Black oily smoke curled up. The others scattered, leaving five smoking mounds behind.

He was at the ship. He snatched open the door, leaped in and slammed it behind him.

He didn't remember taking off. The next thing he knew, he was in the air, circling high above the field.

Looking down, he saw men like little bugs swarming out of the buildings far below. He saw ships pushed out on the field. The ships spiraled up toward him.

Ricker's first thought was to head into the ice, cut on the heat guns and bore through to safety. But no. It was slow going through the ice and they'd catch him before he'd gone a mile.

Below he saw toy ships rising, growing like mushrooms as they gained altitude. There were eighteen of them, he counted out loud. What chance had he against eighteen? He squeezed his triggers testily, felt a slight recoil as the hot breath of death licked out from all sides of his ship. Well, it'd be one fine fight anyway....

Suddenly he noticed the radio before him. Of course! Quickly he switched on, spoke into the transmitter.

"Calling Stellar Patrol, calling Stellar Patrol!"

"What is it?" The answer came so quickly Ricker jumped. They must be close by. "Is this Ricker? Where are you?"

"Where are you!"

"At forty-four-five Neptune. The location you gave." His message had gotten through. They were right over him, just a hundred miles away—and they might as well be on the other side of the sun. "What's the trouble? We've been looking for you since—"

"Listen!" cried Ricker. "No time to explain. I'm trapped inside the planet—under the ice. There's a cave here. Made with Adison's Heat Unit. I've found out what's behind Molly Borden. They have ten thousand ships here, plan to attack Earth. Senator Trexel's the leader—they're coming up after me now. You must do something. Quick!"

"What? How? How can we get to you?"

How could they get down here! Patrol ships didn't have these heat guns. God!

Glancing down, Ricker saw the ships closing beneath him like a flock of starved condors. In a moment they'd be in gun range.

"Gotta keep moving," he told the 

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