A sudden fantastic thought flooded Marnay's brain--something about super speed--but he immediately dispensed with _that_ idea. He was no spaceman, but he knew enough about Spacer construction to know that Kennett had no hidden speed here in the _Vera_. No, it was something else he must have up his sleeve.... Kennett went back into the middle of the ship a few more times, as though on trips of inspection, but didn't stay long. At last Marnay said, in his impatience: "We'll be meeting up with Prather any minute now! Hadn't you better give me my orders?" "No orders," Kennett replied with amazing calmness. "But--damn it, man! At least I want to know what to expect!" "I'm sorry, Marnay. Bear with me just a little longer now. If I told you any more you might become panicky at the last second and ruin everything. That absolutely mustn't happen. I _will_ tell you just this much: there's never been a Spacer like this before, it's something utterly revolutionary in Spacer construction. I worked on it three years, building it almost single-handed, just for the sole moment when I'd meet up with Prather. It worked all right on a tiny model--but if the real thing doesn't work we won't be alive to know it. If only Prather would hurry!" * * * * * Kennett turned the visipanel dial nervously, watching the swimming, empty blackness. "Maybe he hasn't swallowed the bait!" he exclaimed. "Maybe those weren't even his men that left Mars, and he doesn't know we're out here at all! Say, if that dirty V'Norghi has double-crossed me...." Kennett stopped, laughed shortly. "Well, nothing we can do now. I feel it only fair to tell you, Marnay: we haven't enough fuel to take us on to Callisto, or back to Mars either. I was depending on Prather for our return fuel." Marnay looked up with a wry grimace. "D'you know, Kennett, that's one thing I like about you. You're always telling me such comforting things at the most unexpected moments!" But Prather showed up. It was hours later, and startlingly sudden. Kennett called from the visipanel: "There he is, I almost missed him! I told you he's clever, he's got his ship painted solid black! Now listen, Marnay. I'm going to keep him in the panel, you stay at the controls and obey my instructions." "Okay, but how close is he?" Marnay asked nervously. "Dial shows a thousand miles--off the starboard bow, and he's approaching fast. Maintain your present speed." Marnay did, but wished he was at the panel instead of Kennett. "Click on the radio," Kennett called a minute later. "But don't answer if he sends a message through. He doesn't seem to be suspicious of anything yet, but I know he's sighted us." Kennett continued to watch. He called: "Cut speed to one quarter. One quarter, damn it!" as Marnay fumbled with the tube control. "There, that's it, good. That'll show him we've sighted him, but he mustn't suspect we're too anxious to meet up with him."