across the diminished space. He
sent it whirling round and round the liner in a tight spiral. He ended
by having it touch the liner's bow. Liquid light ran over the entire
hull.

"Your ten seconds are up," he said worriedly. "If you don't get out--"

But then he relaxed. A boat-blister on the liner opened. The boat did
not release itself. It could not possibly take on its complement of
passengers and crew in so short a time. The opening of the blister was a
sign of surrender.

The two first ball lightning bolts were miniatures. Hoddan now projected
a full-sized ball. It glittered viciously in emptiness, the plasma-gas
necessary for its existence furnishing a medium for radiation. It sped
toward the liner and hung off its side, menacingly. The yacht from Darth
moved steadily closer. Five miles. Two.

"All out," said Hoddan regretfully. "We can't wait any longer!"

A boat darted away from the liner. A second. A third and fourth and
fifth. The last boat lingered desperately. The yacht was less than a
mile away when it broke free and plunged frantically toward the planet
it had left a little while before. The other boats were already
streaking downward, trails of rocket-fumes expanding behind them. The
crew of the landing grid would pick them up for safe and gentle landing.

Hoddan sighed in relief. He played delicately upon the yacht's
rocket-controls. He carefully maneuvered the very last of the novelties
he had built into an originally simple Lawlor drive-unit. The two ships
came together with a distinct clanking sound. It seemed horribly loud.

Thal jerked open the door, ashen-white.

"W-we hit something! Wh-when do we fight?"

Hoddan said ruefully:

"I forgot. The fighting's over. But bring your stun-pistols. Nobody'd
stay behind, but somebody might have gotten left."

He rose, to take over the captured ship.

[Illustration]

IX

Normally, at overdrive cruising speed, it would be a week's journey from
Walden to the planet Krim. Hoddan made it in five days. There was
reason. He wanted to beat the news of his piracy to Krim. He could
endure suspicion, and he wouldn't mind doubt, but he did not want
certainty of his nefarious behavior to interfere with the purposes of
his call.

The space yacht, sealed tightly, floated in an orbit far out in
emptiness. The big ship went down alone by landing grid. It glittered
brightly as it descended. When it touched ground and the grid's force
fields cut off