tence from four separate points, two a little ahead of
the others. They came out from Earth at a rate which seemed remarkably
deliberate until one saw with what fury the rocket-fumes spat out to
form the whitish threads. Then one could guess at a three-or even
four-stage launching series, so that what appeared to be mere pinpoints
would really be rockets carrying half-ton atomic warheads with an
attained velocity of 10,000 miles per hour and more straight up.

The threads unraveled in a straight line aimed at the two metal things
floating in emptiness. One was small and streamlined, with inadequate
landing-rockets clamped to its body and with stubby fins that had no
possible utility out of air. The other was large and clumsy to look at,
but very, very stately indeed in its progress through the heavens. They
floated smoothly toward a rendezvous. The rockets from Earth came
ravening to destroy them at the instant of their intersection.

The little spaceship turned slowly. Its rounded bow had pointed
longingly at the stars. Now it tilted downward. Its direction of
movement did not change, of course. In the absence of air, it could
tumble indefinitely without any ill effect. It was in a trajectory
instead of on a course, though presently the trajectory would become an
orbit. But it pointed nose-down toward the Earth even as it continued to
hurtle onward.

The great steel hull and the small spaceship were 20 miles apart. An
infinitesimal radar-bowl moved on the little ship. Tight-beam waves
flickered invisibly between the two craft. The rockets raged toward
them.

The ship and the Platform were 10 miles apart. The rockets were now
glinting missiles leaping ahead of the fumes that propelled them.

The ship and the Platform were two miles apart. The rockets rushed
upward.... There were minute corrections in their courses. They
converged....

Flames leaped from the tiny ship. Its landing-rockets spouted white-hot
flame and fumes more thick and coiling than even the smoke of the bombs.
The little ship surged momentarily toward the racing monsters. And
then----

The rockets which were supposed to let the ship down to Earth flew
free--flung themselves unburdened at the rockets which came with deadly
intent to the meeting of the two Earth spacecraft.

The landing-rockets plunged down at forty gravities or better. They were
a dwindling group of infinitely bright sparks which seemed to group
themselves more closely as they