symbols that
could mean only one thing to any intelligence that could recognize stars
and planets.

But in the center of the sheet was another symbol. It lay halfway
between the two Solar Systems, in the depths of interstellar space. It
was a tiny picture, a silvery sliver of light, but it too was
unmistakeable.

It could be nothing else but a Starship.

* * * * *

Later, as they talked, they saw that the map had told each of them,
individually, the same thing. "They had a star-drive," Tom said.
"Whatever kind of creatures they were, and whatever the disaster that
threatened their planet, they had a star-drive to take them out of the
Solar System to another star."

"But why leave a record?" Greg wanted to know. "If nobody was here to
use it...."

"Maybe for the same reason that Earthmen bury time capsules with records
of their civilization," Major Briarton said. "I'd guess that the records
here will tell, when they have been studied and deciphered. Perhaps
there was already some sign of intelligent life developing elsewhere in
the Solar System. Perhaps they hoped that some of their own people would
survive. But they had a star-drive, so some of them must have escaped.
And with the record here...."

"We may be able to follow them," Greg said.

"If we can decipher the record," Johnny Coombs said. "But we don't have
any clue to their language."

"Did you have any trouble understanding what the map had to say?" the
Major said quietly.

"No...."

"I don't think the rest will be much more difficult. They were
intelligent creatures. The record will be understandable, all right." He
started to fold the map back into a tube again. "Maybe Roger Hunter
tried to use the film projector. We'll never know. But he must have
realized that he had discovered the secret of a star-drive. He realized
that the United Nations were the ones to explore it and use it, and he
gave his life to keep it out of the hands of Tawney and his men...."

"A pity," a cold voice said close behind them, "that he didn't succeed,
after all."

They whirled. In the hatchway to the after-cabin, Merrill Tawney was
standing, with a smile on his lips and a Markheim stunner trained
directly on Major Briarton's chest.

15. The Final Move

"I realize I'm much earlier than you expected, Major. You did a very
neat job of camouflaging your takeoff ... we were almost fooled ... and
no doubt the dummy ship you sent