and tell the crew of the rescue ship they had wandered off on an exploration tour and never returned. With plenty of oxygen for the three of them, no motive could be established against him for the murders.

He began to feel rather sorry for Jonner. They had been companions, and Stein with them, for a long time.

After eating, he went up to the control room and turned Jonner in on the communications system. He was genuinely regretful that Jonner had to die so soon. It would be lonesome on the asteroid with no one to talk to.

"I hope you've been keeping the radio open to Marsport, in case there were any inquiries," said Jonner. "If they get the idea we're all dead out here, they may call off the rescue."

"The last time they called was right after you left the ship," said Kraag. "Stein was going to tell you, but I suppose he forgot it. Marsport knows where we are. A rescue ship should have blasted off by now."

"That's the advantage of being on Ceres instead of in space," Jonner pointed out. "They know Ceres' orbit, but they'd have to have several directional fixes on us, spaced several days apart, to pinpoint us if the ship were in space. What did Stein say the escape velocity here is?"

Surprised at the unexpected question, Kraag consulted the notes Stein had left lying in the control room.

"EV 1,552.41 feet per second," he replied. "Not figuring on jumping off the planet, are you, Jonner?"

"Maybe," said Jonner.

"Well, don't wake me up if you do. I'm really going to pound the pillow tonight."

Jonner laughed shortly, and Kraag heard the click as the captain switched off his helmet radio. He grinned.

Kraag was asleep almost as soon as he hit the bunk.

He came awake slowly, reluctantly, knowing he had not had all the sleep he needed. Something was pounding noisily somewhere, ringing through his head.

He shook his head to clear it. For just an instant there was silence in the utter darkness. Then:

CRASH!

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