r real purpose in this mutiny is to expose this whole vicious
secret slavery, tell Earth of the danger of the unshielded piles in
space ships, destroy the Company's monopoly, and bring about new
research which I'm sure would eventually overcome the difficulty. Just
how are we going to do that? The answer is simple--we must get back to
Earth, and we must get back in a way the Company will not be able to
intercept us. As I understand it, this won't be easy. The Company is in
complete control of space travel, and they have the ships to knock us
out of space before we can get near Earth. Somehow we've got to win
through. Can we do it by a direct return to Earth? I doubt it. However,
say we do it. Then where do we go? The government might look upon us as
mutineers and thus give the Company a chance to quash the whole affair.

"So we've got to go directly to the people, who, once they _see_ us, and
realize what space travel with these piles means, will demand an
explanation with such public feeling even the government can't avoid a
showdown. It's the secrecy we must break. Thus, we must land on Earth
with the biggest possible splurge of publicity. We've got to do it so no
Company ship can prevent it.

"Then there's this to consider. Most of you would find it a difficult
thing to take up a life on Earth. I know that many of you want to take
off for some remote world, and try to live out your lives by yourselves.
I say that would be a cowardly thing to do. So, before we decide
anything else, I say let's decide here and now that the _only_ thing we
will do is go back to Earth."

One of the most grotesquely deformed of the crew spoke up. "No woman
would ever look at me," he said defiantly. "Children would stare at me
and scream in terror. I've suffered enough. Why should I suffer more?"

The woman in the fine fur got to her feet and walked over to him. She
sat down beside him and took his hand in hers. "I will look at you," she
said. "When we get back to Earth, I will marry you and live with you--if
you are brave enough to take me there."

For an instant the crewman stared at her out of his horribly bulging
popeyes, then he swallowed hard and clutched her hand fiercely.

"The Devil himself will not keep me from it!" he said hoarsely.

Gene, staring at the man, felt a warm hand slip into his, and he turned
to find Ann.

"I think that answers for all of us," she said.

The room rang with the shouts of approval.

Once mor