position.

He swung over to the panel, hooked his foot under the handgrip and
grasped the lever inset in the surface. He twisted it. After a brief
moment of resistance, the panel turned slowly. There was a sudden puff
as the air within escaped, and then the hatchway stood open. Burl
climbed inside.

He caught at the open plug, pulled it back and screwed it tightly from
the inside. Now he was in a dark, narrow space. He could feel the flow
of air automatically being pumped back in and heard the humming of the
generators through his suit.

Working his way along the inner wall in darkness, he finally felt the
edge of the metal door that opened into the Zeta-ring chamber itself. He
leaned against it, listening, but there was no sound. He turned the
handle and threw his shoulder against the door.

It gave, then swung open. He stepped cautiously into the engine room.

It was large and circular, fitting neatly within the nose of the ship.
The wide tubes of the A-G generator ring ran around the outside. The
reactors were heavy blocks of ceiling-high metal, shielded, and showing
only the dials that registered their output. Other machines--the rod
storage units and the condensers--were all carefully hidden behind clean
metal shielding.

The panel that controlled the engines was unattended in the center of
the room. Standing by one of the shielded reactors was Boulton, his back
to Burl. He was hammering at the reactor with a bar, evidently trying to
tear away the shielding to get at the guts.

Stealthily, the boy made his way to the locker where the tools were
kept. Just as he opened it, his hand slipped. The door of the locker
clanged against the wall. The burly Marine captain whirled, saw Burl,
and gave a yell of rage.

Burl grabbed a wrench and swung it threateningly. Boulton drew back. His
face was pale, with an odd expression on it, as if he did not recognize
Burl or understand what Burl said. Burl tried to reason with him, but
the glaring eyes were those of a total stranger, or, as it seemed then,
an alien beast.

Boulton cried in anger, dropped his bar, and charged Burl with his hands
outstretched.

Burl swung the wrench, but the strength of the older man tore it from
his grasp, hurling it away. The boy tried to dodge, and then the two
bodies collided.

The instant the two men touched there was a violent flash of light. Burl
felt a shock that left him stunned and reeling. Boulton collapsed in a
heap on the fl