Roger took up his binoculars and trained them toward the northeast. “Must be at least a hundred of them,” he said to Bevans, “and they’re coming at quite a lively clip. Too late to try and dodge out of sight now. I think the best plan is to keep perfectly still. Moving objects catch the eye much quicker than stationary ones.” “I don’t believe they’ll notice us here, at all, sir,” answered Bevans, using his own glasses. “Looks as if they are going to pass right over the center of Hesiodus, in which case they’ll miss us by about forty-five miles.” The globes were traveling with such speed that it took but a minute for them to confirm Bevans’ assertion, which they did, almost to a mile, continuing on toward the southwest. “Wonder what they’re up to,” mused Roger. “They seem to be heading straight toward Tycho. Why, it’s plain as day. They’re sneaking over to attack Maza’s capital from above ground while she’s attacking theirs from below. Mighty clever of old P’an-ku. Well, here’s where our little Luna gets busy.” He gave a few brief orders, and the Luna gently rose from her resting place and set out after the menacing fleet. As soon as he got near enough to Tycho to use his binoculars, Roger saw that the battle was already in progress. Red rays were flashing out at the invaders from the crater walls and central peaks, and _nak-kar_ riders swarmed upward from the underground shafts like bees from a hive. The raiders had formed in a huge circle sixty miles in diameter, just outside the crater rim, and were pouring their powerful green rays in on the defenders with deadly effect Roger saw two of the globes burst into flames and fall, but during that time more than a score of the stationary rays were put out of business, and hundreds of _nak-kar_ riders were wiped out. The fleet of P’an-ku was easily slated for a quick victory before the Luna suddenly entered the lists. Then the degravitors went into action, and the menacing globes began dropping right and left, emitting lurid flashes of light where the invisible rays struck them. Before a green ray could even be trained toward the Luna half of the magnificent war fleet of P’an-ku had been destroyed. Then the green rays came thick and fast, but Roger did not mind them, for his degravitor barrage made them as harmless as sunlight.