unge, looking
through the observation port at the real stars that studded the void.
They were holding hands. They were not afraid, and there was nothing
they needed to say.

Some of the doomed passengers sat in the Bar, drinking steadily. Others
sat and stared at nothingness. Professor Larrabee lay in his cabin, his
face turned to the wall, his eyes closed. But he was not sleeping. He
was thinking of his wife, and a smile clothed his face.

* * * * *

In his cabin Captain Josiah Evans waited alone. His hair was almost
white, now, his cheeks were sunken, and all semblance of youth had left
him. Knowing the futility of his action, nevertheless he completed the
day's entry in the ship's log, and closed the volume.

As the hours crept by he noticed that the temperature in the room was
rising. Once more, for the last time, he called Operations.

"It's no use, Wyman. Let the Piles alone. It's only a matter of hours
now--or perhaps minutes."

"Shall I cast loose the other Piles, sir?"

"No, no use in that, since you can't jettison Piles One, Two and Three.
When they go, we all go. It's impossible, now, that any rescue ship
could get to us in time. You've done a good job, Wyman. You are now
released from duty."

His hands were sweating, his whole body was wet from the high summer
torridness of the room. Captain Evans wiped his sticky hands on his
handkerchief and picked up the little red book, _Ley's Space Ships_.
Opening the book, he read for the last time the well-loved page. Then he
took up his pen and made a new notation in the margin.

"_Star Lord: Lost, May 26, 2421, on the Thakura Ripples._"

He paused a moment, and then with firm, steady strokes he wrote the
final entry: "_Destroyed by the arrogance of her owners, and the
criminal pride and weakness of her Captain._"

He put down the pen, and laid his head on his desk.

* * * * *

Hour after hour Boat A circled the dying _Star Lord_, its weary
passengers tense with hope for the all but impossible rescue. Alan sat
next to Tanya, guarding the sleeping children.

Suddenly she sat up. "What's that? Out there?"

Over the loudspeaker came Thayer's voice. "We have successfully made
contact with a rescue ship. A space cruiser will reach us in
approximately eight hours."

Tanya scarcely heard him. She was still peering out, her eyes on the
faint lights of the _Star Lord_.

"Look!" she cried.

"