The picture on the screen was very definite now--a swarthy giant of a
man, cynically grinning down at them. "Gentlemen," the figure on the
screen said, and Scott needed no further introduction.
It was Randell, master of the ship _Kastil_.
"We've had a very entertaining two days," Randell said. His thick hands
rubbed easily together. "It's been a real pleasure watching you work.
But I'm afraid the pleasure is over. We're leaving you now. Oh, that
disturbance at your mine pit?" He laughed, but only with his mouth; the
close-set eyes remained unchanging, watchful. "It seemed so unnecessary
to bother mining ore when so much of it was stacked near our pit."
"You bloody murdering bandit," Elderburg thundered. "We'll blast
you...."
"You'll blast nobody. Any party approaching the _Kastil_ will get
blasted. Any party near the claim--our claim--will get burned down. By
the way, I'm afraid your men at the mine contracted space-sickness, or
something. They seem to be dead. You needn't bother coming after them."
He began to chuckle. "I think the ore my men are bringing in now will
just complete our cargo. See you back on Earth."
The screen went gray. The sound shut off with a loud click.
Elderburg swung on Scott. "Take your men. Clean out that nest of thieves
before they remove any more ore. Order out full battle gear. We'll blast
the _Kastil_ apart if it takes every man on board this ship."
"No!" Scott caught Elderburg's shoulder, gripped him. "There isn't time
for an armed attack. I have a better idea."
"Scott, I order you to...."
"Get me a box," Scott cried desperately. "Made of lead and six feet
deep."
Elderburg jerked his shoulder free. His face contorted. "Get to your
cabin, Jerill. You're under arrest."
"Captain Elderburg, listen to me. We can...."
"That's a direct order. Go to your cabin." He whirled away from Scott,
slammed down the intercom lever. "Attention all hands. Prepare full
battle equipment...."
Scott slashed his blaster hard across the back of the Captain's head.
Elderburg staggered, clutched the back of the seat. Scott hit him again.
Elderburg's legs went loose. He toppled face forward, struck the
intercom and sagged to the floor.
Scott stepped to the intercom. "Attention. All men, prepare full battle
equipment and stand by. Stand by. Durval, get the largest lead-lined box
you have and set it outside the entrance of the main cargo hatch. Shake
it up. We have half an hour till the _Kastil_ jets off."
He cut off the intercom, lugged Elderburg to the chart room and locked
him inside.
* * * * *
The hold was beastly hot. Standing inside the hatchway, holding
suspended over his head a three-foot long cell of uranium ore, Scott
felt a moment of shuddering panic. Over the storage cells along the
wall, over the tumbling bodies of the cats, an eerie glow quivered--the
menacing flare of radio-activity.
Scott glanced nervously at the forward screen. Chief Durval waved toward
him. "Your men ready, Durval?"