All at once, Mark pointed and cried out, “Hey, look at that! Do you see what I see?” Several men came to the window and peered out. Zip Foster joined them. Joe answered. “Yes! --the asteroid’s moving!” The dark bulk of the pirates’ asteroid, which had loomed so close to them for two days, was gradually but visibly moving away. Its silhouette had been blocking half their view of the Asteroid Belt and the gleaming array of stars behind it, but now, even as they watched, its profile diminished and stars were winking into view around its edge. “They’re heading out somewhere--moving that entire asteroid! I wonder what’s going on?” asked Mark. “We’ll be able to power up before too long, now! We’ll be on our way ourselves,” announced Zip, animatedly. “Soon we can get in touch with Starlight. It’s been over a week since we’ve been in contact. We’ve got a lot to tell them.” The shadow that had lain over Zip for two days had been lifted. “How long until we can turn on the power, Mark? When will we be out of the pirates’ radar range?” “Less than an hour, I’d say.” Zip raised his voice so everyone could hear. “We get under way in an hour, men!” It was sooner than that. In 26 minutes, the asteroid was no longer visible to the eye. Zip waited a full 45 minutes then turned on the ship’s power at its lowest setting. Using the radar, he scanned the quadrant where the asteroid had last been seen and turned up no object of significance. He hadn’t expected to. “That doesn’t mean they can’t see us,” he mused to Mark and Joe. “That asteroid is probably sheathed just like their ships. But I think we’re safe now--safe enough, anyway, to get moving.” “Right. Let’s go,” said Joe. “I’ll jettison the derelict and power up! I’ve been looking forward to this moment!” Zip ran the power switch up to maximum and commanded everyone to prepare for acceleration. Joe ignited the propulsion system. With the lanky Starman at the controls the alien ship began its journey toward the Asteroid Belt. As the ship began to cruise easily, Zip began to think of communicating with Starlight Enterprise. “Mark, contact SE right away. Fill them in on our recent adventures and see if, by any chance, there’s a ship closer to us than the base on O344.” George St. George spoke up. “What if the pirates overhear your transmission, Zip? Won’t they know we’ve escaped and be able to locate us?” “I think it’s worth the risk, George. They probably think we’re still inside the asteroid and won’t be looking for us out here. Even if they do overhear the transmission, I doubt they’d send some ships after us. The distance between us is growing rapidly, and if we have to we’ve got plenty of time to hide in the Belt. I’m worried about our dwindling supplies; we need some relief soon, and SE needs our information as soon as we can get it to them. Go ahead, Mark.” “I’m on it,” said Mark.