d before. "Sit down, Professor," he said. "You look as if you just
walked through the New Sahara on Mars. Here, drink this!" Vidac offered
the professor a glass of water and waited expectantly.

Sykes drank the water in one gulp and poured another glass before taking
his seat. He began digging into his pouch and pulling out sheets of what
appeared to be exposed film. He rummaged around for his glasses, and
after adjusting them on his hawklike nose, began to sort the sheets of
film.

"When the instruments on the _Polaris_ went crazy out in space," began
Sykes nervously, "I knew there was only one thing that could cause such
a disturbance. Radioactivity! As soon as we landed, I began to look for
the source. At first I used a Geiger counter. But I couldn't get an
accurate count. The counter was as erratic as the instruments. So I
tried film. Here is the result." He handed the exposed film to Vidac.
"This film was protected by lead sheeting. It would take a deposit of
pitchblende richer than anything I've ever heard of to penetrate the
lead. But look at it! The film is completely exposed. The only thing
that could do that is a deposit of uranium at least seventy-five per
cent pure!"

[Illustration]

Vidac studied the films closely. "Where is this strike?" he asked
casually. "Is it on land that has been parceled out to the colonists?"

"I don't know whose land it's on. But I'm telling you this! It's going
to make someone the richest man in the Solar Alliance!"

Sykes fumbled in his pouch again and this time brought out a dirty piece
of paper. "This is a report giving the location and an assay estimate.
It has to be sent back to the Solar Council right away. Have
communications with Earth been established yet?"

Vidac shook his head and reached out for the report. "If what you say is
true," he said coolly, "we can always send it back on the _Polaris_."

He took the report and read it over. He recognized immediately the
danger of Sykes's discovery. He laid the film and the report on his desk
and faced the professor. "And you are absolutely sure of your findings?"

Sykes snorted. "I've been working with uranium all my life. And I should
know a deposit like this when I see one!"

Vidac didn't answer. He turned to the teleceiver and flipped it on.
"Send Winters and Bush in here right away," he told the aide.

"You going to send those two back with this report?" asked Sykes.
"Personally I'd feel a lot safer if you'd se