he tall man stood very still. They were not close enough to see each
other's faces.

Then, high on a plateau of stone above the tall man's head, Scott saw
the stars blot out.

"Scatter!" As he shouted, he took a giant leap to the right.

A blast of energy seared from the darkness, gouging a vast hole where
Scott had stood.

From behind a boulder he could see the fire of the blaster sweep across
the upper edges of the rocks, just at the level where the stars were cut
off.

For a moment, the cold green line of his fire flicked harmlessly over
naked stone. Then a thick squirt of fire flared quickly. A still-born
scream died in his earphones.

The men of the _Kastil_ had dodged away into the darkness.

Scott's voice rang out harshly. "I'll give you men two minutes to
organize and get out of here. If you're not out by that time, we'll spin
our jet around and burn you out."

There was a brief stir off in the shadows.

"You're in a blind alley there," Scott continued. "There's no way out.
And we'll blast any man who tries to climb out over the rocks. Is that
clear?"

A glowing flash of energy exploded against the rock protecting him.
There was no sound, but bits of stone lightly flecked his suit. Scott
braced himself on the rough face of the boulder and worked the blaster
around for an open shot.

"No more shooting," the heavy voice of the tall man growled. "You
_Bertha_ people. Can you hear me?"

"Yes," Scott said coldly. His eyes probed the shadows for motion.

"We're willing to be peaceful about this. I'm Captain Randell of the
_Kastil_. There's no need for killing when there's plenty of ore for all
of us."

"Not in this pit," Scott answered. "You have one minute."

"All right." Randell's voice, distorted as it was by the tiny radio,
carried a sardonic edge. "We'll go--from here."

He sauntered out of the shadows, hands upraised. From the tangle of
stone, his men crept out to join him. Without haste, insolent in their
retreat, they crossed over the pit.

At the far side they paused. "This is the extent of your so-called
claim." Randell's voice purred in their ears. "Our claim extends from
this line. And if a man from the _Bertha_ wants a quick blasting, he can
cross this line." His radio snapped off with crisp finality.

Scott stepped from his shelter.

"All right," he ordered. "You men know the story. The _Kastil's_ down
here ready for work. And it's going to mean work if we're going to beat
her b