mpt to attract the
attention of those on board to himself.

Duomart had said that the man was not a member of Handing's lost crew
but a stranger. He was therefore one of the Dosey Asteroids raiders.

Putting down her two land legs, the Mooncat touched the open hillside a
little over a quarter of a mile from the woods, stood straddled and
rakish, nose high. The storeroom lock opened, and a slender ramp slid
out. Quist showed in the lock, dumped two portable shelters to the
ground, came scrambling nimbly down the ramp. Dr. Egavine followed, more
cautiously, the two handcuffed Fleetmen behind him. Dasinger came out
last, glancing over at the castaway who had started across the slope
towards the ship.

"Everyone's out," he told his wrist communicator. "Take her up."

The ramp snaked soundlessly back into the lock, the lock snapped shut
and the Mooncat lifted smoothly and quickly from the ground. Liu Taunus
glanced after the rising speedboat, looked at Calat, and spoke loudly
and emphatically in Fleetlingue for a few seconds, his broad face
without expression. Dasinger said, "All right, Quist, break out the
shelter."

When the shelter was assembled, Dasinger motioned the Fleetmen towards
the door with his thumb. "Inside, boys!" he said. "Quist, lock the
shelter behind them and stay on guard here. Come on, doctor. We'll meet
our friend halfway...."

* * * * *

The castaway approached unhurriedly, walking with a long, easy stride,
the bird thing on his shoulder craning its neck to peer at the strangers
with round yellow eyes. The man was big and rangy, probably less heavy
by thirty pounds than Liu Taunus, but in perfect physical condition. The
face was strong and intelligent, smiling elatedly now.

"I'd nearly stopped hoping this day would arrive!" he said in
translingue. "May I ask who you are?"

"An exploration group." Dasinger gripped the extended hand, shook it, as
Dr. Egavine's right hand went casually to his coat lapel. "We noticed
the two wrecked ships down by the lake," Dasinger explained, "then saw
your smoke signal. Your name?"

"Graylock. Once chief engineer of the Antares, out of Vanadia on
Aruaque." Graylock turned, still smiling, towards Egavine.

Egavine smiled as pleasantly.

"Graylock," he observed, "you feel, and will continue to feel, that this
is the conversation you planned to conduct with us, that everything is
going exactly in accordance with your wishes." He