ifle out of Loring's grasp and stepped back. "Good
work, Mr. Shinny!" he said to the little spaceman. "You sure figured it
right!"

"Attention! Attention! This is Connel on the _Polaris_. Come in,
Loring ..."

Shinny looked over at Roger and winked. "Better answer him, while I get
this joker locked up." He motioned to Loring who stood backed up against
the bulkhead, his hands high over his head.

"You dirty double-crossing space rat!" he snarled at Shinny.

"Now, now, none of that," said Shinny, leveling the rifle. "If you get
too noisy, I'll freeze you like I did Mason to keep your trap shut!"

Loring cast a sidelong glance at Mason, who stood as if carved out of
marble. The effects of the ray blast were devastating, having paralyzed
his entire nervous system. While the victim was still able to breathe
and his heartbeat remained normal, he was unable to move so much as an
eyelid. The gun was developed after all lethal weapons had been outlawed
by the Solar Alliance. Though any victim could be released from its
paralyzing effect by a neutralizing charge from the same gun, while
under its power the victim was reduced to a state of mild hysteria. He
was able to hear, see, and think, but not to act. When released, it was
not unusual to see a man crumple to the floor from exhaustion.

[Illustration: _Mason was frozen into a rigid statue, unable to move_]

Loring marched meekly in front of Shinny to the storage room that had
held Roger. The cadet spaceman remained on the control deck. He twisted
the dials of the teleceiver and spoke into the mike.

"_Space Devil_ to Major Connel. Come in! This is Manning on the _Space
Devil_ calling Major Connel ..."

"Manning!" shouted Connel. "I thought you were a prisoner!"

"Ah, it was nothing, skipper," said Roger blandly. "I just took over the
ship--with a little help, of course!"

"A little help?" asked Connel. "From whom?"

Roger then gave the officer a complete review of what had happened to
him since leaving the space station, finishing with Shinny's aid in his
escape.

"Why would he want to help you?" asked Connel.

"I don't know, sir," replied Roger.

"Well, never mind," said Connel. "I suppose you two can handle that ship
all right between you. Land on Tara as soon as you can. I'll get the
details then!"

"Aye, aye, sir," replied Roger. Then, just before breaking contact, he
yelled into the mike, "Hey, Astro--Tom! See ya in a few minutes!"

As the teleceiver