The color drained from the girl's face as Ross spoke. Twisting, she cringed from his fingers. He shook her. "Tell me the truth, rack you! Why did Mawson send you out here with Cheng? What makes him so sure he can trust you?" No answer. Savagely, Ross flung the girl into a seat and turned his back on her. "You're a fool!" he lashed bitterly. "A fool, and a liar, and the kind of trollop who'll run a murderer's errands!" "Shut up!" This from Veta. Eyes flashing, she jumped from the chair, caught Ross by the elbow, and whirled him. Her hand whipped up and in, slapping--once, twice, three times.... Ross reeled back, clutching for her wrists. "Stop it!" he roared. "Why should I?" Veta tore free and twice more dealt stinging slaps before he could pinion her arms. "You call me names--you, Lewis Thigpen, the man who helped Tornelescu murder all those hundreds of innocent people, testing that catalyst!" She was panting and sobbing at once. Tears streaked her cheeks. Ross said tightly, "I'm sorry I lost my temper. I apologize. But when you wouldn't tell me why you were trying to keep me off Japetus--when you wouldn't even answer my questions--" "When I wouldn't tell you--?" The girl's tears streamed faster. "How do you want me to say it? Like this?" Once again, she tore free--and then, flinging her arms about Ross' neck, buried her streaked face against his shoulder. For an instant he stiffened. A tremor ran through him. Drawing the girl even closer, he held her to him. Her voice came muffled: "Don't you see? If you go down, they'll kill you! You're all alone. You won't have a chance." "That may be," Ross agreed quietly. "Or then again, it may not." A pause. "Have you ever heard of a man named Zoltan Prenzz?" "Prenzz--?" Veta lifted her face. "No, I haven't. Who is he?" Ross smiled faintly. "Just a name; a man I knew once." Gently, he tilted Veta's head back and kissed her. "First installment. You'll get the second after we land." He stepped back as he spoke and, turning, began checking instruments. "Then--you're going down?" Veta's voice sounded very tired. "Yes." "To see this man you mentioned--Zoltan Prenzz?" "Yes." Wordless, the girl moved to a position in front of a second panel. With cool efficiency, she adjusted dials; threw switches. A hush fell over the cabin. The floor rocked slightly as gyroscopes compensated for gravitational imbalance. Then, abruptly, there was the slight jar of an almost-perfect ramping. Spinning open an inspection hatch, Ross peered out. Black night; nothing more. Ross said, "The calculations must have come out on the target. Let's go." He spun open the screw-locks; ratcheted down the ladder. More night. Silently, Ross slid to the ground. Another moment, and Veta was beside him. Ross turned. Simultaneously, light pinned him tight against the ladder. A smooth voice said, "My dear sir! Surely you wouldn't deny us the privilege of giving you a proper welcome!"