"Listen to a coward like this?" Lodar sneered savagely and pointed at Campora. "He's afraid for his own hide! But he wasn't scared to stick a knife in a man's back on Earth! Oh, no! But now he's petrified at the thought of a policeman. He's stirring up the crew. He's a traitor to his rating!" "You can't handle men when your own temper blows up!" Ray snapped. Lodar should know that. He was an ex-fleet man. Lodar jerked round, visibly struggling for control. "I guess you're right," he admitted slowly, his first fury spent. He turned to the mate, whose sallow face and slitted eyes were full of venom. "So you're afraid of Earth and the police, the whole kit and kaboodle of you. Well, we won't land there." Campora looked his utter disbelief. "We'll swing a thousand miles off Earth and I'll land in the escape boat. You can go on to Mars, sell the _Vulcan_ to pay off the crew and yourself." Lodar smiled grimly. "Now get out of my way!" As the captain strode down the corridor, Campora turned bitterly to the young navigator. "He's lying, he's going to land on Earth. The filthy double-crosser wants to pay us off with a stolen ship, too!" Campora grabbed Ray's arms. "That escape boat is loaded with his takings. Thinks we're a bunch of suckers to let him be the big shot on dear old Earth! We'll see about that!" "You're a fine officer!" Ray stared at the mate. V It was a mystery to him how Campora had ever won his position. Once upon a time he must have had a lot of ambition, because it took a lot of drive for a self-educated man like Campora to become an officer. Perhaps the struggle had soured him. Ray knew how tough it was. He'd had to fight his way, but--He stopped in mid-thought. Actually, he was no better. They were all in the same boat! When Ray went aft a little later he found the repair crew working furiously. Lodar paced back and forth between the two main converters, his fists clenched and eyes alert. One of the crew lay sprawled in a corner. A glance was enough. The man was dead. Ray shrugged mentally. Lodar was within his rights, as captain, to enforce his orders even to this extent. Nor did Lodar relax his driving vigilance one whit as the hours dragged by. He raged from crew to crew, hammering down all sign of opposition, aflame with a single purpose--to repair the ship and take it to Earth. Anger, pride, or stubbornness--it made no difference which drove him--his mind was made up. There was no turning him now. "I'll run the _Vulcan_ where I wish if I have to kill every man of you!" he raged. Ray searched the crew's quarters and removed all likely weapons. He got a spare key for McVane's cabin and took it to the girl. "Better lock yourself in," he told her. "There may be trouble!" "I know." Her dark eyes were serious. "If you would only persuade the captain--"