craft straight down toward the blue expanse below.

Water shot high into the air like a geyser as the alien lifeboat plunged into the ocean. Deep under the water's surface, the craft leveled off and slowed until it drifted idly.

"Take an instrument reading," ordered Ekrado. "Let us see what kind of a hydrosphere this planet has. It looks good enough."

"It is not as good as it looks," reported Ronaro grimly. "The temperature and pressure are satisfactory, but the chemical content of the water is poisonous. It would kill us in a few minutes."

"That means we must depend on our water-purifying plant as long as we are on this planet—or as long as it holds out. They aren't built to last forever."

"We must get word to Alar that the entire Ru'ukonian fleet is attacking without warning, while our fleet is at the other end of the galaxy holding maneuvers. Maneuvers! A yachting trip for the Lord Admiral Krukon, while Alar lies almost defenseless!"

"You stated before that our only hope was to contact a civilized race on one of these planets, in hopes that they might have interstellar communication apparatus?"

"Yes," responded Ekrado, "or any type of equipment for broadcasting radiation. We can rebuild it for our purpose. Have you forgotten that we served one hundred and sixty years together in the Communications Corps? We could rebuild anything, just so they have the power."

"I believe we could," replied Ronaro, caught by his Captain's enthusiasm.

"Right! Our first step must be to find intelligent life on one of the planets of this sun. We must start by searching the waters of this world."

Ekrado threw the throttle-lever forward slightly and the ship moved ever more rapidly through the water. Straight ahead he drove it while the two Alarians concentrated every attention on the vision screens in the hope of sighting intelligent life.

Life they saw aplenty in the next few hours, much of it strange but the greater part of it similar to that of their own world.

"Ronaro, look," telepathed Ekrado excitedly, "a being like an Alarian."

Across the vision plate floated a pointed body sprouting a tangle of flexible arms at one end. Hope surged high in them both.

 Prev. P 5/11 next