CHAPTER 20

"I don't care if the blasted ship blows up!" roared Captain Strong to the power-deck officer of the Solar Guard rocket cruiser _Arcturus_. "I want every ounce of thrust you can get out of this space heap!" The young Solar Guard captain turned back to the loud-speaker of the audioceiver, turned the volume dial a fraction, and listened. The steady pronounced ping of Roger's signal beacon filled his ears. When Strong discovered that Coxine had outwitted him, he had gone aboard the rocket cruiser _Arcturus_ of Squadron…