"And then, from the asteroid," I suggested, "we are going--" "To the Moon, Haljan. What a clever guesser you are! Coniston and Hahn are calculating our course. But I have no great confidence in them. And so I want you." "You have me." "Yes. I have you. I would have killed you long ago--I am an impulsive fellow--but my sister restrained me." He gazed at me slyly. "Moa seems strangely to like you, Haljan." "Thanks," I said. "I'm flattered." "She still hopes I may really win you to join us," he went on. "Gold leaf is a wonderful thing; there would be plenty for you in this affair. And to be rich, and have the love of a woman like Moa...." He paused. I was trying cautiously to gauge him, to get from him all the information I could. I said, with another smile, "That is premature, to talk of Moa. I will help you chart your course. But this venture, as you call it, is dangerous. A police ship--" "There are not many," he declared. "The chances of our encountering one are very slim." He grinned at me. "You know that as well as I do. And we now have those code passwords--I forced Dean to tell me where he had hidden them. If we should be challenged, our password answer will relieve suspicion." "The _Planetara_," I objected, "being overdue at Ferrok-Shahn, will cause alarm. You'll have a covey of patrol ships after you." "That will be two weeks from now," he smiled. "I have a ship of my own in Ferrok-Shahn. It lies there waiting now, manned and armed. I am hoping that, with Dean's help, we may be able to flash them a signal. It will join us on the Moon. Fear not for the danger, Haljan. I have great interests allied with me in this thing. Plenty of money. We have planned carefully." He was idly fingering his cylinder; he gazed at me as I sat docile on my bunk. "Did you think George Prince was a leader of this? A mere boy. I engaged him a year ago--his knowledge of science is valuable to us." My heart was pounding but I strove not to show it. He went on calmly. "I told you I am impulsive. Half a dozen times I have nearly killed George Prince, and he knows it." He frowned. "I wish I had killed him instead of his sister. That was an error." There was a note of real concern in his voice. He added, "That is done--nothing can change it. George Prince is helpful to me. Your friend Dean, is another. I had trouble with him, but he is docile now." I said abruptly, "I don't know whether your promise means anything or not, Miko. But Prince said you would use no more torture." "I won't. Not if you and Dean obey me." "You tell Dean I have agreed to that. You say he gave you the code words he took from Johnson?" "Yes. There was a fool, for you! That Johnson! You blame me, Haljan, for the death of Carter? You need not. Johnson offered to try and capture you, take you both alive. He killed Carter because he was angry with him. A stupid, vengeful fool! He is dead and I'm glad of it."