"Hell on wheels, do they know English in deep space?" the general gasped. * * * * * Up in the dome, Craig Randall and Mary Kirkham watched the glows move through the sky as the ship approached. They could hear the clatter of voices coming from the radio room as contact was attempted. Suddenly a new voice came from the loud speaker in the radio room. "Calling Pluto Station? Calling Pluto Station? Go ahead, please." They heard the startled operator gasp as he caught his breath. "Holy cats, the ship is talking back to me! This boat is not coming in from deep space, not unless they speak English out there too!" "Correction, please," the loud speaker answered. "This ship _is_ coming from deep space." "But--but--but--" "This is the _Andromeda_ returning to the Solar System after twenty years in space. Contact your commanding officer immediately and advise him that we are preparing to land." "Whoops!" Craig Randall shouted. "The _Andromeda_!" The Solar System, like a vast ark riding the flood of infinity, had sent doves into deep space. After twenty years, after all hope had been given up, one of the doves was returning. The jangling of the alarm bells went into quick silence as the startled station prepared itself to welcome the wanderer home. Home, after years between the stars, home after wandering the vastness of deep space itself. The Z-weapons in their hidden emplacements left off their tracking of this visitor and the whole station turned itself from an armed camp into a jubilant reception committee. The _Andromeda_ came down to the runway, the vast outer doors of the hangar swung ponderously open, and the _Andromeda_ came to a halt at Pluto Station. From the waiting humans came the sound of a tremendous cheer. A sloping runway was run up to the main lock of the _Andromeda_. The lock opened. A tall man, dressed in light shorts and a shirt, appeared in the lock. He was bronzed and lean and he looked thoroughly fit. The only mark of authority on him was on the tattered cap that he wore. The stars of a captain glittered there. His voice was deep, like a bell. "I am Captain Martin of the _Andromeda_," he said. As he spoke, the cheer grew to a thunderous volume of sound. General Stanley advanced. He and Captain Martin shook hands. Still shaking hands, they moved down the runway and disappeared in the direction of Nuoy's quarters. In the throng, Craig caught a glimpse of Adam March. The old man had been in the very first line had been cheering himself hoarse. When Captain Martin had emerged, old Adam had stopped cheering. The old man had stared at the captain as if he did not believe his eyes, then he had seemed to shrink in upon himself, to become small and unimportant.