Standish motioned Ga-Marr to shut the pilot cuddy hatch. But before Ga-Marr could swing the hermetic barrier into position, a lithe figure leaped down the ladder. It was the Earth girl--Thalia. "I'm going with you," she said. "This is my battle as well as yours." Standish looked into her defiant black eyes and frowned. But the refusal that rose to his lips died unsounded. He nodded and motioned her to the settee on the far side of the cuddy. In rotation then, he snapped on the six atomic motors. A dull tremor of life and power shook the ship. Then Standish seized an electro-welder left behind by some workman, flung open the hatch and ran outside to the stern of the ship. Roughly, while Ga-Marr watched bewildered, he seared the name, _Phantom_, on the _feloranium_ hull. He leaped back to the cuddy, slammed shut the hatch and threw over the acceleration lever. The huge ship lifted from the field of its birth and roared up into the stratosphere. VII It was Standish's plan to permit the six departing Sirian cruisers to cover sufficient distance that they would not associate him--immediately at least--with the plundered planet, Lyra. With unleashed power at his fingertips, he planned to pass his quarry on a higher plane, then circle and return. The _Phantom_ functioned like a dream. Up through space she bored, annihilating distance, sweeping out into the star fields in hot pursuit. Warm clear air circulated out from the oxygizers. Each dial and gauge told its proper story. Even the heat units, which had not been properly tested, operated smoothly. Standish pulled down the cosmoscope and surveyed the way ahead. He saw star clusters and constellations. Ahead, tail sweeping out in a blaze of glory, a comet crossed his path. But nowhere did he sight the Sirian cruisers. "I'm afraid they've got too great a start on us," said Ga-Marr. Thalia drew in her breath sharply. "That black speck ahead...." Standish threw over the accelerator another notch and twisted helm sharply. The _Phantom_ answered her controls. The Earthman was maneuvering for position now. Far below him, he saw the six cruisers materialize in his vision. And then, with a dull roar, the _Phantom_ swung and leaped for the attack. "They see us!" Thalia cried. "They're going into battle-formation!" With Drum Faggard's flag ship in the lead, the six cruisers turned and headed toward them in squadron formation. It was evident that they were still unaware of the identity of the black ship. The visiscreen clicked on, and Faggard's face appeared in the panel. "We are Section one, general Sirian Expeditionary Force, Sirius to Earth, heading for regular interplanetary lanes," he said, following the customary salutation. "Who are you?" Standish flipped on his own microphone, but disconnected the vision panel so that no return image would be broadcast.