ollowed the route of Omega as
far as it had been charted, and then gone on, studying the stars ahead
for evidence of planets. We had made our first finds early in the fourth
year of the voyage. It had been a long tedious time since then of study
and observation, eliminating one world after another as too massive, too
cold, too close to a blazing primary, too small to hold an atmosphere.
In all we had discovered twelve planets, of four suns. Only one had
looked good enough for close observation. We had moved in to televideo
range before realizing it was an all-sea world.

Now we had five new main-sequence suns ahead within six months' range. I
hoped for a confirmation on a planet at any time. To turn back now to a
world that had pinned its last hopes on our success was unthinkable, yet
this was Kramer's plan, and that of his followers. They would not
prevail while I lived. Still it was not my plan to be a party to our
failure through martyrdom. I intended to stay alive and carry through to
success. I dozed lightly and waited.

* * * * *

I awoke when they tried the door. It had swung open a few inches at the
touch of the one who had tried it, not expecting it to be unlatched. It
stood ajar now, the pale light from the hall shining on the floor. No
one entered. Kramer was still fumbling, unsure of himself. At every
surprise with which I presented him, he was paralyzed, expecting a trap.
Several minutes passed in tense silence; then the door swung wider.

"I'll be forced to kill the first man who enters this room," I said in a
steady voice. I hadn't picked up the gun.

I heard urgent whispers in the hall. Then a hand reached in behind the
shelter of the door and flipped the light switch. Nothing happened,
since I had opened the main switch. It was only a small discomfiture,
but it had the effect of interfering with their plan of action, such as
it was. These men were being pushed along by Kramer, without a clearly
thought out plan. They hardly knew how to go about defying lawful
authority.

I called out, "I suggest you call this nonsense off now, and go back to
your quarters, men. I don't know who is involved in this, yet. You can
get away clean if you leave quietly, now, before you've made a serious
mistake."

I hoped it would work. This little adventure, abortive though it was,
might serve to let off steam. The men would have something to talk about
for a few precious days. I picked