dn't speak; then he managed, "Thanks."

Koa spoke for the Planeteers. "We're the ones to say thanks, sir. If you
hadn't thought of stalling the cruiser, and if you hadn't stayed behind
to give us time, we'd have some casualties, and so would the Connies we
captured."

"There wasn't anything else I could do," Rip replied. "Come on, Koa.
Let's see what the cruiser is doing."

They stepped outside. The metal was already cold again. Things didn't
stay hot in the vacuum of space.

They didn't see the Connie until the fire of its exhaust suddenly blasted
above the horizon, and then they ducked for cover. The cruiser had taken
a swing at the other side of the asteroid. They peered out again and saw
it turning.

"He won't get us," Rip said confidently. "Our tough time will come when
he sends a fleet of snapper-boats."

"We'll get a few," Koa replied grimly. "Wait! What's he doing?"

The cruiser had started for the asteroid. Suddenly jets flamed from every
quarter of the ship. He was using all steering jets at once! Rip watched,
bewildered, as the great ship spun slowly, advanced, then settled to a
stop just at the horizon.

"He can't be launching boats already," he said worriedly. "What's he up
to?"

They ran forward a short distance until they could see below the cave's
horizon level. The cruiser released exhausts from both sides of the ship,
the outer ones the slightest bit stronger. Rip exclaimed, "Great Cosmos,
he's cuddling right up to the asteroid! Why?"

"Hiding," Koa said. "By Gemini! Come on, sir!"

Rip saw his meaning instantly, and they raced to the side of the asteroid
away from the ship. As they crossed into the dark half, Rip looked back.
He couldn't see the cruiser from here. But he looked out into space,
across the horizon, and knew that Koa's guess had been right. The
distinctive glow of a nuclear drive cruiser was clear among the stars.

The _Scorpius_ had returned!

"The Connie saw it," Rip said worriedly, "but didn't blast away. That
means he's intending to ambush the _Scorpius_. Koa, if he does, that
means war."

The tall officer shook his head. "Sir, the Connie has guided missiles
with atomic warheads, just as our ship has. If he can launch one from
ambush and hit our ship, that's the end of it. The _Scorpius_ will be
nothing but space junk. Commander O'Brine will never have time to get
off a message, because he'll be dead before he knows there is danger."

The logic of it sent a chill d