"Of the three ships scouting to the south, the LD-248 suffered an
identical fate, at the same moment. Its records add little to the
knowledge of the disaster. But with the LK-745 and the LG-25 it was
different.

"The relay instruments of the LK-745 indicated the destruction by an
explosion of the rear rep-ray generator, and that the ship hung stern
down for a short space, swinging like a pendulum. The forward viewplates
and indicators did not cease functioning, but their records are chaotic,
except for one projectoscope still, which shows the bowl of the valley,
and the GK-981 falling, but no visible evidence of tribesmen. The
control-room viewplate is also a chaotic record of the ship's crew
tumbling and falling to the rear wall. Then the forward rep-ray
generator exploded, and all signals went dead.

"The fate of the LG-25 was somewhat similar, except that this ship hung
nose down, and drifted on the wind southward as it slowly descended out
of control.

"As its control room was shattered, verbal report from its Action
Captain was precluded. The record of the interior rear viewplate shows
members of the crew climbing toward the rear rep-ray generator in an
attempt to establish manual control of it, and increase the lift. The
projectoscope relays, swinging in wide arcs, recorded little of value
except at the ends of their swings. One of these, from a machine which
happened to be set in telescopic focus, shows several views of great
value in picturing the falls of the other ships, and all of the rear
projectoscope records enable the reconstruction in detail of the
pendulum and torsional movements of the ship, and its sag toward the
earth. But none of the views showing the forest below contain any
indication of tribesmen's presence. A final explosion put this ship out
of commission at a height of 1,000 feet, and at a point four miles S. by
E. of the center of the valley."

The message ended with a repetition of the warning to other airmen to
avoid the valley.

CHAPTER VII

Incredible Treason

After receiving this report, and reassurances of support from the Big
Bosses of the neighboring Gangs, Hart determined to reestablish the
Wyoming Valley community.

A careful survey of the territory showed that it was only the northern
sections and slopes that had been "beamed" by the first Han ship.

The synthetic-fabrics plant had been partially wiped out, though the
lower levels underground had not been reache