"All's well, but I'm in a tremendous hurry: I've only got time, now, to tell you we're on the asteroid with Dr. Ku prisoner, and that I'm undertaking to transplant the coordinated brains into living human bodies.... What? Yes transplant them! Please, M. S.--not now: questions later. I'm calling primarily to learn whether you have any V-27 on hand?" Eliot Leithgow, in his distant laboratory, paused before replying. When his voice sounded in the receivers again, it was excited. "I think I see, Carse! Good! Yes, I have a little--" "We'll need a lot," the Hawk cut in tersely. "Will you instruct your assistants to begin preparing as much as they can in the next hour? Yes. And your laboratory--clear it for the operations, and improvise five operating tables. Powerful lights, too, M. S. Yes--_yes_--right--all accessories. Have someone stand by your radio; I'll radio further details while we're on our way." "Right, Carse. All understood." The Hawk remembered something else. "Oh, yes, Eliot--is everything safe in your vicinity?" "There's a small band of isuanacs foraging around somewhere in the neighborhood, but otherwise nothing. They're harmless--" "But possibly observant," finished Carse. "All right--I'll clear them away before descending to the lab. Until later, Eliot." * * * * * Carse switched off the microphone and turned to catch Friday's shocked expression. Carse looked inquiringly at his dark satellite. "What's wrong?" "Lordy, suh," the Negro whispered, "Dr. Ku could hear all you said! He'll know where Master Leithgow's laboratory is!" The Hawk smiled briefly. "No matter, Eclipse. I'm quite sure the information will avail him nothing. For this ride to the laboratory will be his last ride but one." He turned. "We're starting at once. Ban, you've bound him well?" "If he can get out of those knots," grinned Wilson, "I'll kiss him on the mouth!" The Eurasian's nostrils distended. "Then," he said. "I most certainly will not try. But Captain Carse, may I have a cigarro before we start on this journey?" Carse had gone over so the space-stick and his eyes were on the visi-screen, but he now turned them to his old foe for a moment. "Not just now, Dr. Ku," he said levelly. "For it might be that all but two puffs of it would be wasted. Yes--later--if we survive these next few minutes." The remark did nothing to ease the tension of their leaving. Ban Wilson could not restrain a question. "Carse, are you going to risk atmospheric friction all the way to the laboratory?" "No. Haven't time for that. Up and down--up into space, then down to the lab--high acceleration and deceleration." He grasped the space-stick, then in neutral, holding the asteroid motionless in the valley. He glanced at the visi-screen again, checked over the main controls and tightened his hand on the stick. "Ready everyone," he said, and gently moved the stick up and forward. * * * * *