n as the pick-up crew was reported in, I keyed course corrections
to curve us off sharply from the alien. I didn't know what he had, but I
liked the idea of putting space between us. My P-Missiles were still
armed and locked.

Mannion called, "Captain, they say our fright is amusing, and quite
justified."

I watched the televideo screen for the first sign of an attack. Suddenly
the entire screen went white, then blanked. Miller, who had been at the
scanner searching over the alien ship at close range, reeled out of his
seat, clutching at his eyes. "My God, I'm blinded," he shouted.

Mannion called, "Captain, my receivers blew. I think every tube in the
shack exploded!"

I jumped to the direct viewer. The alien hung there, turning away from
us in a leisurely curve. There was no sign of whatever had blown us off
the air. I held my key, but didn't press it. I told Clay to take Miller
down to Medic. He was moaning and in severe pain.

Kramer reported in from the cargo deck. The cannister was inside now,
coating up with frost. I told him to wait, then sent Chilcote, my
demolition man, in to open it. Maybe it was booby-trapped. I stood by at
the DVP and waited for other signs of Mancjo power to hit us. The
general feeling was tense.

Apparently they were satisfied with one blast of whatever it was; they
were dwindling away with no further signs of life.

After half an hour of tense alertness, I ordered the missiles disarmed.

I keyed for General. "Men, this is the Captain," I said. "It looks as
though our first contact with an alien race has been successfully
completed. He is now at a distance of three hundred and moving off fast.
Our screens are blown, but there's no real damage. And we have a supply
of fresh food aboard; now let's get back to business. That colony can't
be far off."

That may have been rushing it some, but if the food supply we'd gotten
was a dud, we were finished anyway.

We watched the direct-view screen till the ship was lost; then followed
on radar.

"It's moving right along, Captain," Joyce said, "accelerating at about
two gee's."

"Good riddance," Clay said. "I don't like dealing with armed maniacs."

"They were screwballs all right," I said, "but they couldn't have
happened along at a better time. I only wish we had been in a position
to squeeze a few answers out of them."

"Yes, sir," Clay said. "Now that the whole thing's over, I'm beginning
to think of a lot of questions myself."