I had now the true version of what had occurred. Miko had been forcing
his wooing upon Anita. George Prince was a weakling whose only good
quality was his love for his sister. Some years ago he had fallen into
evil ways. Been arrested, and then been discharged from his position
with the Federated Corporation. He had taken up with evil companions
in Greater New York. Mostly Martians. And Miko had met him. His
technical knowledge, his training with the Federated Corporation, made
him valuable to Miko's enterprise. And so Prince had joined the
brigands.
Of all this, Anita had been unaware. She had never liked Miko. Feared
him. But it seemed that the Martian had some hold upon her brother,
which puzzled and frightened Anita.
Then Miko had fallen in love with her. George had not liked it. And
that night on the _Planetara_, Miko had come and knocked upon Anita's
door, and incautiously she had opened it. He forced himself in. And
when she repulsed him, struggled with him, George had been awakened.
She was whispering to me now. "My room was dark. We were all three
struggling. George was holding me--the shot came--and I screamed."
And Miko had fled, not knowing whom his shot had hit in the darkness.
"And when George died, Captain Carter wanted me to impersonate him. We
planned it with Dr. Frank to try and learn what Miko and the others
were doing; because I didn't know that poor George had fallen into
such evil ways."
She whispered, "But I love you, Gregg. I want to be the first to say
it: I love you--I love you."
We had the sanity to try and plan.
"Anita, tell Miko we discussed the multiple powers of the catalyst.
Discussed how carefully it would have to be transported; how to gauge
its worth. You'll have to be careful, clever. Don't say too much. Tell
him we estimate the value at about a hundred and thirty millions."
I repeated what Miko had told me of his plans. She knew all that. And
Snap knew it. She had a few moments alone with Snap and gave me now a
message from him, "We'll pull out of this, Gregg."
With Snap she had worked out a plan. There were Snap and I; and Shac
and Dud Ardley upon whom we could doubtless depend. And Dr. Frank.
Against us were Miko and his sister, and Coniston and Hahn. Of course,
there were the members of the crew. But we were numerically the
stronger when it came to true leadership. Unarmed and guarded now. But
if we could break loose--recapture the ship....
I sat listening to Anita's eager whispers. It seemed feasible. Miko
did not altogether trust George Prince; Anita was now unarmed.
"But I can make opportunity! I can get one of their ray cylinders, and
an invisible cloak equipment."
That cloak, that had been hidden in Miko's room when Carter searched
for it in A20 was now in the chart room by Johnson's body. It had been
repaired now. Anita thought she could get possession of it.
We worked out the details of the plan. Anita would arm herself, and
come and release me. Together, with a paralyzing ray, we could creep
about the ship, overcome these brigands, one by one. There were so few
of the leaders. With them felled, and with us in control of the turret
and the radio room, we could force the crew to stay at their posts.
There were, Anita said, no navigators among Miko's crew. They would
not dare oppose us.
"But it should be done at once, Anita. In a few hours we will be at
the asteroid."
"Yes. I will go now and try to get the weapons."
"Where is Snap?"
"Still in the radio room. One of the crew guards him."
Coniston was roaming the ship. He was still loitering on the deck,
watching my door. Hahn was in the turret. The morning watch of the
crew were at their posts in the hull corridors. The stewards were
preparing a morning meal. There were nine members of subordinates
altogether, Anita had calculated. Six of them were in Miko's pay. The
other three--our own men who had not been killed in the fighting--had
joined the brigands.
"And Dr. Frank, Anita?"
He was in the lounge. All the passengers were herded there, with Miko
and Moa alternating on guard.
"I will arrange it with Venza," Anita whispered swiftly. "She will
tell the others. Dr. Frank knows about it now. He thinks it can be
done."
The possibility of it swept me anew. The brigands were of necessity
scattered singly about the ship. One by one, creeping under cover of
an invisible cloak, I could fell them, and replace them without
alarming others. My thoughts leaped to it. We would strike down the
guard in the radio room. Release Snap. At the turret we could assail
Hahn, and replace him with Snap.