"Borisu," snarled O'Day. "Pipe it down here, Sparks," ordered the commander of the vessel. "Throw it over the IC so we can all hear it." "Very good, sir!" There was a moment's hush, then an instant of metallic confusion. Then the incoming message was retransmitted from the radio room to the control turret. A voice was calling, "_Spaceship Liberty! Signalling the Liberty! Can you hear us?_" Warren glanced at his friends significantly. "It _is_ Borisu," he whispered. "I'd know that soapy, accented voice in a million." He pressed the activating control of the turret transmitter and answered, "Spaceship _Liberty_ answering. Hugh Warren, commanding officer, speaking. Who are you? What do you want?" Transmission cleared as the beam between the converging spacecraft strengthened. It was definitely Borisu's voice addressing them. All recognized and tensed with anger to hear the vindictive mockery in his tone. "What, Captain? But certainly you're clever enough to know without being told. We not only _want_ but _demand_ the immediate surrender of your ship!" * * * * * O'Day's face turned brick red. His lean jowls mottled with rage. In stifled tones he choked, "Surrender! That slimy rat! All right, Skipper. We know where we stand now. Let's unhinge the guns and give them--" "They are a dozen," reminded MacDonald nervously, "to our one." "All right! So what?" blazed O'Day. "Our weapons will more than match theirs. And we're protected by Dr. Kang's force-shield. Come on!" He took three quick strides toward the nearest gun embrazure, and was in the act of whipping the tarpaulin from the rotor port when Borisu's voice sheered through again. "That was the reformed corsair's voice I heard, was it not? Well, _Captain_ O'Day--" He stressed the title with gentle irony--"I suggest you think twice before opening hostilities. Having shared your comradeship I am well aware as to the power of your weapon and the strength of the learned Dr. Kang's force-shield. However, the weapons mounted on our craft are not the destructive type averted by electrical barriers. _Our_ guns are ultrawave cannon." "Ultrawave!" repeated Dr. Kang, and stayed Lark O'Day's hand swiftly. "Stop, Lark! If he's telling the truth, our shield is useless." "What? But I thought it would stop anything." "Anything of material or radiant nature--_except_ cosmic rays. They will penetrate _all_ matter; even our force-shield. One blast of their guns can loose upon us the dwindling destruction which they have been using to destroy our universe." "Well spoken, Dr. Kang," came the taunting voice from afar. "You grasp essential truths with admirable swiftness. And now--your surrender, Captain? You will drop your force-shield, permitting a boarding party to enter your ship."