imate from the exhaust
how far away they are?"

"Not very well, Lieutenant. From the position of the streak, I'd say
they're decelerating."

The Planeteers looked at Rip. He was in command, and they expected him to
do something about the situation. Rip didn't know what to do. The rocket
launcher, their only weapon, wasn't designed for fighting spaceships. It
was useful against snapper-boats and people, but firing at a cruiser
would be like sending mosquitoes to fight elephants.

He sized up their position. For one thing, they were right out in the
open, exposed to anything the Connie cruiser might throw at them. If they
could get under cover, there might be a chance. At least it would take
the Connies a while to find them.

For a moment he thought of hurrying into the landing boat and sending out
a call for help to the _Scorpius_, but he thought better of it. They
weren't certain that Connie had spotted them. He would wait until there
was no doubt. Meanwhile, they had to find cover.

His searching eyes fell on the cutting torch. If they could use that to
cut themselves right into the asteroid.... Suddenly he knew how it could
be done. On the sun side he remembered a series of high-piled, giant
crystals of thorium. They could cut into the side of one of those. And
with Kemp's skill, they might be able to do it in time.

He called, "Kemp, Koa, bring the torch and fuel and follow me."

In his haste he took a misstep and flew headlong a few feet above the
metal surface. Koa, gliding along behind him, turned him upright again.
He saw that the sergeant major was grinning. Rip grinned back. It was the
second time he had lost his footing.

They reached the peaks of thorium, and Rip looked them over. The tallest
was perhaps forty feet high. It was roughly pyramidal, with a base about
sixty feet thick. It would do.

"Kemp." The private hurried to his side. "Take the torch and make us a
cave. Make it big enough for the entire crew and the equipment."

Kemp was a good Planeteer. He didn't stop to ask questions. He said,
"I'll make a small entrance and open the cave out inside." He picked up
the torch and got busy.

Rip smiled. The Planeteer was right. He should have thought of it
himself, but it was good to see increasing proof that his men were smart
as well as tough and disciplined.

"Bring up all supplies," he told Koa. "Move the boat over here, too. We
won't be able to bury that, but we want it close by." He had a