“How big was the asteroid they modeled?” asked Joe. “About six to ten miles across,” said Mark. “And the one Zimbardo has aimed at Earth is forty miles long?” “Bigger. A little bigger than that,” answered Zip quietly. “Bigger.” He felt a chilling darkness come over him, almost as if he had walked into an inky refrigerator. He shivered uncontrollably for a moment, then sat up and took control of himself. “Today we get the _Star Ranger_ back!” he announced in a clear voice. “and we’re heading back to Earth! Be ready for immediate departure!” * * * * * An immense metal and glass wheel, half a mile in diameter, rotated slowly in the jeweled heavens. It was the primary manufacturing and launching headquarters of Nolan Mining Enterprise. It orbited the Moon about 500 miles above the surface. Robert Nolan was burning with a zealous flame of energy. Although often close to burning out, he never went over the edge. His apparently bottomless resources had allowed him to achieve remarkable things in twenty years. Now he was in the command bubble that lifted like an antenna from the heart of the space station. A tower two hundred yards long lifted out from the plane of NME’s manufacturing and launching facility. At its end was a large observation and control center that commanded a view of every aspect of one side of the plant. “Launch in forty-three minutes exactly,” said an operative in the command bubble. Nolan stood, looking intently over the man’s shoulder at the screen in front of him. Nolan’s eyes shifted repeatedly back and forth from the screen to the actuality that lay spectacularly open to view before him. “Sir?” said another technician, turning toward Nolan. “The _Lux Mundi_ has now completed docking.” The _Lux Mundi_ was Richard Starlight’s personal spacecraft. “Excellent, John,” said Robert Nolan. “Please have Mr. Starlight sent up here without delay.” “Yes sir.” The technician turned back to his station and issued commands. In less than four minutes, an elevator brought Richard Starlight into the center of the command bubble of Nolan Mining Enterprise. He stepped out onto the floor and looked around quickly. “Over here, Rick,” said Nolan, stepping toward his friend. “Bob! Good to see you!” The men shook hands briefly. “All went well at our end,” Richard whispered. Nolan stepped back and spread his hands toward the launching arena of the space station. “Terrific news,” he said. “We’ll be launching in about forty minutes.” The two men went into Nolan’s office and sealed it. Though everything was visible through clear partitions, no one could hear what went on inside. “I’m so sorry I fell apart at that meeting, Rick,” Robert began. “Don’t give it a thought, Bob. You’ve done very well for the project since then. This is a great offering you’re making.” “The least we can do, in addition to making as many of the microwave probes as we could, is provide these freighters.”