Knof Llud sighed. The sagging lines of his face were calculated to reassure the other and his superiors on Earth, to whom the sight-sound conversation was undoubtedly being relayed. Llud said tiredly, "But you don't have any reason for destroying us. Why not let us land on one of the worthless outer planets, and make an attempt to live there? Or, if you will give us a little atomic fuel, we will leave the Solar System again and trouble you no more. In exchange we have a great deal of knowledge, data on the stars of the Taurus Cluster and beyond, to offer...." * * * * * As he spoke, he was beckoning Gwar Den to him, handing the navigator the brief order he had scrawled on the pad. The little man laughed shortly. "As if we could trust you--or wanted your worthless knowledge of stars! No, we will not bargain with giants." The captain said slowly, for there was still time to be gained in order that the gamble he had decided on might have its chance, "You're very sure that you _can_ smash us. Remember, we control gravitic forces, a science you have evidently lost." He saw the look of sneering triumph waver a little; then the image snapped, "We destroyed the others. Your screen, whatever it is, is not impenetrable; we have power to break through it." That was true, of course. The drive-field would collapse when the fuel ran out, desperately soon now. Llud started to speak again; then he felt the nearly imperceptible lurch that meant the _Quest III_ had applied a terrific acceleration at an angle to its line of flight. Gwar Den had done a quick job. The impacts of enemy fire ceased; the ship's abrupt swerve had temporarily shaken off its rocket-driven tormentors. Almost simultaneously the image on the screen looked startled. The man turned as if listening to some one else. "So you've begun a frantic attempt to dodge. It won't help you--" His jaw dropped and he listened again; this time he was a little longer overcoming his surprise. Knof Llud knew what the second message had been as surely as if he had been there--that the _Quest III_, far from doubling back, was still heading for Earth, from a slightly different angle, and was even accelerating. The side thrust had already ceased. That expenditure of fuel reduced the chances, but it had to be risked. The little man faced Knof Llud again and smiled savagely. "Whatever you're trying, we're ready for you!" "No doubt," thought the captain with some satisfaction. He sat up straighter and gazed at the little man. His discouraged air was gone and the look in his eyes was the distillate of cold, searing scorn. He said, biting off the words with deliberate emphasis, to that one and the others who would be listening, "You pitiful pigmies." The face in the screen grew darker with rage; it opened its mouth and closed it with a snap.