"Eight of them are our own men! You didn't know that, Rankin? They've
been aboard the _Planetara_ for several voyages. Oh, this is no
quickly planned affair, even though we let you in on it so recently.
You and Johnson.... By God!"
There was a commotion in the stateroom. I crouched, tense. Miko had
discovered that his insulation had been cut off! He had evidently
leaped to his feet. I heard a chair overturn. And the Martian's roar:
"It's off! Did you do that, Prince? By God, if I thought--"
My apparatus went suddenly dead as Miko flung on his insulation. I
lost my wits in the confusion: I should have instantly taken off my
vibrations. There was interference: it showed in the dark space of the
ventilator grid over Miko's doorway, a snapping in the air, there--a
swirl of sparks.
I heard with my unaided ears Miko's roar over his insulation: "By God,
they're listening!"
The scream of hand sirens sounded from his stateroom. It rang over the
ship. His signal! I heard it answered from some distant point. And
then a shot: a commotion in the lower corridors....
The attack upon the _Planetara_ had begun!
I was on my feet. The shouts of startled passengers sounded, a turmoil
beginning everywhere.
I stood momentarily transfixed. The door of Miko's stateroom burst
open. He stood there, with Rankin, Moa and George Prince crowding him.