After Gene had fled out of earshot, Zimbardo turned to the few men who were behind him. “I’m lifting off in the _Tartarus_ in ten minutes. It’s the only ship left on the asteroid. Meet me at the great doors. Tell everyone else you see.” He swiveled and walked to the stairwell to go up to his own rooms. None of the men said anything to each other, but scattered, each going to his own quarters. Ten minutes later, arrayed in his spacesuit and carrying a few items, Lurton Zimbardo stood at the great doors. Behind him was the asteroid complex. In front was the manufacturing center and beyond that was the launching pad where the _Tartarus_ stood in solitary splendor. Only five men had joined the pirate leader. “So,” said Zimbardo. “Only five of you. Five men left. Who are you?” He lifted his light a little so he could see their faces. “Ah, Mr. Gebbeth. I said before that I knew I could depend on you. I’ve always known it. You are the pilot. And Mr. Slant. Mr. Stagnum. Mr. Withers. And Mr. Poppy. No one else. Well, then, there are six of us altogether. Let us go.” There was almost no talking. Each man seemed to know what to do without being told. They opened the airlocks to pass through the manufacturing center, and then into the airless launching pad. Without haste but without unnecessary delay, they entered the _Tartarus_, a gleaming silver and red ship that could support a crew of eighteen. The six men strapped themselves into acceleration couches with Gebbeth in the pilot’s position. “Take us out, Mr. Gebbeth,” said Zimbardo. “I will tell you where to go when we are free.” “Yes sir,” said Gebbeth, and initiated the launching sequence. In a short time, Lurton Zimbardo’s spacecraft had left the asteroid. “Top speed, Mr. Gebbeth,” said Zimbardo. “Make sure the sheathing equipment is functioning. Head away from the sun.” “Of course, sir.” * * * * * When Zimbardo burned out the asteroid’s power, much of the energy needed to power its sheathing apparatus disappeared. The sheathing plates then only received power through the solar energy panels, and they did not provide enough energy to hide the asteroid completely. It appeared on radar as a faint blip, allowing the Earth ships to locate it without difficulty. About two hours after Zimbardo’s departure, the fleet command ship _Tempest_ came upon the asteroid. It was the first of fourteen ships from both Space Command and Starlight Enterprise that were expected to arrive within the hour. The _Tempest_ maneuvered carefully through the gaping orifice left when Kimball’s ship had blown the massive airlock, and set down inside the airless docking arena of the asteroid. Captain Mary Marks-Owens descended the ladder first, followed by several members of the crew. All were armed. Only the lights of the spaceship lit up the cavernous hall of shadows.