to the edge of
the sun belt. There was no atmosphere, so the edge was a sharp line
between dark and light. There wasn't much light, either. They were too far
from the sun for that. But as they neared the sun, the darkness would be
their protection. They would get so close to Sol that the metal on the sun
side would get soft as butter.

He bent close to the uneven surface. It was clean metal, not oxidized at
all. The thorium had never been exposed to oxygen. Here and there,
pyramids of metal thrust up from the asteroid, sometimes singly, sometimes
in clusters. They were metal crystal formations. He guessed that once,
long ages ago, the asteroid had been a part of something much bigger,
perhaps a planet. One theory said the asteroids were formed when a planet
exploded. This asteroid might have been a pocket of pure thorium in the
planet.

There would be plenty to do in a short while, but meanwhile he enjoyed the
sensation of being on a tiny world in space with only a handful of
Planeteers for company. He smiled. "King Foster," he said to himself.
"Monarch of a thorium space speck." It was a rather nice feeling, even
though he laughed at himself for thinking it. Since he was in command of
the detachment, he could in all truth say this was his own personal
planet. It would be a good bit of space humor to spring on the folks back
on Terra.

"Yep, I was boss of a whole world, once. Made myself king. Emperor of all
the metal molecules and king of the thorium spurs. And my subjects obeyed
my every command." He added, "Thanks to Planeteer discipline. The
detachment commander is boss."

He reminded himself that he'd better stop gathering spacedust and start
acting like a detachment commander. He walked back to the landing boat,
stepping with care. With such low gravity a false step could send him high
above the asteroid. Of course that would not be dangerous, since the space
suits were equipped with six small compressed air bottles for emergency
propulsion. But it would be embarrassing.

Inside the boat, Dowst and Nunez were setting up the compartment. Sections
of the rear wall swung out and locked into place against airtight seals,
forming a box at the rear end of the boat. Equipment sealed in the stern
next to the rocket tube supplied light, heat, and air. It was a simple but
necessary arrangement. Without it, the Planeteers could not have eaten.

There was no air lock for the compartment. The half of the detachment not