sible for the fleet to get
away. And you--you lucky devil--you just doped it out right. The fleet
of the Llotta gave you a tremendous push from astern when you used the
repulsive energy. If they hadn't been there with their enormous mass
to react against we'd all have been mincemeat now along with the
Llotta. You Terrestrials sure can think fast! Me, now--Lord, if it had
been me, I'd have thought of it after my spirit had departed to its
reward--or punishment. Glory be! It's the greatest thing I ever heard
of."

"Rats! You'd have done the same as I did. Probably would have missed
it a mile instead of nearly getting caught as I did. A good thing the
fleet's gone, though. Mars and Terra--Venus, too--they'll never know
how close it was for them. Wouldn't have sense enough to appreciate
it, anyway."

"They would if they ever got a taste of what the Llotta planned. But
what's wrong with you Carr? You act sore. Want to go home?"

"Me? Don't be like that. No--I'd like to carry on as we planned.
There's Saturn, Uranus and Neptune yet; Planet 9; a flock of
satellites and asteroids. Oh, dammit!"

Mado looked his amazement. "Well, what's to prevent it?" he demanded.
"The _Nomad's_ still here, and so are we. I'm just as anxious to keep
going as you are. Why not?"

But Carr did not reply. Why not, indeed? He strode from the cabin and
into the control room. The _Nomad_ was drifting in space, subject only
to natural forces that swung it in a vast orbit around the sun. He
started the generators and drove the vessel from her temporary orbit
with rapid acceleration. Out--out into the jeweled blackness of the
heavens. There was Jupiter out there, a bright orb that came suddenly
very near when he centered it on the cross-hairs of the telescope.

The excited voices of Ora and Detis came to his ears. The booming
speech of Mado. Why couldn't he be sensible and companionable as they
were? But a perverse demon kept him at the controls. They'd think him
a grouch. Well, maybe he was! But the vastness of the universe
beckoned. New worlds to explore; mysteries to be solved; a life of
countless new experiences! Anyone'd think he was the owner of the
_Nomad_, the way he planned for the future.

* * * * *

They were in the control cabin now--Mado and Detis and Ora. A moment
he hesitated, eyes glued to the telescope. Then, with a petulant
gesture, he reached for the automatic control; locked it. Shouldn't be
th