Rip suddenly realized that he wasn’t nervous anymore. He grinned, licking his lips. After all, this was what he had been trained for. The Connies came abreast and passed. "Let’s go," Rip said, and as he rose he heard Koa’s voice. The sergeant-major said, "Kemp, kneel on their right side. Trudeau and I will hit them from the left and tumble them over you. Get their communicators first." Koa had methods of his own, apparently, and they sounded good. Rip started slowly. He wanted to get directly behind the Connies. He stayed down low until he was sure they couldn’t see him, unless they turned. Dowst and Dominico were right with him. "Come on," he said, and started gliding after the helmeted figures. He kept his eyes on the one he had selected, and he called on all the myriad stars of space to give him luck. If the men turned, his plan for quick victory would fail. He sensed his Planeteers beside him as the figures loomed ahead. He gave a final spring that sent him through space with knees bent and outthrust, his hands reaching. His knees connected solidly with the Connie’s thighs and his hands groped around the bulky space suit. He felt a rheostat control and twisted savagely, then groped for the distinctive star-shaped button of the air supply. [Illustration: Rip Used a Flying Tackle on the Connie] Rip Used a Flying Tackle on the Connie The Connie wrenched violently and threw them both upward. Rip felt the star shape and twisted. If he could only deflate the Connie’s suit! But the man was writhing from his grip, clawing for a weapon. Rip stopped reaching for the deflation valve. He grabbed for his knife, jerked it free, and thrust it against the middle of the Connie’s back. Then he clanged his bubble against the man’s helmet for direct communication and shouted, "Grab some space, or I’ll let vack into you!" The Connie understood English. Most earthlings did. But even better was his understanding of the pressure on his back. He stopped struggling and his arms shot starward. Rip breathed freely for the first time since he had leaped, and exultation grew in him. He had his first man! His first hand-to-hand fight had ended in victory so easy that he could hardly believe it. He took time to look around him and saw that he was a good five feet above the asteroid. Below him, a Connie belt light sent its shaft parallel with the ground, and he knew the second man was down. The question was, had either of them shouted before their communicators were cut off? "Dowst," he called urgently. "All okay?" "No," Dowst said grimly. "We got the Connie, but he got Dominico. Cut his leg with a space knife. I’m putting a patch on it. You okay?" "Yes. When you can, pull me down." "Right." Dominico spoke up. "Don’t worry about me, sir. Nothing bad. I don’t lose much air." "Fine, Dominico. Glad it wasn’t worse."