held his peace and as the girl disappeared a
look of dawning comprehension came over his face.

"Oh, I see, sir," he said, respectfully--far more respectfully than he
had ever before addressed a mere first officer. "Meaning that we both
_will be_ wearing them shortly, I assume. 'Service Specials'--but you
didn't specify exactly _what_ Service, did you?"

"Now that you mention it, I don't believe that I did," Costigan grinned.

"That explains several things about you--particularly your recognition
of Vee-Two and your uncanny control and speed of reaction. But aren't
you...."

"No," Costigan interrupted. "This situation is apt to get altogether too
serious to overlook any bets. If we get away, I'll take them away from
her and she'll never know that they aren't routine equipment. As for
you, I know that you can and do keep your mouth shut. That's why I'm
hanging this junk on you--I had a lot of stuff in my kit, but I flashed
it all with the Standish except what I brought in here for us three.
Whether you think so or not, we're in a real jam--our chance of getting
away is mighty close to zero...."

He broke off as the girl came back, now to all appearances a small
Triplanetary officer, and the three settled down to a long and eventless
wait. Hour after hour they flew through the ether, but finally there was
a lurching swing and an abrupt increase in their acceleration. After a
short consultation Captain Bradley turned on the visiray set and, with
the beam at its minimum power, peered cautiously downward, in the
direction opposite to that in which he knew the pirate vessel must be.
All three stared into the plate, seeing only an infinity of emptiness,
marked only by the infinitely remote and coldly brilliant stars. While
they stared into space a vast area of the heavens was blotted out and
they saw, faintly illuminated by a peculiar blue luminescence, a vast
ball--a sphere so large and so close that they seemed to be dropping
downward toward it as though it were a world! They came to a
stop--paused, weightless--a vast door slid smoothly aside--they were
drawn _upward_ through an airlock and floated quietly in the air above a
small, but brightly-lighted and orderly city of metallic buildings!
Gently the _Hyperion_ was lowered, to come to rest in the embracing arms
of a regulation landing cradle.

"Well, wherever it is, we're here," remarked Captain Bradley, grimly,
and:

"And now the fireworks start," assented Costig