assure you that I have no intention of returning to Earth. If Keroth
loses this war, then I will die--either fighting for the Kerothi or by
execution at the hands of Earthmen if I am captured. Or," he added
musingly, "perhaps even at the hands of the Kerothi, if someone decides
that a scapegoat is needed to atone for the loss of the war."

"If you are guilty of treason," Hokotan barked, "you will die as a
traitor! If you are not, there is no need for your death. The Kerothi
do not need scapegoats!"

"Talk, talk, talk!" Tallis said with a sudden bellow. "We have agreed
that MacMaine has done nothing that could even remotely be regarded as
suspicious! He has fought hard and loyally; he has been more ruthless
than any of us in destroying the enemy. Very well, we will guard him
more closely. We can put him in irons if that's necessary.

"But let's quit yapping and start thinking! We've been acting like
frightened children, not knowing what it is we fear, and venting our
fear-caused anger on the most handy target!

"Let's act like men--not like children!"

After a moment, Hokotan said: "I agree." His voice was firm, but calm.
"Our job will be to get our hands on one of those new Earth ships.
Anyone have any suggestions?"

They had all kinds of suggestions, one after another. The detectors,
however, worked because they detected the distortion of space which was
as necessary for the drive of a ship as the distortion of air was
necessary for the movement of a propeller-driven aircraft. None of them
could see how a ship could avoid making that distortion, and none of
them could figure out how to go about capturing a ship that no one
could even detect until it was too late to set a trap.

The discussion went on for days. And it was continued the next day and
the next. And the days dragged out into weeks.

* * * * *

Communications with Keroth broke down. The Fleet-to-Headquarters
courier ships, small in size, without armament, and practically solidly
packed with drive mechanism, could presumably outrun anything but
another unarmed courier. An armed ship of the same size would have to
use some of the space for her weapons, which meant that the drive would
have to be smaller; if the drive remained the same size, then the
armament would make the ship larger. In either case, the speed would be
cut down. A smaller ship might outrun a standard courier, but if they
got much smaller, t