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"I've got to find nine Planeteers and get them on the Scorpius before it flames off." The spaceman's face cleared. "Oh. You mean Koa's detachment. They left a few minutes ago." "Where. Where did they go?" The spaceman shrugged. The doings of Planeteers were no concern of his. His shrug said so. Rip realized there was no use talking further.

The Planeteer officer knows what Brennschluss is. He doesn't look old enough to know which end his bubble goes on." Rip started to his feet, but Koa's hand on his arm restrained him. With a violent kick, the big sergeant major shot through the air. His line of flight took him past the spaceman, and somehow their arms got linked.

Kemp had made sure no one was running near the line of blast. Rip watched for the crystal. It would be coming around any second now. He held the tube with the igniter projecting behind him, ready for the hole to appear. Koa's voice echoed in his helmet. "All set, Lieutenant." The crystal appeared across the sun line and moved toward him.

The suit puffed up. Rip watched the repair anxiously in the light from Koa's belt. It held. Rip reconnected his light as he asked swiftly, "Anyone else hurt? Answer by name." There were quick replies. No one else had been injured. "Run for the cave," Rip commanded. "Follow Koa. Santos and Pederson, drag Bradshaw." The Englishman's voice sounded bubbly. "I can make it." "Good for you!"

There isn't much about a chunk of thorium to get sentimental over, but after fighting for it the way we did, it doesn't seem right to cut it into blocks." "I know how you feel," Rip admitted, "but, after all, that's what we brought it back for." He studied Koa's dark face. The sergeant major had something on his mind. "Got vack worms chewing at you?" he asked.

Rip slid to the floor next to the sergeant major and stuck out his hand. He sensed the strength in Koa's big fist as it closed over his. Koa said, "Sir, that was the best fleedle I've ever seen an earthling make. You been on Venus?" Rip eyed him suspiciously, wondering if the big Planeteer was laughing at him. Koa was grinning, but it was a friendly grin. "What is a fleedle?" Rip demanded.

Sergeant Major Koa's great frame loomed in front of Rip. "Think they've spotted us, sir?" Rip hated to say it. "Probably. Koa, can you estimate from the exhaust how far away they are?" "Not very well, Lieutenant. From the position of the streak, I'd say they're decelerating." The Planeteers looked at Rip. He was in command, and they expected him to do something about the situation.

Rip saw his meaning instantly, and they raced to the side of the asteroid away from the ship. As they crossed into the dark half, Rip looked back. He couldn't see the cruiser from here. But he looked out into space, across the horizon, and knew that Koa's guess had been right. The distinctive glow of a nuclear drive cruiser was clear among the stars. The Scorpius had returned!

What would his next step be? The snapper-boats hadn't drawn fire, even when a drone was sent over at low speed. The next thing would be to send a piloted boat over slowly enough to take a look. Rip hoped O'Brine would hurry. There was no longer any feeling in his arm below Koa's safety line. That meant the arm had frozen. He had to get medical attention from the Scorpius pretty soon.

The force of the action only flattened Koa against the ceiling, but the hapless spaceman shot forward head first and landed with a clang against the bulkhead. He didn't hit hard enough to break any bones, but he would carry a bump on his head for a day or two. Koa's voice floated after him. "Great Cosmos! I sure am sorry, spaceman. I guess I don't know my own strength."