re being
carried into outer space. There's nothing we can do. Is there any way
that we can be removed from this ship?"

A hesitation. "We have some fast pursuit ships that could pick you up
if you wanted to jump. The chances are good they'd find you. Do you
have space flares?"

"We do," the Pilot said. "Let's try it."

"Abandon ship?" Kramer said. "If we leave now we'll never see it
again."

"What else can we do? We're gaining speed all the time. Do you propose
that we stay here?"

"No." Kramer shook his head. "Damn it, there ought to be a better
solution."

"Could you contact _him_?" Winter asked. "The Old Man? Try to reason
with him?"

"It's worth a chance," Gross said. "Try it."

"All right." Kramer took the microphone. He paused a moment. "Listen!
Can you hear me? This is Phil Kramer. Can you hear me, Professor. Can
you hear me? I want you to release the controls."

There was silence.

"This is Kramer, Professor. Can you hear me? Do you remember who I am?
Do you understand who this is?"

Above the control panel the wall speaker made a sound, a sputtering
static. They looked up.

"Can you hear me, Professor. This is Philip Kramer. I want you to give
the ship back to us. If you can hear me, release the controls! Let go,
Professor. Let go!"

Static. A rushing sound, like the wind. They gazed at each other.
There was silence for a moment.

"It's a waste of time," Gross said.

"No--listen!"

The sputter came again. Then, mixed with the sputter, almost lost in
it, a voice came, toneless, without inflection, a mechanical, lifeless
voice from the metal speaker in the wall, above their heads.

"... Is it you, Philip? I can't make you out. Darkness.... Who's
there? With you...."

"It's me, Kramer." His fingers tightened against the microphone
handle. "You must release the controls, Professor. We have to get back
to Terra. You must."

Silence. Then the faint, faltering voice came again, a little stronger
than before. "Kramer. Everything so strange. I was right, though.
Consciousness result of thinking. Necessary result. Cognito ergo sum.
Retain conceptual ability. Can you hear me?"

"Yes, Professor--"

"I altered the wiring. Control. I was fairly certain.... I wonder if I
can do it. Try...."

Suddenly the air-conditioning snapped into operation. It snapped
abruptly off again. Down the corridor a door slammed. Something
thudded. The men stood listening. Sounds came from all sides of them,
switc