I figured they wouldn't leave the blister standing, and I was right. One HE shell took care of that. Then they blasted off. I had my sextant and watch on them, and was writing down data on my knee-pad as fast as I could take them. I was using Altair and Vega for a fix, and throwing in Polaris every now and then for good measure. I kept it up most of the night. Their jet-flare winked out suddenly just before I lost them over the horizon. After that there was nothing to do but go back to where the blister used to be and wait. Betty came in just after the sun lifted over the horizon. She wouldn't let me get close enough to touch helmets so that I could explain. I gave up after a few attempts and we just sat. It was a long wait. I rummaged around in the debris and rigged up some fair-sized sheets of dural to keep off the sun--one for me and one for Betty. At least she was willing to use it. After a while I poked around some more and found a copy of Spatial Navigation Tables that wasn't completely reduced to confetti, and started trying to work up my figures. About noon the next day, Vesta time, we picked up the jet-flare of a ship breaking in. She came in fast, under about three G's of acceleration. That looked like Patrol style to me, and sure enough, as soon as the dust settled I could see the blue star on her nose. That was good. I was afraid it might be the expedition ship coming back, and guns were indicated for the next hand in this game. We didn't even wait for them to get out the ladder. Betty leaped for the port as soon as they cracked the hatch, and I was right after her. I slammed the hatch shut and motioned the landing party back inside. The shavetail in charge wasn't happy about it, but I didn't give him a chance to object. In a minute he got the idea that I meant business, and opened the inner door. I peeled back my helmet. "Where's the CO?" "Right here!" said a voice at my elbow. I turned and looked. He was only medium-sized, but he had a hard jaw and a hard eye. "What's going on here?" "Plenty is going on!" This was Betty. "Pirates took over the expedition base, and this man gave them a power slug to make their getaway." "Shut up!" I told her. "Let me tell this so it makes sense." "Makes sense! Does it make sense to let those thugs off scot-free, with eighteen hours head start? We'll never catch them!" "Yes we will. And besides, if I'd let them stay, they would have blasted this ship out of the sky. And besides that, I had to give them something to let you loose--" "Suppose you both shut up," the CO suggested, "and come up to the bridge and let me have the straight of this." The three of us went into the control cabin which was unoccupied at the moment. The CO motioned us to chairs. We peeled off our bulgers and sat down. "Now--Miss Day, I believe? I'm Allison, Commander, in charge. Let's have your version." * * * * *