their advance toward the uncharted, unknown dangers of the asteroid belt
that lay ahead of them.

Meanwhile, back on the _Polaris_, Jeff Marshall walked into the
observatory quietly. He stood and watched Professor Sykes adjust the
prisms of his telescopes, then settle himself to an hour of observation.
Jeff knew that the professor would remain there for the next two hours.
He felt safe in going to the storeroom and taking out the communications
unit to work on it. But just to make sure, he called out, "Will you be
needing anything, sir?"

"No, I won't!" barked Sykes. "If I did, I'd ask for it!"

"Yes, sir!" said Jeff. He turned away with a slight smile on his face
and left the observatory. He walked quickly through the passageways of
the ship until he came to the storeroom hatch. He glanced around
quickly and then stepped into the quiet chamber. Pulling the cartons
away from the bench, he took out the half-completed tangle of wires, and
by the light of a small flashlight, he peered into the maze, trying to
figure out where Roger had left off. He had traced the connections and
was about to go to work when suddenly the overhead light was switched
on, bathing the storeroom in light. Jeff whirled around to see Vidac,
standing in the open hatch, staring at him.

"Well, Sergeant Marshall," he said, advancing toward the enlisted
spaceman, "some secret experiment, no doubt!"

"Yes, sir," replied Jeff. "I've--I've been working on a new type of
communications set."