w. I want to get back to the Academy as soon as I
can."

"Yes, sir."

"Attention, Captain Strong," Roger's voice crackled over the intercom
loud-speaker. "I've made contact with Commander Walters at Space
Academy, sir. He's standing by for your report."

Strong returned to the control deck where he saw the sharp image of the
Space Academy commander waiting on the teleceiver screen.

He told the grim-faced senior officer of discovering the static Morse
code flashes sent out by Tom from the Avenger and the race to save Tom's
life. When he finished, the commander's face seemed to relax.

"When Corbett wakes up, give him my personal congratulations, Steve.
That goes for Astro, Roger, and yourself, as well."

"Thank you, sir," said Strong. "Since Coxine seems to be operating
exclusively out of the asteroid belt, I think it would be a good idea to
concentrate the entire fleet of patrol ships in that area."

"Good idea! I'll set it up. But get back here as soon as possible,
Steve. Coxine and that crew on the _Avenger_ aren't sitting still."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"In the last three days we've had reports from seven ships. Jet liners,
passenger freighters, and supply ships. All were attacked by the
_Avenger_ and stripped of everything those criminals could load on their
murderous backs. Blasters, paralo-ray guns, whole and synthetic
foodstuffs, clothes, money, jewels, equipment. Everything under the
stars that they could use. Any ship that even comes close to the
asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, unless escorted, is a dead space
bird. And if we did provide an escort, we wouldn't have enough ships
left to carry on the search."

Strong listened to the news with rising anger.

"I'll blast back to the Academy as soon as I can, sir," said Strong.

"Fine!" said the commander. "End transmission!"

"End transmission!"

Strong turned off the teleceiver and called Roger onto the radar bridge.

"Have you got a course back to the Academy, Roger?"

"Yes, sir."

"All right, give it to Astro and let's get moving. Every minute wasted
now is the difference between a ship looted and the future safety of the
space lanes. I have a feeling that Coxine is not just playing for the
hauls he makes on those helpless jet liners."

"I don't get you, sir."

"Look at it this way, Roger," replied Strong with a grim smile. "A man
smart enough to do what he did while he was confined to a prison
asteroid might have bigger ideas