and a judge +that plays along." + +He stood up and ran his hand through his hair. "All right, granted I'm +painting the worst picture possible ... but I'm afraid that's the way +it's going to be. I believe your story, don't worry about that. I know +why you went out there to the Belt and I can't really blame you, I +suppose. But you were asking for trouble, and that's what you got. +Frankly, I am amazed that you ever returned to Mars, and how you managed +to make rubble of an orbit-ship with a crew of four hundred men trying +to stop you is more than I can comprehend. But you did it. All right, +fine. You were justified; they attacked you, held you prisoner, +threatened you. Fine. They'd have cut your throats in another few hours, +perhaps. Fine. I believe you. But there's one big question that you +can't answer, and unless you can no court in the Solar System will +listen to you." + +"What question?" Tom said. + +"The question of motives," the Major replied. "You had plenty of motive +for doing what Tawney says you did. But what motive did Jupiter +Equilateral have, if your story is true?" + +"They wanted to get what Dad found, out in the Belt." + +"Ah, yes, that mysterious bonanza that Roger Hunter found. I was afraid +that was what you'd say. And it's the reason that Jupiter Equilateral is +going to win this fight, and you're going to lose it." + +"I don't think I understand," Tom said slowly. + +"I mean that I'm going to have to testify against you," the Major said. +"_Because your father didn't find a thing in the Asteroid Belt_, and I +happen to know it." + + * * * * * + +"It's been a war," the Major said later, "a dirty vicious war with no +holds barred and no quarter given. Not a shooting war, of course, +nothing out in the open ... but a war just the same, with the highest +stakes of any war in history. + +"It didn't look like a war, at first," the Major went on. "Back when the +colonies were being built, nobody really believed that anything of value +would come of them ... scientific outposts, perhaps, places for +laboratories and observatories, not much more. The colonies were placed +under United Nations control. Nobody argued about it. + +"And then things began to change. There was wealth out here ... and +opportunities for power. With the overpopulation at home, Earth was +looking more and more to Mars and Venus for a place to move ... not tiny +colonies, but places for millions of people. And as Mars grew, Jupiter +Equilateral grew." + +"But it was just a mining company," Tom said. + +"At first it was, but then its interests began to expand. The company +accumulated wealth, unbelievable wealth, and it developed many friends. +Very soon it had friends back on Earth fighting for it, and the United +Nations found itself fighting to stay on Mars." + +"I don't see why," Tom said. "The company already has half the mining +claims in the Belt...." + +"They aren't interested in the mining," the Major said. "They have a +much longer-range goal than that. The men behind Jupiter Equilateral are +looking ahead. They know that someday Earthmen are going to have to go +to the stars for colonies ... it won't be a matter of choice after a +while, they'll _have_ to go. Well, Jupiter Equilateral's terms are very +simple. They're perfectly willing to let the United Nations control +things on Earth. All they want is control of everything else. Mars, if +they can drive us out. Venus too, if it ever proves up for colonies. And +if they can gain control of the ships that leave our Solar System for +the stars, they can build an empire, and they know it." + +They were silent for a moment. Then Johnny Coombs said, "Doesn't anybody +on Earth know about this?" + +"There are some who know ... but they don't see the danger. They think +of Jupiter Equilateral as just another big company. So far U.N. control +of Mars and Venus has held up, even though the pressure on the +legislators back on Earth has been getting heavier and heavier. Jupiter +Equilateral won the greatest fight in its history when they limited U.N. +jurisdiction to Mars, and kept us out of the Belt. And now they hope to +convince the lawmakers that we're incompetent to administer the Martian +colonies and keep peace out here. If they succeed, we'll be called home +in nothing flat; we've had to fight just to stay." + +The Major spread his hands helplessly. "Like I said, it's been a war. +Our only hope was to prove that the company was using piracy and murder +to gain control of the asteroids. We had to find a way to smash the +picture they've been painting of themselves back on Earth as a big, +benevolent organization interested only in the best for Earth colonists +on the planets. We had to expose them before they had the Earth in +chains ... not now, maybe not even a century from now, but sometime, +years from now, when the breakthrough to the stars comes and Earthmen +discover that if they want to leave Earth they have to pay toll...." + +"They could never do that!" Greg protested. + +"They're doing it, son. And they're winning. We have been searching +desperately for a way to fight back, and that was where your father came +in. He could see the handwriting, he knew what was happening. That was +why he broke with the company and tried to organize a competing force +before it was too late. And it was why he died in the Belt. He knew I +couldn't send an agent out there without unquestionable evidence of +major crime of some sort or another. But a private citizen could go out +there, and if he happened to be working with the U.N. hand in glove, +nobody could do anything about it." + +"Then Dad was a U.N. agent?" + +"Oh, not officially. There's not a word in the records. If I were forced +to testify under oath, I would have to deny any connection. But +unofficially, he went out there to lay a trap." + +The Major told them then. It had been an incredible risk that Roger +Hunter had taken, but the decision had been his. The plan was simple: to +involve Jupiter Equilateral in a case of claim-jumping and piracy that +would hold up in court, pressed by a man who would not be intimidated +and could not be bought out. Roger Hunter had made a trip to the Belt +and come back with stories ... very carefully planted in just the right +ears ... of a fabulous strike. He knew that Jupiter Equilateral had +jumped a hundred rich claims in the past, forcing the independent miners +to agree, frightening them into silence or disposing of them with +"accidents." + +But this was one claim they were not going to jump. The U.N. cooperated, +helping him spread the story of his Big Strike until they were certain +that Jupiter Equilateral would go for the bait. Then Roger Hunter had +returned to the Belt, with a U.N. Patrol ship close by in case he needed +help. + +"We thought it would be enough," the Major said unhappily. "We were +wrong, of course. At first nothing happened ... not a sign of a company +ship, nothing. Your father contacted me finally. He was ready to give +up. Somehow they must have learned that it was a trap. But they had just +been careful, was all. They waited until our guard was down, and then +moved in fast and hit hard." + +He sank down in his seat behind the desk, regarding the Hunter twins +sadly. "You know the rest. Perhaps you can see now why I tried to keep +you from going out there. There was no proof to uncover and no bonanza +lode for you to find. There never was a bonanza lode." + +The twins looked at each other, and then at the Major. "Why didn't you +tell us?" Greg said. + +"Would you have listened? Would telling you have kept you from going out +there? There was no point to telling you, I knew you would have to find +out for yourselves, however painfully. But what I'm telling you now is +the truth." + +"As far as it goes," Tom Hunter said. "But if this is really the truth, +there's one thing that doesn't fit into the picture." + +Slowly Tom pulled the gun case from his pack and set it down on the +Major's desk. "It doesn't explain what Dad was doing with this." + + + + +13. Pinpoint in Space + + +Tom knew now that it was the right thing to do. There was no question, +after the Major's story, of what Dad had been doing out in the Belt at +the time he had been killed. He had been doing a job that was more +important to him than asteroid mining ... but he had found something +more important than his own life, and had no chance to send word of what +he had found back to Major Briarton on Mars. That had been the +unforeseeable part of the trap. + +But now, of course, the Major had to know. + +The Mars Coordinator looked at the thing on the desk for a long moment +before he reached out to touch it. The bright metal gleamed in the +light, pale gray, lustrous. The Major picked it up, balanced it expertly +in his hand, and a puzzled frown clouded his face. He examined it +minutely. + +"What is this thing?" he said. + +"Suppose you tell us," Johnny Coombs said from across the room. + +"It looks like a gun." + +"That's what it is, all right." + +"You've fired it?" + +"Yes ... but I wouldn't fire it in here, if I were you," Johnny said. +"You were wondering how we wrecked Tawney's orbit-ship so thoroughly. +That's your answer right there." He told about the hole in the bulkhead, +the way the ship's generators had melted like clay under the powerful +blast of the weapon. + +The Major could hardly control his excitement. "Where did you get it?" +he asked, turning to Tom. + +"From the space pack that you turned over to us. I didn't even look at +it, until we needed a gun in a hurry. I just assumed it was Dad's +revolver." + +"And your father found it somewhere in the Belt," the Major said softly. +He looked at the weapon again, shaking his head. "There isn't any such +gun," he said finally. "These things you say it could do ... they would +require energy enough to break down the cohesive forces of molecules. +There isn't any way we know of to harness that kind of energy and +channel it in a hand weapon. Nobody on Earth...." + +He broke off and stared at them. + +"That's right," Johnny said. "Nobody on Earth." + +"You mean ... extraterrestrial?" + +"There isn't any other answer," Johnny said. "_Look_ at the thing, +Major. _Feel_ it. Does it feel like it was made for a human hand? It +doesn't fit, it doesn't balance, you have to hold it with both hands to +aim it...." + +"_But where did it come from?_" the Major said. "We've never had +visitors from another star system ... not in the course of recorded +history. And we know that Earthmen are the only intelligent creatures in +our Solar System." + +"You mean that they're the only ones _now_," Tom said. + +"Or any other time." + +"We don't know that, for sure," Tom said. + +"Look, we've explored Venus, Mars, all the major satellites. If there +had ever been intelligence on any of them, we'd have known it." + +"Maybe there was a planet that Earthmen haven't explored," Tom said. +"Even Dad tried to tell us that. The quotation from Kepler that he +scribbled down in his log ... 'Between Jupiter and Mars I will put a +planet.' Why would Dad have written that? Unless he had suddenly +discovered proof that there _had_ been a planet there?" + +"You mean this ... this gun," the Major said. + +"And whatever else he found." + +"But there's never been any proof of that theory ... not even a hint of +proof." + +"Maybe Dad found proof. There are hundreds of thousands of asteroid +fragments out there in the Belt, and only a few hundred of them have +ever been examined by men." + +On the desk the strange weapon stared up at them. Evidence, mute +evidence, and yet its very existence said more than a thousand words. It +was there. It could not be denied. + +And someone ... or _something_ ... had made it. + +Slowly the Major pulled himself to his feet. "It must have happened +after his last message to me," he said. "It wasn't part of the scheme we +had set up, but he made a strike just the same ... an archeological +strike ... and this gun was part of it." He picked up the weapon, turned +it over in his hand. "But it was days after that last message before his +signal went off, and the Patrol ship moved in." + +"It makes sense," Johnny Coombs said. "He found the gun, and something +more." + +"Like what?" + +"I wouldn't even guess," Johnny said. "A planet with a race of creatures +intelligent enough and advanced enough to make a weapon like that ... it +could have been anything. But whatever it was, it must have scared him. +He must have known that a company ship might turn up any minute ... so +he hid whatever he had found, and all he dared to leave was a hint." + +"And now it's vanished," the Major said. "The big flaw in the whole +idea. My Patrol ship found nothing when it searched the region. You +looked, and drew a blank. The company men scoured the area." He spread +his hands helplessly. "You see, it just won't hold up, not a bit of it. +Even with this gun, it won't hold up. We've got to find the answer." + +"It's out there somewhere," Tom said doggedly. "It's got to be." + +"But _where_? Don't you see that everything hangs on that one thing? If +we could prove that your father found something just before he was +killed, we could tear Jupiter Equilateral's case against you into +shreds. We could charge them with piracy and murder, and make it stick. +We could break their power once and for all ... but until we know what +Roger Hunter found, we're helpless. They'll take you three to court, and +I won't be able to stop them. And if you lose that case, it may mean the +end of U.N. authority on Mars." + +"Then there's just one thing to do," Johnny Coombs said. "We've got to +find Roger Hunter's bonanza." + + * * * * * + +It was almost midnight when they left the Major's office, a gloomy trio, +walking silently up the ramp to the Main Concourse, heading toward the +living quarters. + +They had been talking with the Major for hours, going over every facet +of the story, wracking their brains for the answer ... but the answer +had not come. + +Roger Hunter had found something, and hidden it so well that three +groups of searchers had failed to discover it. After seeing the gun, the +Major was convinced that there had indeed been a discovery made. But +whatever that discovery had been, it was gone as if it had never +existed ... as if by some sort of magic it had been turned invisible, +or conjured away to another part of the Solar System. + +Finally, they had given up, at least for the moment. "It has to be +there," the Major had said wearily. "It hasn't vanished, or miraculously +ceased to exist. We know he was working on one claim, one asteroid. +There were no other asteroids in the region ... and even the ones within +suicide radius have been searched." + +"It's there, all right," Tom said. "We're missing something, that's +all." + +"But what? Asteroids have stable orbits. Nobody can just make one +disappear...." + +They had called it a night, finally. + +Once home they found more bad news waiting. There were two messages on +the recordomat. The first was an official summons to appear before the +United Nations Board of Investigations at 9:00 the following morning to +answer "certain charges placed against the above named persons by the +Governing Board of Jupiter Equilateral Mining Industries, and by one +Merrill Tawney, plaintiff, representing said Governing Board." They +listened to the plastic record twice. Then Greg tossed it down the waste +chute. + +The other message was addressed to Greg, from the Commanding Officer of +Project Star-Jump. The message was very polite and regretful; it was +also very firm. The pressure of the work there, in his absence, made it +necessary for the Project to suspend Greg on an indefinite leave of +absence. Application for reinstatement could be made at a later date, +but acceptance could not be guaranteed.... + +"Well, I might have expected it," Greg said, "after what the Major told +us. The money for Star-Jump must have been coming from somewhere, and +now we know where. The company probably figures to lay claim on any +star-drive that's ever developed." He dropped the notice down the chute, +and laughed. "I guess I really asked for it." + +"You mean I pushed you into it," Tom said bitterly. "If I'd kept my big +mouth shut at the very start of this thing, you'd have gone back to the +Project and that would have been the end of it...." + + * * * * * + +Greg looked at him. "You big bum, do you think I really care?" He +grinned. "Don't feel too guilty, Twin. We've been back to back on this +one." + +He pulled off his shirt and walked into the shower room. Johnny Coombs +was already stretched out on the sofa, snoring softly. + +Quite suddenly the room seemed hot and stuffy, oppressive. He couldn't +make his thoughts come straight. There had been too much thinking, too +much speculation. Tom stood up and slipped on his jacket. + +He had to walk, to move about, to try to think. He slipped open the +door, and started for the ramp leading to the Main Concourse. + +There was an answer, somewhere. + +He walked on along the steel walkways, trying to clear his mind of the +doubts and questions that were plaguing him. At first he just wandered, +but presently he realized that he had a destination in mind. + +He went up a ramp and across the lobby of the United Nations +Administration Building. He took a spur off the main corridor, and came +to a doorway with a small circular staircase beyond it. At the bottom of +the stairs he opened a steel door and stepped into the Map Room. + +It was a small darkened amphitheater, with a curving row of seats along +one wall. On either side were film viewers and micro-readers. And +curving around on the far wall, like a huge parabolic mirror, was the +Map. + +Tom had been here many times before, and always he gasped in wonder when +he saw the awesome beauty of the thing. Stepping into the Map Room was +like stepping into the center of a huge cathedral. Here was the glowing, +moving panorama of the Solar System spread out before him in a +breath-taking three-dimensional image. Standing here before the Map it +seemed as if he had suddenly become enormous and omnipotent, hanging +suspended in the blackness of space and staring down at the Solar System +from a vantage point a million miles away. + +Once, Dad had told him, there had been a great statue in the harbor of +Old New York which had been a symbol of freedom for strangers coming to +that city from across the sea, and a welcome for countrymen returning +home. And someday, he knew, this view of the Solar System would be +waiting to greet Earthmen making their way home from distant stars. The +Map was only an image, a gift from the United Nations to the colonists +on Mars, but it reproduced the Solar System in the minutest detail that +astronomers could make possible. + +In the center, glowing like a thing alive, was the Sun, the hub of the +magnificent wheel. Around it, moving constantly in their orbits, were +the planets, bright points of light on the velvet blackness of the +screen. Each orbit was computed and held on the screen by the great +computer in the vault below. + +But there was more on the Map than the Sun and the planets, with their +satellites. Tiny green lights marked the Earth-Mars and the Earth-Venus +orbit-ships, moving slowly across the screen. Beyond Mars, a myriad of +tiny lights projected on the screen, the asteroids. Without the +magnifier Tom could identify the larger ones ... Ceres, on the opposite +side of the Sun from Mars now as it moved in its orbit; smaller Juno, +and Pallas, and Vesta.... + +For each asteroid which had been identified, and its orbit plotted, +there was a pinpoint of light on the screen. For all its beauty, the Map +had a very useful purpose ... the registry and identification of +asteroid claims among the miners of Mars. Each asteroid registered as a +claim showed up as a red pinpoint; unclaimed asteroids were white. But +even with the advances of modern astronomy only a small percentage of +the existing asteroids were on the map, for the vast majority had never +been plotted. + +Tom moved up to the Map and activated the magnifier. Carefully he +focussed down on the section of the Asteroid Belt they had visited so +recently. Dozens of pinpoints sprang to view, both red and white, and +beneath each red light the claim-number neatly registered. Tom peered at +the section, searching until he found the number of Roger Hunter's last +claim. + +It was quite by itself, not a part of an asteroid cluster. He stepped up +the magnification, peered at it closely. There were a dozen other +pinpoints, all unclaimed, within a ten-thousand-mile radius.... + +But near it, nothing.... + +No hiding place. + +And then, suddenly, he knew the answer. He stared at the Map, his heart +pounding in his throat. He cut the magnification, scanning a wide area. +Then he widened the lens still further, and checked the coordinates at +the bottom of the viewer. + +He knew that he was right. He _had_ to be right. But this was no wild +dream, this was something that could be proved beyond any question of +error. + +Across the room he picked up the phone to Map Control. It buzzed +interminably; then a sleepy voice answered. + +"The Map," Tom managed to say. "It's recorded on time-lapse film, isn't +it?" + +"'Course it is," the sleepy voice said. "Observatory has to have the +record. One frame every hour...." + +"I've got to see some of the old film," Tom said. + +"_Now?_ It's three in the morning." + +"I don't need the film itself, just project it for me. There's a reader +here." + +He gave the man the dates he wanted, Mars time. The man broke the +contact, grumbling, but moments later one of the film-viewers sprang to +life. The Map coordinates showed at the bottom of the screen. + +Tom stared at the filmed image ... the image of a segment of the +Asteroid Belt the day before Roger Hunter had died. + +It was there. When he had looked at the Map, he had seen a single red +pinpoint of light, Roger Hunter's asteroid, with nothing in the heavens +anywhere near it. + +But on the film image taken weeks before there were two points of light. +One was red, with Roger Hunter's claim number beneath it. The other was +white, so close to the first that even at full magnification it was +barely distinguishable. + +_But it was there._ + +Tom's hands were trembling with excitement; he nearly dropped the phone +receiver as he punched the buttons to ring the apartment. Greg's face +appeared on the screen, puffy with sleep. "What's that? Thought you were +in bed...." + +"You've got to get down here," Tom said. + +Greg blinked, waking up. "What's the matter? Where are you?" + +"In the Map Room. Wake Johnny up and get down here. And try to get hold +of the Major." + +"You've found something," Greg said, excited now. + +"I've found something," Tom said. "I've found where Dad hid his +strike ... and I know how we can find it! We've got the answer, Greg." + + + + +14. The Missing Asteroid + + +It had been a wild twelve hours since Tom Hunter's call to his brother +from the Map Room in Sun Lake City. The Major had arrived first, still +buttoning his shirt and wiping sleep from his eyes. Johnny and Greg came +in on his heels. They had found Tom waiting for them, so excited he +could hardly keep his words straight. + +He told them what he had found, and they wondered why they had not +thought of it from the first moment. "We knew there had to be an +answer," Tom said, "some place Dad could have used for a hiding place, +some place nobody would even think to look. Dad must have realized that +he didn't have much time. When he saw his chance, he took it." + +And it was pure, lucky chance. Tom showed them the section of the Map he +had examined, with the pinpoint of light representing Roger Hunter's +asteroid claim. Then the Map Control officer ... much more alert when he +saw Major Briarton ... brought an armload of films up and loaded them +into the projector. They stared at the screen, and saw the two pinpoints +of light where one was now. + +"What was the date of this?" the Major asked sharply. + +"Two days before Dad died," Tom said. "There's quite a distance between +them there ... but watch. One frame for every hour. Watch what happens." + +He began running the film, the record taken from the Map itself, +accurate as clockwork. The white dot was moving in toward the red dot at +a forty-degree angle. For an instant it looked as though the two were +colliding ... and then the distance between them began to widen again. +Slowly, hour by hour, the white dot was moving away, off the screen +altogether.... + +The Major looked up at Tom and slammed his fist on the chair-arm. "By +the ten moons of Saturn...." he exploded, and then he was on his feet, +shouting at the startled Map Control officer. "Get me Martinson down +here, and fast. Call the port on a scrambled line and tell them to stand +by with a ship on emergency call, with a crack interceptor pilot ready +to go. Then get me the plotted orbits of every eccentric asteroid that's +crossed Mars' orbit in the last two months. And double-A security on +everything ... we don't want to let Tawney get wind of this...." + +Later, while they waited, they went over it to make sure that nothing +was missing. "No wonder we couldn't spot it," the Major said. "We were +looking for an asteroid in a standard orbit in the Belt." + +"But there wasn't any," Tom said. "Dad's rock was isolated, nowhere near +any others. And we were so busy thinking of the thousands of rocks in +normal orbits between Mars and Jupiter that we forgot that there are a +few eccentric ones that just don't travel that way." + +"Like this one." The Major stared at the screen. "A long, intersecting +orbit. It must swing out almost to Jupiter's orbit at one end, and come +clear in to intersect Earth's orbit at the other end...." + +"Which means that it cuts right through the Asteroid Belt and on out +again." Tom grinned. "Dad must have seen it coming ... must have thought +it was on collision course for a while. But he also must have realized +that if he could hide something on its surface as it came near, it would +be carried clear out of the Belt altogether in a few days' time." + +"And if we can follow it up and intercept it...." The Major was on his +feet, talking rapidly into the telephone. Sleep was forgotten now, +nothing mattered but pinpointing a tiny bit of rock speeding through +space. Within an hour the asteroid had been identified, its eccentric +orbit plotted. The coordinates were taped into the computers of the +waiting Patrol ship, as the preparations for launching were made. + +It could not be coincidence. Somewhere on the surface of that tiny +planetoid racing in toward the Sun they knew they would find Roger +Hunter's secret. + + * * * * * + +Below them, as they watched, the jagged surface of the asteroid drew +closer. + +It was not round ... it was far too tiny a bit of cosmic debris to have +sufficient gravity to crush down rocks and round off ragged corners. It +was roughly oblong in shape, and one side was sheer smooth rock surface. +The other side was rough, bristling with jutting rock. More than +anything else it looked like a ragged mountain top, broken off at the +peak and hurled into space by an all-powerful hand. + +Slowly the scout-ship moved closer, braking with its forward jets. The +pilot was expert. Carefully and surely he aligned the ship with the rock +in speed and direction. In the accelleration cot Tom could feel only an +occasional gentle tug as the power cut on and off. + +Then the Lieutenant said, "I think we can make a landing now, Major." + +"Fine. Take a scooter down first, and carry a guy line." + +They unstrapped, and changed into pressure suits. In the airlock they +waited until the Lieutenant had touched the scooter down. Then Major +Briarton nodded, and they clamped their belts to the guy line. + +One by one they leaped down toward the rock. + +From a few miles out in space, the job of searching the surface had not +appeared difficult. From the rock itself, things looked very different. +There was no way, from the surface, to scan large areas, and the surface +was so rough that they had to take constant care not to damage their +boots or rip holes in their suits. There were hundreds of crevices and +caves, half concealed by the loose rock that crumbled under their feet +as they moved. + +They spread out from the scooter for an hour of fruitless searching. Tom +spent most of the time pulling his boots free of surface cracks and +picking his way over heaps of jagged rock. None of them got farther than +a hundred yards from the starting place. None of them found anything +remarkable. + +"We could spend weeks covering it this way," Greg said when they met at +the scooter again. "Why don't I take the scooter and criss-cross the +whole surface at about fifty feet? If I spot anything, I'll yell." + +It seemed like a good idea. Greg strapped himself into the scooter's +saddle, straddling the fuel tanks, using the hand jet to guide himself +as he lifted lightly off the surface. He disappeared over the horizon of +rock, then reappeared as he moved over the surface and back. + +Tom and Johnny waited with the Major. Twenty minutes later Greg brought +the tiny craft back again. "It's no good," he said. "I've scanned the +whole bright-side, came as close as I dared." + +"No sign of anything?" Johnny said. + +"Not a thing. The dark side looks like a sheer slab, from what my lights +show. If we only had some idea what we were looking for...." + +"Maybe you weren't close enough," Tom said. "Why not drop each of us off +to take a quarter of the bright-side and work our way in?" + +The others agreed. Tom waited until the Major and Johnny had been +posted; then he hopped on the scooter behind Greg and dropped off almost +at the line of darkness, where the sheer slab began. All of them had +hoped that there might be a sign, something that Roger Hunter might have +left to mark his cache, but if there was one none of them spotted it. +Tom checked with the others by the radio in his helmet, and started +moving back toward the center of the bright side. + +An hour later he was only halfway to the center, and he was nearly +exhausted. At a dozen different spots he thought he had found a +promising cleft in the rock, a place where something might have been +concealed ... but exploration of the clefts proved fruitless. + +And now his confidence began to fail. Supposing he had been wrong? They +knew the rock had passed very close to Roger Hunter's asteroid, the +astronomical records proved that. But suppose Dad had not used it as his +hiding place at all? He pulled himself around another jagged rock shelf, +staring down at the rough asteroid surface beyond.... + +At the base of the rock shelf, something glinted in the sunlight. He +leaped down, and thrust his hand into a small crevice in the rock. His +hand closed on a small metal object. + +It was a gun. It felt well balanced, familiar in his hand ... the +revolver Dad had always carried in his gun case. + +He had to let them know. He was just snapping the speaker switch when he +heard a growl of static in his earphones, and then Greg's voice, +high-pitched and excited. "Over here! I think I've found something!" + +It took ten minutes of scrambling over the treacherous surface to reach +Greg. Tom saw his brother tugging at a huge chunk of granite that was +wedged into a crevice in the rock. Tom got there just as the Major and +Johnny topped a rise on the other side and hurried down to them. + +The rock gave way, rolling aside, and Greg reached down into the +crevice. Tom leaned over to help him. Between them they lifted out the +thing that had been wedged down beneath the boulder. + +It was a metal cylinder, four feet long, two feet wide, and bluntly +tapered at either end. In the sunlight it gleamed like polished silver, +but they could see a hairline break in the metal encircling the center +portion. + +They had found Roger Hunter's bonanza. + + * * * * * + +In the cabin of the scout-ship they broke the cylinder open into two +perfect halves. It came apart easily, a shell of paper-thin but +remarkably strong metal, protecting the tightly packed contents. + +There was no question what the cylinder was, even though there was +nothing inside that looked even slightly familiar at first examination. +There were several hundred very tiny thin discs of metal that fit on the +spindle of a small instrument that was packed with them. There were +spools of film, thin as tissue but amazingly strong. Examined against +the light in the cabin, the film seemed to carry no image at all ... but +there was another small machine that accepted the loose end of the film, +and a series of lenses that glowed brightly with no apparent source of +power. There was a thick block of shiny metal covered on one side with +almost invisible scratches.... + +A time capsule, beyond doubt. A confusing treasure, at first glance, but +the idea was perfectly clear. A hard shell of metal protecting the +records collected inside.... + +_Against what? A planetary explosion? Some sort of cosmic disaster that +had blown a planet and its people into the fragments that now filled the +Asteroid Belt?_ + +At the bottom of the cylinder was a small tube of metal. They examined +it carefully, trying to guess what it was supposed to be. At the bottom +was a tiny stud. When they pressed it, the cylinder began to expand and +unfold, layer upon layer of thin glistening metallic material that +spread out into a sheet that stretched halfway across the cabin. + +They stared down at it. The metal seemed to have a life of its own, +glowing and glinting, focussing light into pinpoints on its surface. + +It was a map. + +At one side, a glowing ball with a fiery corona, an unmistakeable +symbol that any intelligent creature in the universe that was able to +perceive it at all would recognize as a star. Around it, in clearly +marked orbits, ten planets. The third planet had a single satellite, the +fourth two tiny ones. The sixth eleven. The seventh planet had ten, and +was encircled by glowing rings. + +But the fifth planet was broken into four parts. + +Beyond the tenth planet there was nothing across a vast expanse of the +map ... but at the far side was another star symbol, this one a double +star with four planetary bodies. + +They stared at the glowing map, speechless. There could be no mistaking +the meaning of the thing that lay before them, marked in symbols that +could mean only one thing to any intelligence that could recognize stars +and planets. + +But in the center of the sheet was another symbol. It lay halfway +between the two Solar Systems, in the depths of interstellar space. It +was a tiny picture, a silvery sliver of light, but it too was +unmistakeable. + +It could be nothing else but a Starship. + + * * * * * + +Later, as they talked, they saw that the map had told each of them, +individually, the same thing. "They had a star-drive," Tom said. +"Whatever kind of creatures they were, and whatever the disaster that +threatened their planet, they had a star-drive to take them out of the +Solar System to another star." + +"But why leave a record?" Greg wanted to know. "If nobody was here to +use it...." + +"Maybe for the same reason that Earthmen bury time capsules with records +of their civilization," Major Briarton said. "I'd guess that the records +here will tell, when they have been studied and deciphered. Perhaps +there was already some sign of intelligent life developing elsewhere in +the Solar System. Perhaps they hoped that some of their own people would +survive. But they had a star-drive, so some of them must have escaped. +And with the record here...." + +"We may be able to follow them," Greg said. + +"If we can decipher the record," Johnny Coombs said. "But we don't have +any clue to their language." + +"Did you have any trouble understanding what the map had to say?" the +Major said quietly. + +"No...." + +"I don't think the rest will be much more difficult. They were +intelligent creatures. The record will be understandable, all right." He +started to fold the map back into a tube again. "Maybe Roger Hunter +tried to use the film projector. We'll never know. But he must have +realized that he had discovered the secret of a star-drive. He realized +that the United Nations were the ones to explore it and use it, and he +gave his life to keep it out of the hands of Tawney and his men...." + +"A pity," a cold voice said close behind them, "that he didn't succeed, +after all." + +They whirled. In the hatchway to the after-cabin, Merrill Tawney was +standing, with a smile on his lips and a Markheim stunner trained +directly on Major Briarton's chest. + + + + +15. The Final Move + + +"I realize I'm much earlier than you expected, Major. You did a very +neat job of camouflaging your takeoff ... we were almost fooled ... and +no doubt the dummy ship you sent off later got full fanfare. I suppose +there will be a dozen Patrol ships converging on this spot in a few +hours, expecting to surprise a Jupiter Equilateral ship making a +desperate attempt to hijack your little treasure here." + +The little fat man laughed cheerfully. "Unfortunately for you," he +added, "we have many friends on Mars ... including a man in the Map +room ... and I'm afraid your little trap isn't going to work after all." + +The Major's face was gray. "How did you get here?" + +"By hitch-hiking. How else? Most uncomfortable, back there, even with a +pile of pressure suits for padding, but your pilot was really very +skillful." + +Johnny Coombs turned on the Major. "What does he mean, a trap? I don't +get this...." + +The Major sighed wearily. "I had to try to force his hand. Even if we +found what we were looking for, we had no case that could stand up +against them. We needed _proof_ ... and I thought that with this as bait +we could trap them. He's right about the Patrol ships ... but they won't +be near for hours." + +"And that will be a little late to help," Tawney said pleasantly. + +The Major glared at him. "Maybe so ... but you've gone too far this +time. This is an official U.N. ship. You'll never be able to go back to +Mars." + +"Really?" the fat man said. "And why not? Officially I'm on Mars right +now, with plenty of people to swear to the fact." He chuckled. "You seem +to forget that little matter of proof, Major. When your Patrol ships +find a gutted ship and five corpses, they may suspect that something +more than an accident was involved, but what can they prove? Nothing +more than they could prove in the case of Roger Hunter's accident. +Scout-ships have been known to explode before." + +He ran his hand over the metal cylinder. "And as for this ... it's +really a surprise. Of course when we failed to find any evidence of +mining activity, we were certain that Roger Hunter's bonanza was +something more than a vein of ore, but _this_! You can be certain that +we will exploit the secret of a star-drive to the very fullest." + +"How do you think you can get away with it?" the Major said. "Turning up +with something like that right after a whole series of suspicious +accidents in space?" + +"Oh, we aren't as impatient as some people. We wouldn't be so foolish as +to break the news now. Five years from now, maybe ten years, one of our +orbit-ships will happen upon a silvery capsule on one of our asteroid +claims, that's all. I wouldn't be surprised if a non-company observer +might be on board at the time, maybe even a visiting Senator from Earth. +For something this big, we can afford to be patient." + +There was silence in the little scout-ship cabin. The end seemed +inevitable. This was a desperate move on Tawney's part. He was gambling +everything on it; he would not take the chance of letting any of them +return to Mars or anywhere else to testify. + +Greg caught Tom's eye, saw the hopelessness on his brother's face. He +clenched his fists angrily at his side. If it were not for Tom, Dad's +bonanza might have gone on circling the sun for centuries, maybe +forever, wedged in its hiding place on the rocky surface of the +eccentric asteroid. + +But it had been found. Earth needed a star-drive badly; a few more +years, and the need would be desperate. And if a group of power-hungry +men could control a star-drive and hold it for profit, they could +blackmail an entire planet for centuries, and build an empire in space +that could never be broken. + +He knew that it must not happen that way. Dad had died to prevent it. +Now it was up to them. + + * * * * * + +Greg glanced quickly around the cabin, searching for some way out, +something that might give them a chance. His eyes stopped on the control +panel, and he sucked in his breath, his heart pounding. A +possibility.... + +It would require a swift, sure move, and someone to help, someone with +fast reflexes. It was dangerous; they might all be killed. But if his +training at Star-jump was good for anything, it might work. + +He caught Johnny Coombs' eye, winked cautiously. A frown creased +Johnny's forehead. He shot a quick look at Tawney, then lowered his +eyelid a fraction of an inch. Greg could see the muscles of his +shoulders tightening. + +Greg took quick stock of the cabin again. Then he took a deep breath and +bellowed, "Johnny ... _duck_!" + +Almost by reflex, Johnny Coombs hurled himself to the floor. Tawney +swung the gun around. There was an ugly ripping sound as the stunner +fired ... but Greg was moving by then. In two bounds he was at the +control panel. He hooked an arm around a shock bar, and slammed the +drive switch on full. + +There was a roar from below as the engines fired. Greg felt a jolt of +pain as the accelleration jerked at his arm. Tom and the Major were +slammed back against a bulkhead, then fell in a heap on top of Johnny +and the Lieutenant as the awful force of the accelleration dragged them +back. Across the cabin Tawney sprawled on the floor. The stunner flew +from his hand and crashed against the rear bulkhead. + +On the panel Greg could see the accelleration gauge climbing +swiftly ... past four g's, up to five, to six. The ship was moving +wildly; there was no pilot, no course. + +With all the strength he could muster Greg tightened his arm on the +shock bar, lifting his other arm slowly toward the cut-off switch. He +had spent many hours in the accelleration centrifuge at Star-Jump, +learning to withstand and handle the enormous forces of accelleration +for brief periods, but the needle was still climbing and he knew he +could not hold on long. His fingers touched the control panel. He +strained, inching them up toward the switch.... + +His fingers closed on the stud, and he pulled. The engine roar ceased. +On the floor behind him Tawney moved sluggishly, trying to sit up. Blood +was dripping from his nose. He was still too stunned to know what had +happened. + +Greg leaped across the room, caught up the stunner, and then sank to the +floor panting. "All right," he said as his breath came back, "that's +all. Your ship may have trouble finding us now ... but I bet our pilot +can get us back to Mars." + + * * * * * + +When they left the Sun Lake City infirmary it was almost noon, and the +red sun was gleaming down from overhead. Walking slowly, the Hunter +twins moved along the surface street toward the U.N. building. + +"He'll recover without any trouble," the doctor had assured them. "He +caught the stunner beam in the shoulder, and it will be a while before +he can use it, but Johnny Coombs will be hard to keep down." + +They had promised Johnny to return later. They had had check-ups +themselves. Both Tom's eyes were surrounded by purple splotches, and his +broken left arm was in a sling. Greg's arms and legs were so stiff he +could hardly move them. The Major and the Lieutenant had been sore but +uninjured. + +Now the boys walked without talking. Already a U.N. linguist was at work +on the record tapes from the metal cylinder, and a mathematician was +doing a preliminary survey on the math symbols on the metal block. + +"I hope there's no trouble reading them," Greg said. + +"There won't be. It'll take time, but the records are decipherable. And +Dr. Raymond was certain that the engineering can be figured out. Earth +is going to get her star-ship, all right." + +"And we've got work to do." + +"You mean the trial? I guess. The Major says that Jupiter Equilateral is +trying to pin the whole thing on Tawney now. They won't get away with +it, but it may be nasty just the same." + +"Well, one thing's sure ... there'll be some changes made, with the U.N. +moving out into the Belt," Greg said. + +Somewhere in the distance the twins heard the rumble of engines. They +stopped and watched as a great silvery cargo ship lifted from the space +port and headed up into the dark blue sky. They watched it until it +disappeared from sight. + +They were both thinking the same thing. + +An Earth-bound ship, powerful and beautiful, but limited now to the sun +and nine planets, unable to reach farther out. + +But someday soon a different kind of ship would rise. + + +THE END + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Gold in the Sky, by Alan Edward Nourse + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOLD IN THE SKY *** + +***** This file should be named 23882.txt or 23882.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/8/8/23882/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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