iser of Tresqu the Wisest dropped into the meadow.
Its airlock swung open and the Ruler of Hova, followed by his
entourage, came out.

"Oh, Mighty Weapon!" bawled Tresqu. "Your loving servant craves
audience!"

"Ah, you have returned, petty lord," said the Weapon, drifting out
from among the trees. "Serve me by calling all the crew members from
your noble ship, that I may view you all together."

Puzzled, Tresqu bowed and said, "Your least whim is law, Mighty
Weapon." He turned and called, "All hands, outside!"

A half-dozen Hovans tumbled through the lock to stand in line behind
the ruler's entourage.

"Is this all of them?" asked the Weapon.

"All, Great Mentor of--"

The Weapon laughed and the Hovans fell dead.

"Come, Slave Jacob," commanded the Weapon. "We take this cruiser."

Dazed and slack-faced, Jacob came out from behind a bush, where he had
hidden himself from the Hovans, and followed the Weapon through the
airlock.

"Even in my insanity, I planned well," said the Weapon. "These ships,
which I taught the Hovans to construct, can be operated simply, even
by such as you. Attend my instructions."

[Illustration]

First, the Weapon taught Jacob to open and close the airlock. Then he
was shown how to fuel the engines, upon which the Weapon made some
changes to improve their performance. Finally, in the control room,
Jacob learned to fly the ship.

This took several hours, at the end of which time Jacob had succeeded
in raising the cruiser into a satellite orbit around Hova.

"Do you comprehend, Slave?" asked the Weapon.

"Sure. This thing ain't nothin' to run compared to a T-model Ford!
Which way is it to Earth?"

"That I shall not tell you, Jacob, because I must leave the ship for a
few hours and desire to find you here when I return. Consider and tell
me: Will you be here?"

Jacob gazed at the broad, star-spangled viewplate that curved around
his seat at the controls. There was, he reflected an awful lot of
nothing out there for a man to get lost in.

"I'll be here," he promised.

"Very good. You must understand that these controls are constructed
for manipulation by such limbs as your own and those of the Hovans.
Thus, it is convenient for me to use you as a pilot instead of doing
the drab, mechanical task with my ill-suited force-field manipulators.
You will be wise to serve me well, Jacob."

Jacob nodded. "You got a point there."

"Operate the lock for me," the Weapon ordered.