ck all this part of the room could not be seen.
"Dead!"
"Oh, Gregg--"
It forced our hand. I could not wait now for Miko to come. But I could
flash the Earth signal now, and then we would have to make our run to
escape.
Abruptly I remembered that light down at the crater-base! I kept Anita
out of sight on the floor and went cautiously to a window. The deck
was in turmoil with brigands moving about excitedly. Not because of
what had happened in our tower signal room; they were unaware of that.
Miko's signals were showing! I could see them now plainly, down at the
crater-base. A group of hand-lights and a small waving helio-beam.
And they were being answered from the ship! Potan was on the deck--a
babble of voices, above which his rose with roars of command. At one
of the dome windows a brigand with a hand search-beam was sending its
answering light. And I saw that Potan was working over a deck
telescope-finder.
It had all come so suddenly that I was stunned. But I did not wait to
read the signals. I swung back at Anita.
"It's Miko! And they are answering him! Get your helmet; I'll try
firing the projector."
Or would I instead try to send a brief flash-signal to Earth? There
would be no time to do both: we must escape out of here. The route up
through the dome was the only feasible one now.
This range mechanism of the projector was reasonably familiar, and I
felt that I could operate it. The range-finder and switch were on a
ledge at one of the windows. I rushed to it. As I swung the little
telescope, training it down on Miko's lights, I could see the huge
projector on the deck swinging similarly. Its movement surprised the
men who were attending it. One of them called up to me, but I ignored
him.
* * * * *
Then Potan looked up and saw me. He shouted in Martian at the
duty-man, whom he doubtless thought was behind me: "Be ready! We may
fire on them, whoever they are. I'll give you the word."
The signals were proceeding. It had only been a moment. I caught
something like, "_Haljan is impostor._"
I was aiming the projector. I was aware of Anita at my elbow. I pushed
her back.
"Put on your helmet!"
I had the range. I flung the firing switch.
At the deck window the giant projector spat its deadly electronic
stream. The men down there leaped away from it with surprise. I heard
Potan's voice, his shout of protest and anger.
But down in the Earthglow at the
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