rlds, and knew that Earth was the
main home of civilization in this system. Mars was second, and Venus
third. But Jupiter offered the greatest possibilities for quick
settlement, a base from which they could more easily operate, a base for
fuels, for the heavy elements they would need--

Fifteen million miles from Jupiter they slowed below the speed of
light--and the IP stations observed them. Instantly, according to
instructions issued by Commander McLaurin, a fleet of ten of the
tiniest, fastest scouts darted out. As soon as possible, a group of
three heavy cruisers, armed with all the inventions that had been
discovered, the atostor power system, perfectly conducting power leads,
the terrible UV ray, started out.

The scouts got there first. Cameras were grinding steadily, with long
range telescopic lenses, delicate instruments probed and felt and caught
their fingers in the fields of the giant fleet.

At ten-second intervals, giant ships popped into being, and glided
smoothly toward Jupiter.

Then the cruisers arrived. They halted at a respectful distance, and
waited. The Miran ships plowed on undisturbed. Simultaneously, from the
three leaders, terrific neutron rays shot out. The paraffin block walls
stopped those--and the cruisers started to explain their feelings on the
subject. They were the IP-J-37, 39, and 42. The 37 turned up the full
power of the UV ray. The terrific beam of ultra-violet energy struck the
second Miran ship, and the spot it touched exploded into incandescence,
burned white-hot--and puffed out abruptly as the air pressure within
blew the molten metal away.

The Mirans were startled. This was not the type of thing Gresth Gkae had
warned them of. Gresth Gkae himself frowned as the sudden roar of the
machines of his ship rose in the metal walls. A stream of ten-inch
atomic bombs shrieked out of their tubes, fully glowing green things
floated out more slowly, and immediately waxed brilliant. Gamma ray
bombs--but they could be guarded against--

The three Solarian cruisers were washed in such frightful flame as they
had never imagined. Streams of atomic bombs were exploding soundlessly,
ineffectively in space, not thirty feet from them as they felt the
sudden resistance of the magnetic shields. Hopefully, the 39 probed with
her neutron gun. Nothing happened save that several gamma ray bombs went
off explosively, and all the atomic bombs in its path exploded at once.

Gresth Gkae knew what t