The woman regarded Danold and there was a look of sadness in her beautiful eyes. "In your minds you call me a Titan," she mused. "Perhaps I am. But I am not a race, such as you assume. I am not disputing space with any life-form. The _Avol_ is mine and I have a mission, little men. If your Galactic Service forbids my traveling where I choose, I am sorry. But nothing your race can do shall stop me." Danold reached for his guns. Rodolph and Guelf acted as one to stop him. But Danold fired straight at the heart of the woman before they could reach him. Nothing happened. That is, nothing happened to the woman--but Danold vanished! "And you," the woman addressed Captain Rodolph, "_you_ had a different reason for intercepting me." "I am a soldier," Rodolph answered. "I think you know my reason--I was on no mission of destruction." "Only if your trinogen gun could have matched my weapons," she said drily. "But you withheld your 'destruction' until you were sure. Your Markab is undamaged, Captain Rodolph. It will carry you back to your home port. And you will find your impetuous gunner in his quarters. "Tell your Galactic Service superiors that I am called Shellon," she added. "When I have completed my mission I shall probably never revisit your Galaxy.... You may go, Captain Rodolph." Rodolph turned and strode to the runway. "Come on Rik," he called. "Rik Guelf stays," the woman said. Rodolph turned, said, "He's not like Danold. He--" "I mean no harm to your friend, Captain. I merely wish to talk with him alone." She smiled slightly. From nowhere a row of squat robots materialized. Gently they thrust Rodolph onto the runway. "Rik," he called, "I won't leave till she turns you loose. They'll have to kill me to make me go without you...." Rik somehow had no fear at all, but this emotional display from Rodolph was warming. "Thanks, Rodolph," he said. "But I am not afraid. I feel sure no harm will come to me." He turned back to the fascinating creature on the throne-like chair. Rigellians were life-forms, no larger than Earthmen. Vegans were smaller. But this Titan--she was amazing. Rik Guelf waited. He felt no anger, no sense of antagonism. Rather, he had a sense of relief now that he faced her. The riddle of Space beyond the perimeter of the Galaxy was beyond his comprehension. But somehow Rik Guelf knew he stood before a Being, not an Enemy. "I know the question in your mind," the woman who called herself Shellon said softly. "You wish news of Eiler Guelf, your father." Rik Guelf nodded, feeling excited, trying not to show his feelings. "He is well, and with his command. His _Perseid_ I had to destroy. But I built your father another ship." She smiled. "He is placed with his new craft and his new assignment." He stared at her, amazement filling him now. "Where is he? And what is his new assignment? Why did he desert Galactic?"