p you."

I hardly heard her last words. Ludwig Leider--scientist extraordinary,
renegade, terrorist. Everyone of our latter day century knew that he was
the greatest example of the megalomaniac--the power-seeking
genius--which the human race had produced for decades. Everyone knew
that he--furious because he had been denied the high position he craved
as ruler for life of the united peoples of Earth--had been the leader of
the interplanetary struggle which had resulted in Forbes' brilliantly
successful attack on Calypsus. And everyone knew that he had escaped
from Calypsus. And that, while he was free, there could be no real
safety anywhere, either for Earth, which he hated, or any of its allied
planets. Leider, here! No wonder I had been observing queer goings on in
Orcon!

* * * * *

Somehow I forgot to be angry with poor dead Forbes. Almost I forgot to
disapprove of the woman.

"See here!" I broke out. "If your secret service detail was right, and
Leider _is_ on Orcon, we've got to stop talking and get going. Tell me
more about your expedition."

"Do you know," she said presently, "I rather thought you would make
quite a leader--and fighter--if you could ever be aroused. As for the
expedition, we have only this one ship. It's that kind of a job."

"Oh, suicide party, eh?"

I ignored her remark about my ability as a fighter. I had never aspired
to any sort of naval or military leadership.

"Yes," she answered; "suicide party. And I suppose, with our ship
wrecked, our admiral dead, and contact with Leider not even made as yet,
it's become doubly so. But we've got to do something."

She leaned forward on the couch.

"Our primary objective," she went on, "was to reach Orcon and scout, and
then radio information back to Earth. But we also have two tons of the
new explosive, kotomite, aboard and are to do damage if we can. What are
you going to do, Doctor? The command is yours now."

I was well enough versed in the upper space tactics of our modern navy
to appreciate the wisdom which had been used in sending the one ship
alone on the expedition, and I could well understand the reasonable hope
of success which had been promised. I confess I was staggered to know
what could be done, however, now that the admiral was dead and the ship
wrecked. As for my having inherited the command, I was even more
disconcerted.

"_I_ don't know what we're going to do," I said in answe