," he shouted louder.

"Go ahead and answer him, captain. Let's see what he has to say."

"You can't come aboard, Conally," Altman said finally.

"If you don't let me come aboard I'll slip through and be killed."

"Ain't that touching!"

"You mean you won't pick me up?"

"We'll pick you up all right--we wanna take what's left of you back to
show how you died."

"It's like that then? You're going to kill me to get the cargo?"

"You're learning fast."

"Are you going to hook on to the Fleury and drag her in to port?"

"Are you nuts? The inspectors could easily find out that we worked her
over before you left port.... What's the matter--got a sentimental
attachment for that old crate?"

"Look, Altman...."

"Go to hell, Conally."

The background hum died out of the Fleury's receiver abruptly. Brad
called twice. But there was no answer.

* * * * *

The SS Fleury was vibrant with the final pounding of its weakening vital
parts.

_Clank-sss, clank-sss_, the coolant's safety valve hissed.
_Boom ... boom_, the jangling piston rod pounded. The expanding metal
plate added its _throom-throom_ note.

The counter in the passageway _clackety-clacked_ louder.

Their lines snapped by persistent tremors and lurches, more crates
danced in the holds. Some of them eventually found their way to the
gaping holes in the hull and, receiving a final, brief kick from jagged
metal, floated lightly out into space.

In the scope of the Cluster Queen, the Fleury's outline became fuzzier.

With mounting groans, the tortured vessel wrenched violently as she
slipped down the descending arc.

Then suddenly she was through--in normal space where stars shown with
pinpoint brilliancy and where the celestial sphere was no longer a lazy,
crazy crisscross of blurred lines.

The Cluster Queen started a wide hyperspatial turn, remaining spatially
alongside the Fleury. She gathered speed as she swung around and
straightened out and, with hyperjets blasting full force, plunged
through the barrier in somewhat less time than a milli-second.

Ahead, the Fleury was picked up immediately on the scope. Like a hawk,
the Queen closed the distance to the other trembling, silent ship.

* * * * *

Vega IV's spaceport was bathed in brilliant, blue-cast light from the
magnificent sun.

The Cluster Queen was docked. A tractor kept itself busy rolling up the
ramp into the ship and out