and the stereos were full of the attack and escape
details, with Strong's name appearing often in the headlines and news
flashes. To search the asteroid belt had been his suggestion, and while
he could offer no proof, he believed the attacking ship had been
commanded by Wallace and Simms. Speaking only to Commander Walters,
Strong had received permission to combine the search for Wallace and
Simms, with the new hunt for Coxine. Strong was convinced that Coxine
was behind the activity of Wallace and Simms, from the beginning at the
Solar Exposition to the present.

Strong looked at his watch. It was past midnight. He flipped a switch
and paged Lieutenant Moore on the central communicators. In a few
moments the young officer appeared and saluted smartly.

"Take over here, Moore," said Strong. "I'm going to sack in for a little
rest and then take the _Polaris_ out. I'll be in constant contact with
you and will direct search operations from the _Polaris_. You stand by
here and relay all reports. We'll use code 'VISTA' for all contacts."

"Yes, sir," said Moore. "Shall I work up charts like that one?" He
pointed to the chart left by Roger.

"Statistics here at the academy will handle that," replied Strong. "Just
shoot the information down to them as you receive it. And you'd better
get someone else up here to help you. You'll be here a long time."

Moore saluted and Strong walked wearily from the room. There wasn't any
need for cleverness now, thought the Solar Guard captain. When we catch
Coxine, he'll fight. And when he fights, that will be the end of him!

He went to his quarters and in thirty seconds was asleep.

* * * * *

"Radar bridge to control deck!" A voice crackled over the intercom
aboard the newly named pirate ship, _Avenger_. "Hullo, control deck!
Come in!"

"Yeah?" roared Bull Coxine. "Whaddya want?"

"Picked up a blip on the radar, Captain," replied the radar officer.
"Looks to me like the jet liner from Mars to Venus."

"Relay the pickup to the control-deck scanner and let me take a look at
it," ordered Coxine.

In a moment the big pirate was studying the scanner carefully. Wallace
and Simms stood to one side. Coxine turned and looked at them with a
hard glint in his eyes. "That's the jet liner, all right!" He rubbed the
palms of his huge hands together and smiled thinly. "It looks like we're
in business!"

Wallace stepped forward. "You mean, you're going to--?"