Professor Sykes's laboratory, Strong
tuned the lab communicator to the same frequency and waited. He knew he
was taking a chance. Vidac might not contact the governor on that
setting if he contacted the governor at all, but there was no other way
at the moment. Strong waited three hours before hearing the click of
Vidac's communicator on the laboratory speaker.

"Able One to Able Two. Can you hear me, Able Two? Come in, Able Two!"
Vidac's voice crackled through the set.

Strong listened intently and was rewarded by the sound of another click
and another voice speaking.

"Able Two to Able One. Come in."

"I've got Strong," reported Vidac, "and the cadets are somewhere in the
hills between here and the spaceport. I've just organized the colonists
into searching parties and am about to leave."

"Good. Contact me the minute you find them."

"Right. Keep an eye out for them. They might try to reach the
spaceport."

"Very well. I've set up an alarm on the outer hatch. No one can get
aboard without my knowing it."

"Right. Able One out."

"Able Two out."

Strong heard the clicks of the two communicators and sat back, breathing
hard. He had recognized the voice of Able Two instantly. It was Governor
Hardy. He was at the spaceport, hiding aboard a spaceship. But why?
Could he be mixed up in this affair?

Pacing the floor restlessly, Strong tried to figure out the connection.
Hardy's reputation was spotless. It seemed inconceivable that he could
be involved with Vidac. And yet Hardy had selected Vidac as his
right-hand man. And Vidac couldn't have gotten away with his treatment
of the colonists unless Hardy had silently endorsed his orders.

The Solar Guard captain left the laboratory and watched the colonists as
they milled around in front of the Administration Building. Vidac's jet
car was in the middle of the group of men and Strong saw him jump up on
top of the car and begin addressing them. He couldn't hear the
lieutenant governor's words, but he knew the men were being urged to
hunt the cadets down like common criminals. He watched until Vidac
rocketed off in his jet car, followed by a stream of colonists in
various types of vehicles. In a few moments the area in front of the
Administration Building was quiet and deserted. Strong began searching
for a jet car.

* * * * *

Jeff Marshall turned sideways in his seat and looked at the pretty face
of Jane Logan. Her brow was fur