ey knew too much. Every man aboard
knew how the interceptor-proof missiles worked. Logan might be the only
man who had ever calculated the tables for their use, but if any member
of the _Isis's_ crew were captured and made to talk, he could tell
enough for Mekinese mathematicians to start work with. If Logan were
captured he could tell more. He could re-compute not only the tables for
the missiles, but the data for low-power overdrive which would make any
fleet invincible.

And there was the Kandarian fleet. If its existence became known, it
would mean the destruction of Kandar. Every soul of all its millions
would die with every tree and blade of grass, every flower, beast and
singing bird, even the plankton in its seas.

Bors had arrived at the grimmest decision of his life when his cabin
speaker said curtly:

"_Captain Bors, sir. Space-yacht_ Sylva _calling. Asks for you._"

"I'm here," said Bors.

Gwenlyn's voice came out of the speaker.

"_Are you in trouble, Captain? One of our Talents insists that you
are._"

Bors swallowed.

"I thought you'd gone on as you were supposed to do. Yes. There is
trouble. It amounts to shipwreck. How many of my men can you take off?"

"_We've lots of room!_" said Gwenlyn. "_My father kept most of the
Talents with him. We're heading your way, Captain._"

"Very good," said Bors. "Thank you." He was grateful, but help from a
woman--from Gwenlyn!--galled him.

He heard her click off, and shivered.

Presently the _Sylva_ was alongside. The transfer of the _Isis's_ crew
began. Bors went over the ship for the last time. The ship's log went
aboard the _Sylva_, as did Logan's calculated tables for low-power
overdrive. Bors made quite sure that nothing else could be recovered
from the _Isis_. He looked strained and irritable when he finally went
into one of the lifeboat blisters on the _Isis_ left vacant by the
sacrifice of two space-boats in the Garen cutting-out expedition. A boat
from the _Sylva_ was there to receive him.

"Technically," said Bors, "I should go down with my ship, or fly apart
with it. But there's no point in being romantic!"

"I'm the one," said his second-in-command, "who will stand
court-martial!"

"I doubt it very much," said Bors. "They can't court-martial you for
partly accomplishing something they're in trouble for failing at. Into
the boat with you!"

He threw a switch and entered the boat. The blister opened. The small
space-boat floated free. I