e and sullen
and totally useless except as an anchor for its family of crazy moons.
He could look farther than that. He could look at the stars. In a little
while, he thought, he could look at whole galaxies. His heart pounded
and the breath came hot and hard into his lungs. It was a good feeling.
It made all that had gone before almost worthwhile. The primal
immensities drew him, the black gulfs lit with gold and crimson and
peacock-colored flames. He wanted to go farther and farther, into--

"You're learning too fast," said Shearing dryly. "Stick to something
small and close and sordid, namely an asteroid where we can land."

"I found one," said Hyrst. "There."

* * * * *

Shearing followed his mental nudge. "Hell," he said, "couldn't you have
spotted something better? These Valhallas give me the creeps."

"The others within reach are too small, or there's no cover. We'll have
quite a little time to wait. I take it you would like to be alive when
your friends come."

Vernon's thought broke in on them abruptly. "You have just one chance of
that, and that's to give yourselves up, right now."

"Does the socially-conscious Mr. Bellaver still want to give me that
job?" asked Hyrst.

"I'm warning you," said Vernon.

"Your mind is full of hate," said Hyrst. "Cleanse it." He shut Vernon
out as easily as hanging up a phone. Under stress, his new powers were
developing rapidly. He felt a little drunk with them. Shearing said,
"Don't get above yourself, boy. You're still a cub, you know." Then he
grinned briefly and added, "By the way, thanks."

Hyrst said, "I owed it to you. And you can thank your lady friend, too.
She had a big hand in it."

"Christina," said Shearing softly. "Yes."

He dropped the skiff sharply in a descending curve, toward the asteroid.

"Do you think," said Hyrst, "you could now tell me what the devil this
is all about?"

Shearing said, "We've got a starship."

Hyrst stared. For a long time he didn't say anything. Then, "You've got
a starship? But nobody has! People talk of someday reaching other stars,
but nobody tried yet, nobody _could_ try--" He broke off, suddenly
remembering a dark, lonely ship, and a woman with angry eyes watching
it. Even in his astonishment, things began to come clearer to him. "So
that's it--a starship. And Bellaver wants it?"

Shearing nodded.

"Well," said Hyrst. "Go on."

"You've already developed some amazing mental capabil