es the drama was reenacted before approaching day made it
necessary for Czuv to take the controls and dive the vessel into the
westermost landing-shaft of Zbardk. A rousing and enthusiastic welcome
awaited them, and joy spread rapidly when their success became known.

"Now we know what to do, and we had better do it immediately, before
they get our system figured out and increase their own power." King
reported to the Council. "You might send a couple of ships to Europa and
bring back as many of the Tellurian officers as want to come and can be
spared from the work there. They all test above forty-five meters, and
they can learn this stuff in short order. While they're coming, your
engineers can be building more ships like this one."

The new vessel did not make another voyage until nine sister ships
were ready and manned, each with two Terrestrial officers and one
Callistonian gunner. All ten took to the ether at once, and the hexan
fleet melted away like frost-crystals before a summer sun. A few weeks
of carnage and destruction and not a hexan was within range of the
detectors of Callisto--they were gone!

"This is the first time in years that Callisto's air has been free of
the hexans," Czuv said, thoughtfully. "With your help we have reduced
their strength to a fraction of what it was, but they have not given up.
They will return, with a higher acceleration than even you Terrestrials,
powerful as you are, can stand."

"Certainly they will, but you will be no worse off than you were
before--you can return to your own highly effective tactics."

"We are infinitely better off for your help. You have given us a new
lease on life...."

He broke off as a flaring light sprang into being upon the portal board
and the observer of Exit One made his report--there was a hexan vessel
in the air, location 425 over VJ-42.

"There's one left! Let us get him! No, he's ours!" Confused shouts arose
from the bull-pen; but the original superplane was at the top of the
call-board and accordingly King, Breckenridge, and Czuv embarked upon
an expedition more hazardous far than they had supposed--an expedition
whose every feature was relayed to those in the portal by the automatic
lookouts upon the rims and which was ended before a single supporting
Callistonian plane could be launched.

For the enemy vessel was not the last of the low-powered hexan vessels,
as everyone had supposed--it was the first of the high-powered craft,
arri