The man sprang to obey. Ross turned to order the course changed. But the crashing din that followed silenced him. His body hurtled against the stanchion, and suddenly he found his arms about the Princess Illeria. * * * * * Her body was soft to his touch, her silky hair caressed his cheek, her breath sweet on his face. But he pushed her aside, and cried out to the helmsman, "How does she fly?" The helmsman, craning his neck as he curled an arm about the wheel, shouted back, "On even keel, sir, but she won't steer!" Ross pushed the Princess unceremoniously from him and stood erect. He rushed to the window and saw with relief that the ship was circling away from the Crater. Gauges showed that the ship flew steady except for that odd circling. An artisan, bursting into the control room from the after gun station, explained the mystery. "One rudder flange haywire, sir!" "So that's it!" Ross spoke calmly. "Shot away?" The man's face worked. "Burned away, sir!" "Burned--" Ross thought fast. He nodded to the artisan, who departed with a scared look about. Moore had heard the report. He whistled. "Burned away, huh? Sounds like a B-ray." "B-ray? What's that?" snapped Ross. "B for blue," explained Moore affably. "Horta's draining the blue stars, or I'm no Harvard man." Ross eyed the navigator narrowly. "You really think that?" "What else?" countered Moore calmly. "Horta was a washout on the R-ray--and besides, our red ray doesn't burn like that. I think Horta's got something." Ross turned to the helmsman, then studied the chart that Artana had provided. "We can circle just like this, and make Peak Four if we can cut that drag a bit. Try reducing the speed." It worked. At reduced speed the ship flew more truly, with less pressure on the rudder. Ross sighed in relief. "Keep her there." He spied the Princess leaning against the stanchion, and walked over. "Quite a scare, wasn't it?" She regarded him steadily. "You do not like me?" He gaped at her. "Why do you say that?" "You pushed me away from you." "Oh, that!" Ross was nettled. "A man must fight his ship, Princess." "Yes." She nodded agreement. "But I was afraid. I thought we were doomed. And I wished you to be with me. It is not given to every woman to die with the man of her choice. And you are the man I wish for." Ross stared open-mouthed. "Say-ay!" he asked cautiously. "You didn't get a knock on the head, did you?" She shook her head unsmilingly. "The Earth-girls, they do not speak so to men?" "I'll say they don't," Ross assured her feelingly. "Oh!" said the Princess Illeria in a small voice. Ross didn't know what to say then. "Well," he exclaimed, "we'll soon be back at Peak Four." He was right. But grim news awaited them at the peak. IV Artana met them, his face a thundercloud. He handed Ross a ray-typed message. "This came just before you landed," he said tensely.