t the ship. "It is obvious that the
renegade scientists and engineer of the wheel have replaced the men
guarding their sectors.

"As we were informed, the captain had put them in charge. Since they
struck the first blow, it is now up to Security to converge on them
and eliminate them.

"Jones, Nackolai and Stanziale are detailed to the Dr. Chi mission.
Nilson, Bernard and Cossairt are detailed to get the Indian. The rest
of you will take over where you are posted, and secure all personnel
to their quarters.

"Clark. Drop your cover and take over control of the bridge.

"I expect to have Hot Rod operational within five minutes. And Clark.
Instruct the computer to discontinue precession operations that have
been initiated.

"Take whatever measures are necessary to carry out these
instructions.

"This is no longer an undercover operation, gentlemen. Security is
taking control.

"This is war."

* * * * *

As the last sentence came over the loud-speaker, Mike sprang to the
intercom. He quickly keyed the direct line to engineering.

"Ishie," he said, "I gather you're safe?"

"Yes, Mike. Situation here very secure. I heard announcement of
conflict. You need not tell me to put the Cow under our control. It is
done. She will obey no one else until further instructed from here. I
didn't instruct her to obey only instructions by me, Mike, because we
are all expendable now."

As he finished speaking, the intercom went dead. Obviously the
communications officer, as his first act, had turned off the central
intercom power system under his control.

* * * * *

On the bridge, from the time that Mike and Ishie had left, the picture
of what was occurring had grown more ominous by the minute.

More than the vague, official messages had been flooding in from
Earth.

At the captain's command, the communications officer had opened up a
channel for news broadcasts, and put it on the speaker so they could
all hear.

The news round-ups indicated that various elements and factions in the
world below had had their say--each more vicious than the last.

From an original rumor of a minor space disaster, it had become a
tremendous accident that had wiped out Thule Base and left a smoking
ruins of Greenland.

From this it had become--possible sabotage.

From this, a direct, unprovoked attack by the scientists on Earth
itself.

Suddenly statesmen were standing