_krel_, a mammoth beast that had been described as
a cross between a sea lion and a cactus plant.

His knife was in place in the other knee pocket.

The Connie cruiser decelerated, went into reverse, and came to a full
stop about a mile from the asteroid. The Planeteers saw fire in two
places along the hull, marking the exhausts of two small craft.

"Snapper-boats," Koa said tonelessly. "Five men in each, if those are the
regular Connie kind."

Rip made a quick decision. With only one launcher they couldn't guard the
whole asteroid. "We'll stay under cover, except for Santos and Pederson.
You two sneak out. Take advantage of every bit of cover you can find. I
don't want you spotted. When a boat lands, report its position. The
Connies operate on different communicator frequencies, so they won't
overhear. We'll let them think they've burned the asteroid clean."

He paused. "They'll search for a while. Then, when they're pretty well
satisfied that all is quiet, we'll show up." Rip grinned at his
Planeteers. "We can have a real, old-fashioned surprise party."

Koa slid the safety catch from his pistol. "With fireworks," he added.

CHAPTER NINE

Repel Invaders!

The snapper-boats came out of the darkness of space, leaving a glowing
trail of fire. They were not graceful. Rip could see no beauty in their
lines, but to his professional eye there was plenty of deadly efficiency.

The Connie fighting craft looked like three globes strung evenly on
a steel tube. The middle globe was larger than the end ones, and it
was transparent. From it projected the barrels of two kinds of
weapons--explosive and ultrasonic. Five men usually rode in the middle
ball. One piloted. The other four were gunners.

The end globes were pierced by five large holes. They were blast tubes
for the rocket exhaust. Unlike the landing boats, each tube did not have
its own fuel supply. One fuel tank served each globe. The pilot could
direct the exhaust through any tube or combination of tubes he wished, by
operating valves that either sealed or opened the vents. The system gave
high maneuverability to the boats. By playing on the controls with the
skill of an organist, the pilot could shift direction with dazzling
speed.

Snapper-boats used by the Federation operated on the same principle, but
they were of American design, and they showed the Americans' love of
clean lines. Federation fighter craft were slim and streamlined, even
though t