swung from that planet's eye-filling panorama and came to face,
instead, the invisible asteroid. When turned completely around, the
men in her control cabin looked through the bow windows right into
the brilliant cone of the purple ray.

Lar Tantril's voice again boomed from the broadcasting shell, and this
time it was harsh with anger.

"Try no tricks, Carse! I see what you intend. You plan to suddenly
_answer_ my ray, instead of continuing to resist it, and so drive
right past me and escape. But I warn you I have terrific power, and if
you move towards me of your own volition, I can burn you to a cinder
in three seconds, and I'll do it. You can't escape! If I have to
destroy Ku Sui, all right--but I'll get you!"

* * * * *

The Hawk strapped over his eyes the infra-red glasses Leithgow now
gave him.

Reversing the _Sandra's_ ends had neither increased nor decreased the
rate at which the asteroid's purple stream was bringing her closer.
Obviously the magnetic stream was being varied. The space-ship's
forward momentum merely continued to drop normally until the moment
came when she had no Earthward velocity at all; and then more quickly
she moved toward the restraining asteroid.

With his infra-red glasses, through the bow windows, Carse could now
see the massive body in full detail. There was the dome, a huge,
gleaming cup of transparent stuff now showing wisps of blue, from the
defensive web around it; and inside were the several buildings, and
minute black dots which were the figures of men. There was a great
number of them. The largest group was clustered inside one of the
large ship-size port-locks in the dome. The lock's outer door was
open, and it was from there that the purple ray seemed to originate.
Obviously the intention of the enemy was to draw the _Sandra_ right
in. Five miles now separated asteroid and ship.

Again the Venusian chief spoke.

"I warn you once more, Sparrow Hawk, try no tricks. You can see the
men I have here, but you can't see my ray projectors. They're hidden,
but they're centered on you, every one, and my hand's at the control
that fires them. They have terrific power, Carse. Better not attempt
anything!"

The Hawk switched on the extension microphone at his side. He said
levelly into it:

"Lar Tantril, I'll make a bargain with you: a favor for a favor."

"What?" shot from the loudspeaker.

"I will agree to surrender peaceably when you've d