other races, but they are kind, and sometimes can
be persuaded to render aid."
10 The five ships quickly made the long, dangerous leap into the
system, but even as they appeared, the last three of the giant ships
were disappearing on the far side of the system. "Should we attempt to
follow?" inquired Helm.
11 "No," ordered North, "when they reach full accelerations they leave
no hyper waves, and we cannot possibly match their speed. But let us
look around. They were in this system for some reason. If they
evacuated it, maybe they left something behind useful to us."
12 "There's not much here," announced Firing Control. "The space near
the sun is almost empty. There is a moderate sized planet at crucial
distance, but too small to sustain natural life within our limits.
There are three other planets further out, but they are little more
than moons.
13 "Let's take a closer look at that minimal planet," suggested The
Voice.
14 It took them a day and a half to move in. The planet was only three
fourth's the size of their home worlds. It had a
thin atmosphere, but there was no vegetation. "Well, at
least," remarked North, "there's ice fields. We can pick up some water."
15 "Negative, sir," announced Firing Control, "carbon dioxide, not
water. But I am picking up water. There's a broad plain near the
equator. I'm picking up quantities of ice on the surface, but they
shouldn't be there. It's in a deep, broad valley, shielded from the
sun."
16 "Put it on the main screen," ordered North, "greatest possible
enlargement."
17 "There they are!" cried The Voice, "They're huge blocks, perfectly
square, eight across, and eight down….sixty-four! The Peepian
mythological number!"