"Some new thing Wassreck worked out. A beam that focuses energy drawn from cosmic dust." The Jovian's voice sank lower. His head thrust forward. "Jarl, they claim it'll blast a ship right out of space, at almost any range. They've got it geared and mounted now." Jarl braced himself against the door. It dawned on him that his palm was slick with sweat against the ray-gun's butt. The little things came back to him--the tastes, the smells, the sounds. Again he peered up and down the empty hall. A weapon that focussed the power that lay in cosmic dust--? Even to talk of it was sheer madness! Yet Wassreck had made madness come to life so many times.... Involuntarily, Jarl Corvett shivered. "If it's true, they'll blast us down before we even get the carrier to our ship," said Ungo. He scrubbed his scaly hand along his hip. "We wouldn't have a chance...." * * * * * Jarl bit down hard. With savage effort, he forced himself to think; to shake off the bleak despair that kept rising in him, ever higher. "What chance could we have if we went back through the tube, the air-vent?" "We could maybe hide...." "On Vesta--?" Jarl laughed aloud. "They'd find us as easily as in our cells!" He broke off. The laughter went out of him, replaced by an urgency even more feverish than that which had gone before. "No, Ungo! It means we've got to run! We'd have to even if we could find a place to hide!" "But why, Jarl--?" The big Jovian scowled and fumbled. "A weapon like that, and you ask why?" Jarl cursed in harsh, bitter syllables. "What about the others--the outlaw worlds? What will it mean when the Federation fleet sweeps down on H'sana?--on Ceresta?" It was Ungo's turn to curse. Jarl shoved the wave-pencil into his hand. "Here! Break out the men! And hurry!" "But you--" Jarl laughed. Of a sudden, once again, recklessness was boiling in him. "We came here on a mission!" "Not the woman--!" "She'll still make _rey_ Gundre hold his fire! She'll still buy Wassreck free!" Ungo twisted. His bulk loomed rock-rigid, bigger than ever. "You can't. Jarl! I won't let you! You are sick--crazy--" The fire of recklessness in Jarl glowed brighter. "Tell me that tomorrow, Ungo!" he clipped through clenched teeth. "You may convince me--after the commissioner's ordered his men to shoot us down with that hell-cat aboard!" Ungo's breath came faster. "Then let me go, Jarl! Let me get her--!" Jarl brought the ray-gun up, stone-steady. "We may both die on Vesta, Ungo. That's enough for me to have resting on my conscience." "But Jarl--" "I'll shoot if I have to, Ungo." Their eyes locked, and for a long moment they stood statue-like, unmoving. Then, half-sullenly, the Jovian stepped aside. "I'll be waiting, Jarl. Whatever happens, I'll be waiting." Jarl did not answer. Of a sudden there were no words for him to say to Ungo. Ray-gun in hand, he ran down the hall, picking his way through the maze of ramps and corridors.