ormal power of vision,
_plus_ considerable telescopic powers.

Gresth Gkae was using it now to look ahead in the blank of space to
where gigantic Mira appeared. On his screens now, Mira appeared deep
violet, for he was approaching at a speed greater than that of light,
and even this projected light of Mira was badly distorted.

"The distance is half a light-year now, sir," reported the navigation
officer.

"Reduce the speed, then, to normal velocity for these ranges. What
reserve of fuel have we?"

"Less than one thousand pounds. We will barely be able to stop. We were
too free in the use of our weapons, I fear," replied the Chief
Technician.

"Well, what would you? We needed those things in our reports. Besides,
we could extract fuel from that ore we took on at Planet Nine of Phahlo.
It is merely that I wish speed in the return."

"As we all do. How soon do you believe the Council will proceed against
the new system?"

"It will be fully a year, I fear. They must gather the expeditions
together, and re-equip the ships. It will be a long time before all will
have come in."

"Could they not send fast ships after them to recall them?"

"Could they have traced us as we wove our way from Thart to Karst to
Raloork to Phahlo? It would be impossible."

* * * * *

Steadily the great ship had been boring on her way. Mira had been a disc
for nearly two days, gigantic, two-hundred-and-fifty-million-mile Mira
took a great deal of dwarfing by distance to lose her disc. Even at the
Twin Planets, eight thousand two hundred and fifty millions of miles
out, Mira covered half the sky, it seemed, red and angry. Sometimes,
though, to the disgust of the Sthorians it was just red-faced and lazy.
Then Sthor froze.

"Grih is in a descendant stage," said the navigation officer presently.
"Sthor will be cold when we arrive."

"It will warm quickly enough with our news!" Gresth laughed. "A
system--a delightful system--discovered. A system of many close-grouped
planets. Why think--from one side of that system to the other is less of
a distance than from Ansthat, our first planet's orbit, to Insthor's
orbit! That sun, as we know, is steady and warm. All will be well, when
we have eliminated that rather peculiar race. Odd, that they should, in
some ways, be so nearly like us! Nearly Sthorian in build. I would not
have expected it. Though they did have some amazing peculiarities!
Imagine--two eyes just