Astro," said Strong, "you'll probably get the fastest ride
you've ever had short of hyperdrive, Kit."

Kit Barnard gulped as he watched the needle. "I see what you mean," he
said.

Walters strode up and down the deck behind the two veteran spacemen, a
scowl on his face. "By the stars," he rumbled, "this is the most
incredible thing I've run up against in all my years in space!"

He paced up and down several times silently. "To think that two men
could--_would_--jeopardize the safety and lives of thousands of people
for--a--a uranium mine! It's beyond my comprehension."

"Excuse me, sir," said Sid, Kit Barnard's young assistant, coming down
the radar-bridge ladder. "This report just came in from Titan spaceport
control."

Walters took the message and read it quickly. He grunted and handed it
to Strong. "They've found the mine and the leak," he said. "The screens
are working again."

"Then you'll call off the evacuation operations, sir?" asked Strong.

"Right." Walters turned to Sid. "Son, send a message back to Titan
control and tell Captain Howard to stop all evacuations as soon as he
has enough oxygen to provide for the citizens of Titan. And then stand
by for a general order to all units in this area."

"Yes, sir," said Sid, climbing back up to the radar bridge quickly.

The three men on the control deck fell silent as the ship hurtled
through space. Each of them prayed silently for Tom and Roger's safety.

On the power deck below, Astro opened every valve and adjusted the
firing chambers to their emergency maximum, forcing the giant ship
faster and faster through space. And when he had done all he could, he
paced up and down the deck, snapping a greasy wiping rag against his
thigh again and again. His face showed the concern he felt for Tom and
Roger, and at the same time, there was a questioning look in his eye.
The auxiliary loud-speaker of the audioceiver overhead spluttered with
static. He stopped to listen.

"This is Lieutenant Frazer aboard the Solar Guard cruiser _Hydra_ to
Commander Walters!" crackled an unfamiliar voice. "Come in, Commander
Walters!"

Astro stared at the loud-speaker and held his breath.

"This is Walters on the _Polaris_. Go ahead, Frazer!"

"I am in command of a squadron of ships on space maneuvers in quadrant
five, sir. Shall I abandon my orders and proceed under your general
emergency alert to search quadrant four?"

"How many ships do you have with you, Lieutenant?" as