nnie was by his bubble, which was a little more tubular
than the round bubbles of the Federation.

Rip suddenly realized that he wasn't nervous anymore. He grinned. After
all, this was what he was trained for.

The Connies came abreast and passed. "Let's go," Rip said, and as he rose
he heard Koa's voice.

The sergeant major said, "Kemp, kneel on their right side. Trudeau and
I will hit them from the left and tumble them over you. Get their
communicators first."

Koa had his own methods and they sounded good.

Rip started slowly. He wanted to get directly behind the Connies. He
stayed down low until he was sure they couldn't see him unless they
turned.

Dowst and Dominico were right with him. "Come on," he said, and started
gliding after the helmeted figures. He kept his eyes on the one he had
selected, and he called on all the myriad stars of space to give him
luck. If the men turned, his plan for quick victory would fail.

He sensed his Planeteers beside him as the figures loomed ahead. He gave
a final spring that sent him through space with knees bent and outthrust,
his hands reaching.

His knees connected solidly with the Connie's thighs, and his hands
groped around the bulky space suit. He felt a rheostat control and
twisted savagely, then groped for the distinctive star-shaped button
of the air supply.

The Connie wrenched violently and threw them both upward. Rip felt the
star shape and twisted. If he could only deflate the Connie's suit! But
the man was writhing from his grip, clawing for a weapon.

Then Rip stopped reaching for the deflation valve. He grabbed his knife,
jerked it free, and thrust it against the middle of the Connie's back.
Then he clanged his bubble against the man's helmet for direct
communication and shouted, "Grab some space, or I'll let vack into
you!"

The Connie understood English. Most earthlings did. But even better was
his understanding of the pressure on his back. He stopped struggling; his
arms shot starward.

Rip breathed freely for the first time since he had leaped, and
exultation grew in him. He had his first man! His first hand-to-hand
fight had ended in victory so easily that he could hardly believe it.

He took time to look around him and saw that he was a good five feet
above the asteroid.

Below him, a Connie belt light sent its shaft parallel with the ground,
and he knew the second man was down.

The question was, had either of them shouted before their