secured by chains to stanchions on the storage deck, just above the engine deck. Stein and Farlan, the engineers, were standing by.
“We’re getting under way,” Tyruss told them.
Stein and Farlan descended to the engine deck, and Tyruss and Jonner climbed to the control deck. On the centerdeck, Aron and Wessfeld, the astrogators, were 杭州哪里按摩比较好的 asleep.
Tyruss climbed into the control chair and switched the radio to the Marscorp band. A voice blared from the communicator:
“Marscorp calling The Egg. Marscorp calling The Egg. Come in, Egg. Can you hear us, Egg? Rebels captured G-boat here. Double alert. Marscorp 杭州最好的spa会所 calling….”
Tyruss switched it off, laughing.
“A little late,” he commented.
“Yes,” said Jonner. “Keep the receiver on that band, Tyruss, because we won’t be hearing from our side. But, until we finish our mission, I’m going to disconnect the sending equipment.”
Jonner floated to the other side of the control deck and moved around behind the control board. He was busy disconnecting wires, a few minutes later, when he heard an exclamation from Tyruss.
He peeked around the edge of the control board. The three Marscorp captives were floating up the companionway from 杭州龙凤交友 below, heat-guns in their hands!
“Keep your hands off those controls, Reb,” warned one of them. “This ship’s staying right here.”
“Wasn’t there another one in this gang, Robbo?” asked another.
Tyruss twisted in his chair and reached for his heat-gun. One of the Marscorp men rayed him through the throat.
Cautiously, Jonner poked the muzzle of his heat-gun around the edge of the
control board. Methodically, he shot the three Marscorp men, one by one. They died without discovering the source of the invisible heat-beam that cut them down.
Tyruss was dead. Cursing, Jonner went below, heat-gun in hand. On the centerdeck, Wessfeld’s body floated. Wessfeld was dead, burned through the chest. Aron was not there.
He found all three of the others, locked in the airlock, without spacesuits. Jonner watched Aron suspiciously as they 杭州龙凤网站首页 emerged.
“What happened?” he demanded of Aron.
“I don’t know,” disclaimed Aron. “They woke us up. They had heat-guns then. Wessfeld tried to reach his, and they shot him. Stein and Farlan were already in the airlock when they brought me down.”
“Stein, were you and Farlan constantly in sight of each other, as ordered?” asked Jonner, watching Aron. Did Aron’s eyes widen apprehensively?
Stein started.
“Why, no,” he admitted. “Farlan was on the engine deck, and I was down in the airlock checking the spacesuits before blast-off. That’s routine, you know. They herded Farlan down and 杭州水疗论坛 caught me by surprise.”
“That’s right,” said Farlan. “I was checking the engines when they came through the hatch from above with heat-guns.”
“Damn!” exploded Jonner. “I gave everyone strict orders—all right, it’s too late now. It just cost us two men, and one of 杭州油压按摩会所 the four of us left is a Marscorp spy. Everyone get above and strap down for acceleration.”
The spy was Aron or Farlan, but he still didn’t know which. Aron could have feigned sleep, and slipped down to the storage deck to release and ar