Six Sirian ships were racing out from the surface of the moon in battle formation. Even as Standish looked, he saw four more cruisers join the others, spread out to cut off the _Phantom_. He realized then that he had blundered into a trap. The Sirians had been waiting for him. The single cruiser had been the bait which he had swallowed blindly. "We'll have to run for it," Dar-Ley cried. "They're too many for us." Standish's teeth came together grimly. "We'll give them a fight for their money first." On toward the cruiser the _Phantom_ raced. The ship staggered as the Sirian opened fire, and two of the shots glanced harmlessly off the _feloranium_ hull. But with five well-placed shots Standish demolished the Sirian's guns and left her floating helplessly. Then the _Phantom_ turned helm and ran alongside on the opposite side of the cruiser. In an instant Dar-Ley saw Standish's strategy. The _Phantom_ was now protected with the cruiser between her and the fleet. The Earthman flipped open his microphone switch. "Rocket bomb. Full charge. Point four." There was a deafening report as the bomb erupted from its cylinder. Through the port Standish saw the nearest Sirian ship explode into fragments. He smiled grimly and swung his helm far over. "Here we go, Dar-Ley. If they catch us, they'll have to move." But fast though the _Phantom_ was, the fleet hung steadily in her wake. Finally the Earthman switched on the boosters, auxiliary machines which drew power from intra-spacial emanations and built up the speed of the atomic motors. Gradually the fleet dropped behind. "Close call!" Standish breathed. "Faggard almost got me that time." X Standish had never believed in hunches, yet the moment he entered the stratosphere of Lyra he knew something was wrong. A moment later he was free of the cloud level and over Calthedra. A wave of despair shot through him. The city was a ruin. Not a single building remained. The great palace was a mass of debris, and the choked streets were deserted. With a great fear he headed the _Phantom_ for the landing field. Here a cry of dismay escaped his lips. The sleek space ships which had dotted the level were no more. Twisted lumps of metal and scattered pieces of broken machinery were all that remained of the fleet. "In heaven's name," cried Dar-Ley, "what has happened?" "Drum Faggard," said Standish heavily. "He attacked while we were gone. It must have been only his lieutenants we met off the moon." The _Phantom_ dropped to a landing, and the two men climbed out, followed by the crew. A death-like silence reigned. As he stood there staring at the grim devastation, the Earthman's fists clenched. The Lyrians, the prisoners, the Emperor ... had they all gone? And then he thought of Thalia!