days to
explain it, but it can throw a ship into Trans-Einsteinian Space. We had
equipped the Old Ship with the new invention. Our experimental ship was
so equipped. And this newer, larger one will also have The Fourth Drive.
But we have made a few improvements at the last."

* * * * *

It was all too deep for Odin. And there was so much to see that he did not
ask any questions.

Workers and smiths were everywhere. They crawled over the scaffolding like
ants. They hammered and pounded at the framework. They were bent over the
furnaces and the anvils. The presses and the shapers were pounding away.
Never before had Jack Odin seen so much activity in Opal.

"We are wrecking our buildings for this ship," Wolden mourned. "Given time,
my experiments would have made worlds and space unnecessary. But it has
been voted that we go after Maya and punish Grim Hagen, even though we
drive to the edge of space. So be it. We are now building in weeks what it
would once have taken years to do. Those on our experimental ship who have
already gone out into space, they have helped us immensely. Daily they
report the results of their tests to us. The good points--the bad ones--the
improvements. Oh, when this is finished it will be a greater ship than we
ever dreamed of. I did dream of such a ship when I was young. But now I
find that I do not want it. Even so, I will go out among the stars. Wolden
was never a coward, nor his fathers before him."

"So be it," Odin answered and he leaned his head back and looked high up at
the scaffolding where the welders' torches flashed like stars. "So be it,
Wolden. But I would have gone anyway."

And Gunnar spoke: "I would have gone beside you. My sword is thirsty."

High up on the hour-glass shape a bit of magnesium caught fire and burned
brilliantly for a second, its sparks flashing out and down. A worker, who
was no more than a shadow, smothered the flame.

The sparks drifted downward like lost suns seeking a course that they could
find no more. They sparkled and burned. Then they winked out, and there was
nothing left upon the scaffolding but lancing flames and scurrying shadows.

All about them now, the smiths were beating out old chanteys on the ancient
anvils and the newer, clashing machines.

CHAPTER 6

In the days that followed there was no time for rest. Thanks to the
smaller prototype which had already gone into space, no elaborate tests
wer