"The question does not deserve an answer. Everybody ready? Hold on!"

There was an immediate rumble as the pod jettisoned from the transport. A pressure forced them back in their seats as if a giant hand had pressed on them. "I'd give a month's pay to see Tickler's face right now. I'd hate to be in his shoes when he reports to his boss."

Ari had been quiet since they entered the pod. Spence looked at her and she looked back, forcing a small, tentative smile.

"I'm sorry I've mixed you up in all this. You could have been hurt back there."

"I was mixed up in this a long time ago-from the day I met you. I'm all right."

"You sure?"

"I'm fine. I just haven't had much in the way of combat training. "

"Don't worry. That's behind us now." Spence tried to sound assured, but his tone fell short of persuasive. The truth was, he felt their troubles were only beginning.

21

… HOCKING'S GAUNT FACE HAD taken on the coloring of a ripe tomato. He appeared ready to burst. But when he spoke, his voice was ice. "You let him get away! Fools! Idiots! You let him escape. Ortu will hear about this! Oh, yes he will. And I hope he deals with you as you deserve. I won't stop him this time!"

"Please!" cried Tickler. His moleish face was contorted in fear and anguish. "It wasn't our fault. That Russian pilot, Kalnikov-he knew about it."

"How could he know? Unless you were careless. You gave Reston an opportunity to warn them."

"There was no way he could. I swear it! Please, believe me!"

"You've ruined everything. Reston will be that much harder to catch now that he knows we're after him. He won't be taken by force, that's certain." Hocking swiveled away from his two quaking underlings. He seemed to relax somewhat as he pondered the situation. When he spoke again, it was mostly it himself. "No, it must be something subtle. It would be better if he came of his own accord. Yes, he must come of his own will-that way he can be guided more easily, and he will be receptive to the stimulus."

Tickler sensed a ray of hope in Hocking's change of demeanor. "That girl-we could get her."

"Would he follow her?"

"To the ends of the earth," said Tickler.

"He's in love with her," put in Millen.

Hocking's eyes sparked with interest. A thin, skeletal smile drew his lips taut. "There may be something in what you say," he mused. "Perhaps this is precisely the opportunity we've been looking for."

Then he snapped, "All right! This won't be easy-we don't even know where they're headed yet, so we'll have to improvise. Here's what we'll do…"

The discussion that followed was brief; it ended with Tickler and Millen bolting for the door and dashing away to carry out their new orders, glad for the moment to have saved their skins.

As soon as they had gone, Hocking propelled himself to the ComCen console across the room. He tapped in a code and waited. Seconds later a voice said, "Wermeyer, here."

"The takeover is begun. You will put Phase One into operation at once."

"So soon? But-" The voice was a whisper. "Immediately! This is the chance we've been waiting for." …

"THEY ARE To BE held upon landing. They have stolen a spacecraft. They are fugitives. You are the director of this station; you can order their arrest. You will do so."

Director Zanderson, his round face pale with fear and worry, fumbled for words. "I-I don't know if that's ah, possible."

"Oh, it is possible. In fact it is precisely what will happen."

"I don't want Ari involved in this. She's not part of it. She doesn't know anything. Leave her out of it."

"We're not interested in Ari. She'll be turned loose immediately." Hocking could see he was finally getting through to the frightened man and so softened his tone to a persuasive coo. "Of course, she shall be spared any unpleasantness."

"What about the others? Reston and Rajwandhi? What have they done to you?"

"They have stolen some very expensive secrets-a kind of tech theft, if you will. We want them stopped before they seIl what they know."

"I still can't believe it of them. Are you sure?"

"Positive. Why else would they run away like they did? I (lid not mention it before because I did not want to alarm you, but I think it possible that they intend to use Ari for ransom in case there is trouble."

This last remark drew a quick, worried look from the director. "They wouldn't dare!"

"They are desperate men."

"To think I trusted Reston; I grieved for him-and to think he was alive all this time, hiding here."

"Yes," said Hocking. "Now send that order."

Director Zanderson pressed a button and leaned over his desk and spoke into the wedge. "Mr. Wermeyer, have ComCen clear a signal for me to ground base."

In a few moments his assistant's voice replied. "Done. The signal's open. Channel two."

The director pushed another button and a tone code sounded over the speaker in the wedge, and then a lady's voice said, "ComCen GM ground base, can I help you?"

"This is Director Zanderson. Get me head of security. This is urgent. "

"Thank you," said the lilting voice. He might have been ordering flowers.

A second later he was talking to head of security for the GM ground base. He diplomatically described the situation and ordered the man to apprehend the two suspects and hold them. His daughter, he said, was not to be touched. He was to be notified as soon as they had been taken into custody. The security chief offered his assurances of a clean and professional grab, promising his utmost cooperation and that of his men, and asked for details of the craft and its ETA.

"It should arrive at five o'clock this afternoon your time. That's fourteen hundred GMT."

"I'll notify you personally as soon as they are safely in hand, Director. Don't worry about a thing."

"Thanks, Chief Tatum. I'll be waiting for your call." …

HOCKING'S HENCHMEN WERE WAITING when he returned from his talk with Zanderson.

"I am an absolute genius," crowed Hocking as he swept into the chamber. "I was magnificent!"

"He bought it?" inquired Tickler, wringing his hands.

"He took the bait like the big fish he is," smirked Hocking. "Ah ha!" he laughed suddenly. "You should have been there. It was priceless. I have him convinced that they have kidnapped his precious daughter. He's putty in our hands, gentlemen. When the time comes he'll follow like a lamb."

Tickler allowed himself a smile at their good fortune. He turned to Millen who beamed back at him.

Hocking continued. "Of course, I'm not for a moment forgetting your failure in this matter. But I will excuse it this time. It seems to have brought about a turn of events even better than we could have hoped for. Now they are the ones with the GM ground force on their tails, not us. And Zanderson is so confused he doesn't know what to believe. Their stealing that landing pod clinched it."

"What's next?" asked Tickler. He was becoming caught up in his master's contagious good cheer.

"We get ready to move out. There won't be much time – we'll have to strike and strike fast. Ground security has been notified, but if we can find out where they intend to land we may be able to save ourselves a lot of trouble. I will return to Zanderson's office to wait-I don't want to let him out of my sight. I'll be there if any calls come through."

"What about Kalnikov?" asked Kurt. "Won't he talk?"

"He can say anything he chooses; it won't matter. I was able to convince Zanderson that the taser belonged to Reston and that Kalnikov was in on the conspiracy. He accidentally got shot by his own side and left behind. Whatever he says will be assumed to be a lie. Besides, Williams has him wet-sheeted in one of his wards. No one will be seeing him for some time."