ta beams could find them. The other half was given up in incandescent
heat when they found their targets. Becoming pinpoints of pure star
matter, they seared their way into the enemy vitals. But, even with
their fantastically concentrated energy, it was not enough. For the
dreadnoughts were armored with densely degenerate matter, impervious to
any but a direct hit, and compartmented to require many hits.

The flights moved in and passed on through. And other flights came in.
And others followed them. The first flights halted, found each other,
turned, and drove in again. Pass and repass. A myriad of blue-white
flashes gave measure of the struggle.

* * * * *

On Base Q, in the I.C. room, the Commander watched the tank. Curt orders
designated new target areas as the enemy fleet broke up under the
whiplash. Slowly, one by one, the points of light that marked the enemy
vanished, leaving only the void.

Finally, as must any fleet that faces annihilation, they turned and
fled. The battle was over. All that remained was to give the orders to
bring the flights home. And that was soon done.

The Commander got up. He stretched. He was tired. He glanced at the
clock. Two hours and forty minutes. Very quick, indeed, as space battles
usually went. But, then, he thought grimly, this had been the first
battle ever fought under the whiplash of Plan K.

But, now, there was a report to be made. And he did not know how to do
it. As he walked back wearily to his office, he tried out phrases in his
mind. None seemed to fit.

His aide was bending over the facsimile machine as he came in. "Priority
orders from the General Staff, just coming in, sir."

The Commander looked at the machine. "General Staff to Commander, Base
Q, Urgent, Immediate Action," he read. "You are hereby advised that a
protocol has been signed at Washington, D.C., with representatives of
the Combine, revising the Treaty of Porran to the extent that Base Q
shall be jointly administered by yourself and the Commander, Fourth
Fleet, Jupiterian Combine, until such time as its further dispensation
shall have been agreed. You will, therefore, admit said Fleet upon
demand, permitting it to take up such stations as it may desire, in
either zone, or to land, in whole or in part, and to disembark such of
its personnel as its commanding officer may direct. You will make
arrangements with its commanding officer for the joint administration of
t