o the task of pulling the line tight. The heavy fabric of the suit was
stiff, and the air pressure gave further resistance that had to be
overcome. Rip let most of the air out of the suit, then fought for breath
until the pain in his arm told him that Koa had succeeded. He inflated the
suit again and thanked the sergeant-major weakly.

The tight line stopped the bleeding, but it also cut off the air
circulation. Without the air, the heating system couldn't operate
efficiently. It was only a matter of time before the arm froze.

"Stand easy," Rip told his men. "Nothing to do now but wait. The
_Scorpius_ will be back." He set an example by leaning against the thorium
crystal in which the cave was located. It was a natural but meaningless
gesture. With no gravity pulling at them they could remain standing
indefinitely, sleeping upright.

Rip closed his eyes and relaxed. The pain in his arm was less now, and he
knew the cold was setting in. He was getting light-headed, and most of all
he wanted to sleep. Well, why not? He slumped a little inside the suit.

He awoke with Koa shaking him violently. Rip stood upright and shook his
head to clear his vision. "What is it?"

"Sir, the _Scorpius_ has returned."

Rip blinked as he stared out into space to where Koa was pointing. He had
trouble focusing his eyes at first, and then he saw the glow of the
cruiser.

"Good," he said. "They'll send a landing boat first thing."

"I hope so," Koa replied.

Rip wanted to ask why the big Planeteer doubted, but he was too tired to
phrase the question. He contented himself with watching the cruiser.

In a short time the _Scorpius_ was balanced with nose tubes counteracting
the thrust of stern tubes, ready to flash into space again at a second's
notice.

Rip watched, puzzled. The cruiser was miles away. Why didn't it come any
closer? Then, suddenly, it erupted a dozen fiery streaks.

"Snapper-boats," someone gasped.

Rip jerked fully awake. In the ruddy glow of the fighting rockets' tubes
he had seen that the cruiser's missile ports were yawning wide, ready to
spew forth deadly nuclear charges.

The snapper-boats flashed toward the asteroid in a group, sheered off, and
broke formation. They came back in pairs, streaking space with the sparks
of their exhausts.

"Into the cave," Koa shouted.

The Planeteers obeyed instantly. Koa took Rip's arm, to lead him inside,
but the young officer shook him off. "No, Koa. I'll take my chan