his hatred of Carr. By his own passions had the commander of
the fleet been led to the error that cost him his life and made
possible the destruction of his fleet.

Carr was torn by conflicting emotions. The delectable little Europan
was most disturbing. He'd never had much use for the other sex--on
Earth. Too dominating, most of them. And always thrown at his head by
designing parents for his money. But Ora was different! Her very
nearness set his pulses racing. And he knew that she cared for him as
he did for her. Those moments in the control cabin after the
explosion! But something had come over him since he cut loose from the
old life. Wanderlust--that was it. He'd never go back. Neither would
he be content to settle down to a domestic life in Pala-dar. Wanted to
be up and going somewhere.

"Oh, Carr, Carr!" Ora's voice called to him. "Mado is awake. He wants
you."

Good old Mado! Why couldn't they just continue on their way as they
had started out? Roaming the universe in search of other adventures!
But the silvery tinkle of Ora's laughter reached his ears. She was
irresistible! He forgot his doubts as he hurried to his friend's
cabin.

* * * * *

Mado was staring at the Europan maiden with a ludicrous expression of
astonishment--gawping, Carr called it. And Ora was laughing at him.

"Your friend," she gurgled, "doesn't believe he's alive, or that I am,
or you. Tell him we are."

Carr grinned. Mado did look funny at that. "Hello, old sock," he said,
"had a bad dream?"

"Did I? Oh boy!" Mado rocked to and fro, his head in his hands. Then
he displayed sudden intense interest. "Rapaju?" he asked. "His
guards--the fleet--what's happened?"

"Ah ha! Now you know you're alive!" Carr laughed. "But the others are
dead and gone. The fleet's gone to smash--and how!"

"But Carr. How did you do it? Tell me!"

Mado threw off his covers and clapped his friend on the back, a
resounding thump that brought a gasp from Ora.

"Your Sargasso Sea did it. And it's a thing of the past, too. Wait
till I tell you about it!"

* * * * *

Ora tripped from the room as Carr sat on the edge of the bunk to spin
his yarn.

"But man alive!" Mado exclaimed when the story was finished. "Don't
you know you've done a miraculous thing? I'd never have had the nerve.
That damn creature out there had more than four times its former
attracting energy. That's what made it impos