ify yourself
immediately with authorized code!"

Coxine glared at Tom and put his hand on the air-lock valve. "Last time,
Corbett. Either you give me the Solar Guard recognition signal, or your
buddies are finished!"

Tom gulped. He had no assurance that Coxine would release Roger and
Astro, even if he did give him the signal. But he knew there was no
choice. He looked up at Coxine.

"Do I have your word as an _Earthman_ that nothing will happen to them?"
he asked quietly.

Coxine laughed. "Sure. I'll give you my word. I'll even bring them up
here so they can see the show and then let you go afterward. But by the
time I'm finished with the Ganymede colony the Solar Guard will have
your hides for handing out their secrets."

Tom knew what the pirate said was true. He was taking a gamble now. A
gamble that by this time his signal on the _Polaris_ had been picked up
and a fleet of ships would be on their trail.

"Attention! Attention! Identify yourselves immediately!" The voice from
the Ganymede traffic-control tower came over the audioceiver again.
Coxine's face twisted into a half-smile.

"Well, Corbett, do I get the signal or don't I?"

"Tell them you're a Solar Guard armed freighter." Tom's voice was low.
"You're assigned to operation 'Vista.'"

"Vista?" said Coxine excitedly. "Is that the code word? Vista?"

"Yes," said Tom. "Now open the valve!"

Coxine gave the valve a number of turns in the opposite direction and
jumped to the teleceiver. He flipped the key open and called Wallace
aboard the _Polaris_. "When they ask you for identification, tell them
you're working on operation Vista. That's the key word. Vista!"

"Right!" answered Wallace.

Coxine then turned to the audioceiver and spoke in confident, assured
tones. "Attention, Ganymede traffic control! This is armed freighter
_Samson_, assigned on project Vista. Request clearance for approach and
touchdown on Ganymede spaceport!"

"You are properly identified, _Samson_," replied Ganymede. "Proceed on
your present course. End transmission."

"End transmission!" roared Coxine triumphantly.

The giant pirate turned back to Tom, bellowing, "Thanks, Corbett. You've
just given me the key to everything I ever wanted."

"What do you mean?" asked Tom, suddenly frightened by the strange wild
gleam in Coxine's eyes.

"By the time I've finished with Ganymede, I'll have every ship on their
spaceport. A fleet big enough to hit any part of the Solar Allia