forth. He sighed a little. And it occurred to him that perhaps he was getting old.

IV

"Hurry them!" Bill's thoughts crackled at the Martian expert in charge of ordnance. "I want no refinements—give me good, old fashioned atomo-cannon with the greatest possible concussion. Power them to emit shattering volumes of sound upon discharge!"

The Martian's violet eyes widened. "A complete reversal of all trends, Commander!" he exclaimed mentally. "But it shall be done immediately." He withdrew slightly mystified.

An intolerable net of violet fire enveloped the Spacer, as the maneuvering globes enlarged the pyramid to avoid the upward rush of the great ship. Up, and up the flashing cruiser sped through the screaming air, and the enveloping net of rays from the alien globes. And suddenly it levelled off and belched its answer. From myriad hidden points, huge dark masses catapulted into space, as the spacer instantly rose above them in a burst of acceleration.

With frightful accuracy, the ghastly fingers of livid fire that criss-crossed the violet net, swung from the globes to meet this new menace before it could shower among them, and the dark masses exploded into a holocaust of sound that sped through the riven air at the frightful speeds Saturn's atmosphere induced. Like leaves in a great wind the fiery globes tossed and whirled, breaking formation. But again they reformed, maintaining the pyramid with mathematical precision, and the ghastly, violet web of intolerable power deepened, intensified until it was a glowing amethyst hue, and the spears of livid fire probed like cosmic lances at the frantically maneuvering spacer.

"The Multi-Energon Screen's a blessing, Commander—how long we shall be able to enjoy it, is the problem," Nydron observed drily. "I'm convinced this is a battle where logistics have no value."

Bill Nardon's features went taut. The calmer Nydron appeared, the greater the nature of the crisis. He favored his military expert with a long, searching glance. Into the pause, the Martian Aide's thoughts intruded anxiously:

"Surely, the Energon screen's not faltering!" It was unthinkable.

"No, but at the rate it's consuming energy in warding off that electronic barrage, it's but a question of time until we're left with a mechanical and mathematically perfect screen dead from lack of power!"

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