Korus Kan took observations on the dark stars as we approached them, while Jhul Din and I watched. He found that they were all of large size and that they were coming on with astounding speed. "They're moving faster than any dark star I ever heard of before!" Korus Kan told us. "That's all the better," Jhul Din grunted. "We'll meet them the sooner and can get back sooner into the galaxy." We watched as the black globes of the oncoming dark stars became dimly visible in the blackness ahead. Then I gave an order for the squadron to slacken speed. "When we meet the dark stars we'll turn and move above them and with them, back toward the galaxy," I directed, "long enough to investigate them." In a short time the dark stars had grown to huge black worlds booming toward us close ahead. We ascended to a higher level and prepared to turn and follow above them when they reached us. They came on with truly amazing velocity, those mighty burned-out cinders that long ago had been suns. From what far region of space had they come, I wondered? How came these dark wanderers to be rushing through outer space far from whatever galaxy had been their origin? What chance had led them through infinity toward our own galaxy? Musing on this, I watched as our squadron passed close over the group, executed a broad turn, and then came back and flew above the dark stars toward the galaxy. Now we were almost stupefied to find that they were moving through space nearly half as fast as our swift ships could move! "By all the suns, this is incredible!" I cried. "These dark stars are moving faster than any celestial body was ever known to move!" Korus Kan's eyes were excited. "There's something strange about this whole business! Wait and I'll take some observations." As he trained his instruments on the hurtling worlds below, Jhul Din and I stared down at them in increasing amazement. "Maybe there has been a cosmic convulsion in some other galaxy that hurled these dead suns into outer space," Jhul Din suggested. "Even that wouldn't account for their tremendous velocity," I was saying, when Korus Kan interrupted. "By the suns, it's as I suspected!" he cried. "Those dark stars are propelled by artificial power!" We turned our stare on him. "What are you saying?" "It's the truth!" Korus Kan affirmed. "Our instruments show that they are being impelled through space by super-powerful propulsion vibrations like those that impel our ships! It means that the dark stars have been fitted with huge generators and projectors and controls, and are being driven through space like so many colossal ships!" "It can't be!" Jhul Din exclaimed incredulously. "Whoever heard of dead suns the size of those being propelled artificially?" But rapidly I was thinking. "I believe that Korus Kan is right," I said. "And if these dark stars are really being propelled deliberately through space, it means that there are living creatures of some kind on them directing their flight."