as resting
where Docchi had last seen it, though it was difficult to be sure
because the curve of the ship loomed so large.

"Maybe we'd better get out of here," suggested Jordan nervously.

"Without the tank? Not a chance. Vogel hasn't got complete control of
them yet." That seemed to be true. The geepees were nearly motionless,
paralyzed.

"What shall I do?" asked Jordan.

"Give me full power on the radio," said Docchi. "Burn it out if you
have to. I think the engineer is at the wrong angle to broadcast much
power to them. Besides, the intervening structure is absorbing most of
his signal."

He waited until Jordan had complied. "The tank must be placed in the
ship," he added.

Geepees were not designed to sift contradictory commands that were
nearly at the same level of urgency. Their reasoning power was feeble,
but the mechanism was complicated enough. In that respect they
resembled humans. Borderline decisions were difficult.

"More power," whispered Docchi.

Sweating, Jordan obeyed.

Marionettes. This string led toward a certain action. Another,
intrinsically more important, but suddenly far less powerful, pulled
for something else. Circuits burned within electronic brains.
Micro-relays fluttered under the stress.

Choice....

Stiffly the geepees moved and grasped the tank. The quality of
decision, in this case, was strained. Inch by inch the tank rolled up
the ramp.

"When it's completely on, raise the ramp," Docchi whispered to Jordan
in an even lower voice.

One geepee wavered and fell. Motionless, it lay there. The remaining
four were barely equal to the task.

"Now," said Docchi.

The freight ramp began to rise. The tank picked up speed as it rolled
into the ship.

"Geepees, save yourselves!" shouted Docchi.

They leaped from the ramp.

Jordan breathed deeply. "I don't think they can hurt us now."

Docchi nodded. "Get me ship-to-asteroid communication, if there's any
radio left."

"There is." Jordan made the adjustment.

"Vogel, we're going out. Give us the proper sequence and save the dome
some damage."

There was no reply.

"He's trying to bluff," said Jordan. "He knows the airlocks to the
main dome will automatically close if we do break through."

"Sure," said Docchi. "Everyone in the main dome is safe, _if_
everyone is in there. Vogel, we'll give you time to think about
that."

Jordan gave him the time until it hurt, waiting. Meanwhile he flipped
on the telecom and se