know, it has been decided that we should not return to
any of the minor planets, as to do so might invite a hexan attack upon
our police fleet which is as yet unprepared. We are now heading for
Uranus, in the hope that such a course will distract the attention of
the hexans from Tellus, even though they probably already know that we
are Tellurians. Our new communicator ray will reach any member of the
Jovian system from this point. It has been decided that it is safe to
use it, since it employs an almost absolutely tight beam of very small
diameter, and since we know that that one hexan vessel, at least, had
no apparatus sufficiently sensitive to detect a beam of that nature.
We will therefore now get in touch with the Callistonians and with our
own people."

* * * * *

Brandon seated himself before the communicator screen, and while the
others packed themselves closely around his stool, he snapped on the
visiray and turned the dials which directed that invisible, immensely
complex beam through space. The screen was apparently in itself a coign
of vantage, flying through space with the velocity of light, and the
watchers gasped involuntarily and drew themselves together, as with that
unthinkable speed they flashed down toward the surface of Callisto.
So realistic was the impression that they themselves were hurtling
through the void, that they could scarcely reason themselves into
believing their positive knowledge that the impending collision was
not an actual happening! Reducing the velocity of the projection
abruptly as it approached the satellite, Brandon flashed it down into
a crater indicated by Czuv, and along a tunnel to the city of Zbardk,
where the Callistonian captain held a long conversation with the Council
of the nation. Frowning in thought, he turned to Newton and spoke
seriously and slowly.

"Immediately after the loss of our super-plane, with the supposed death
of King, Breckenridge, and myself, the other Tellurian officers were
returned to Europa, since even they could be of no assistance to us
Callistonians in our struggle against the new, high-acceleration vessels
of the hexans. The present situation is much more serious than I would
have believed possible. The last vessel going to visit Wruszk, our city
upon Europa, was caught and destroyed by the hexans, and for many weeks
no ship or message has come from there to Callisto. In spite of the fact
that the hexan flee