"Yes. If there is anyone we can trust, it's Jeff. Let's hope that space
jerk outside comes through!"

"Well," growled Astro, "if worse comes to worse, we can always jump
him."

"Uh--uh," said Tom, shaking his head. "We wouldn't get past the first
corridor. If we escape, and we will, we've got to have help from someone
on the outside!"

"But won't they be watching Jeff too?" asked Astro.

"Sure they will, but we've got to take that chance. If Vidac holds us
for trial here on Roald, and we're convicted, the only place for a
review of the case will be the Solar Council Chamber back on Earth."

"Well, what's wrong with that?" asked Astro.

"I'll tell you what's wrong with it," said Roger. "Before the case would
come up for a review, we would have already spent at least two years on
a prison rock!"

Meanwhile, in his office in the Administration Building, Lieutenant
Governor Vidac listened with mounting apprehension to a report from the
communications control officer of Roald.

"We just received a message from Captain Strong aboard the Solar Guard
cruiser _Orion_ requesting landing data here on Roald," the voice
crackled impersonally over the teleceiver.