"Sure, Bill. Let's go!" "Yeah, let's open 'er wide up!" They all clambered up the ship's access ladder in high spirits. In a moment a warning red signal rocket shot into the sky and burst, warning all local aircraft. Another five minutes and the rocket leapt off the Earth with a long, shattering roar. Bill kept the fissioning metals pouring through the atomic explosive after-chambers until the men screamed at the acceleration. Finally he eased it off to free flight and the _Space Dragon_ followed the trajectory of the _Space Bird_. All the way he hovered over the radar scope. Then after long hours of fatiguing watching he crawled into his bunk. Later he woke up to Radarman Jones' voice in his ear. "Captain--wake up. We've picked up a ship on the scope!" Bill piled out and forced his floating feet to magnetic contact with the steel deck. He followed Jones down the short corridor to the communications cabin. At the radar scope Bill studied the ship, then gave orders decelerating the _Space Dragon_. "There's another ship!" Jones exclaimed, pointing at the edge of the scope. Bill peered at the new ship, studying its characteristics. Then he nodded his head. "It's the _Space Bird_ all right. But that first one--I got an idea it must be an Asteroid Mining ship. Margo must have transmitted the _Space Bird_ trajectory to Asteroid Mining. I don't see how anybody would know where to find us in such immense distances as Beta Quadrant." Stepping over to the communications panel he called the _Space Bird_. No answer, and though he kept calling he could not raise the ship. Then he called Staker Field on Earth. "Caxton?" The field came back. "Staker Field. Go ahead." "Caxton, we've found the _Space Bird_ but can't speak to them, so I'm cutting you in on communications with an Asteroid Mining ship that's hanging around. Tape pictures and sound--the whole works." "Okay." Flipping another switch, Bill called the strange ship on the all-interplanetary frequency. Suddenly after long minutes of silence the dark screen lighted up with the impassive features of a round faced, cold eyed man. "Yeah? This is the _Pluton_. What d'you want--and who are you?" "This is the _Space Dragon_--sister ship to the _Space Bird_ there in your vicinity. What's the matter with our ship?" The man's eyes darkened and his jaws tightened. "There's plenty wrong with it, _Space Dragon_. And the same thing's going to be wrong with your ship, too. A 'meteor' is going to hit your ship the same as hit the _Space Bird_. Asteroid Mining doesn't like competitors horning in their business!" Bill shot back grimly, "I'm glad to hear your views on competition, Mister. The whole world is interested in our Project Venture, and when they hear what you said there's going to be hell to pay. Because, you see, everything you say and how you look saying it is being recorded back at Staker Field on Earth!"