e biggest freighters
he had ever seen. He must be getting his measurements wrong.

He called Geck, using the transformer. "Are you seeing what I am in
Nock's mind?"

"Yes, An-yon, and you is figure right. Is that big."

Hanlon slowly shook his head in amazement. If that was meant for a
warship, it certainly spelled trouble for someone. He thought seriously
for several moments, then telepathed Nock. "Is there more than one ship
being built?"

"Oh, yes, there are many many." The picture built up of a whole row of
ships, and Hanlon counted swiftly.

_Eighteen!_

For what purpose was such a fleet being built? Men would not defy the
I-S C and the Federated Planets this way merely for business reasons, he
felt sure. There certainly was a plot being hatched--and what a plot!

He felt Geck's hand on his arm, and heard his voice. "Are two more
places where humans build many ship, An-yon. While you think me talk
many minds. One place are fourteen more great ones. At other are many
many many small ones five to ten Guddu long."

Shock on shock! Someone was building a tremendous fleet here! He must
get that news to Corps headquarters as quickly as possible. If those
ships were once finished, they would be able to dominate the system. For
the Corps had only a nominal fleet. They had never needed a large one.

To the best of his knowledge the Corps had only thirty-one first-line
battleships, much smaller than these. The Fleet also had fifty heavy
cruisers, a hundred and fifty light cruisers, and a thousand scouts
running from one-man up to twelve-man size.

"Please find out if any of those ships they are building have ever left
the ground."

"Some little ones only," Geck reported after awhile. "Some few disappear
into sky then come back after time, then do same again."

Trial trips, or training trips for the crews, Hanlon deduced.

Well, he had some data now, at least. Enough so that once he got that
news to Headquarters they would attack this place in force great enough
to stop this work ... IF ... he could get word to them soon enough.

"Let's see now," he figured quickly. "I've been here almost twelve
weeks. That means another six or seven until I'm supposed to be eligible
to get back to Simonides. Hmmm. Wish I knew how near finished those big
battle-wagons are."

More moments of intense thought. "I don't dare take the chance of trying
to sneak off to the yards," he reasoned logically. "I've got to do
everything