of them was the imperious Colonel
Towers.

"A quantum jump--that's the way to beat the Reds," the colonel had said
a thousand times. His well-worn expression had nothing to do with
quantum mechanics--the actual change in atomic configuration due to the
application of sufficient energy. Rather, it was a slang expression
referring to a major advance in inter-planetary travel due to a maximum
scientific and technological effort.

"Let 'em have Mars and Venus," the colonel would say--"Let 'em have the
whole damn Solar System! We'll make a quantum jump--leap-frog ahead of
'em. We'll be the first men to set foot on a planet of another solar
system."

Four years had gone by in the ship; thirteen years on Earth. Four years
of Colonel Towers. Military discipline grew more strict each day. Space
does funny things to some men. The "we'll be the first men" had turned
into, "_I'll_ be the first _man_."

But it was Captain Brandon who drew the assignment of scouting Sirius
Three for a suitable landing place for Astro, of sampling its atmosphere
and observing meteorological conditions. Even as Brandon climbed into
the scout-ship, Towers had cautioned him.

"Remember, your assignment is to locate a firm landing site with ample
protection from the elements. Under no circumstances are you to land
yourself. Is that clearly understood?"

Brandon nodded, was launched and now was cruising one hundred thousand
feet above the alien planet.

Brandon tilted the ship up on one wing and glanced down at the brick-red
expanse of desert. Tiny red mists marked dust storms. Certainly this was
no place to set down the full weight of Astro nor to protect the crew
and equipment from abrasive dust.

He righted the ship. Far on the horizon was a bank of atmospheric
clouds. Perhaps conditions were more promising there. He shoved the
power setting to 90 per cent.

A fire warning indicator light blinked on. Instantly Brandon's eyes were
on the instrument panel. The tailpipe temperature seemed all right. It
could be a false indication. He eased back on the power setting. Maybe
the light would go out. But it didn't. Instead he felt a surging rumble
deep in the bowels of the ship. Luminous needles danced and a second red
light flashed on.

He snapped the vidio switch and depressed the mike button.

"Astro One, this is Brandon. Over."

A steady crackling sound filled his earphones; a grid of light and
shadow fluttered on the screen. A thought ent