by H. B. Hickey
door."
But before Burnine could comply with the order, there was a shout fromthe machine. Case whirled, startled. The room in the fishing cabin haderupted into a maelstrom of struggling men. He saw Vargas go down,smothered by blue-jacketed men of Earth Intelligence.
And then there was Cranly, his broad back bent over Karin's figure onthe couch. He straightened with a length of rope in his hands. She wasfree. Cranly turned and his face filled the screen.
"Nice going, Case. I had a hunch Vargas was behind this, but I couldn'tmove until I had him dead to rights. But it was you who helped me tofight the Council for the time I needed."
"How much time have I got?" Case wanted to know.
"Not much. The Council can't take a chance on having another cityblasted. Within fifteen minutes they will destroy the machine Vargasbuilt."
"That's time enough," Case said. "Give me a look at Karin."
He got his look, and then turned to Burnine. Yuna and his men had gotthe news elsewhere, apparently, for they were hammering at the door. Butthe lock was holding.
Together now, Case and Burnine turned their guns on the bars of thewindow. It went faster now. One bar melted away, another, still another.There was room enough for Burnine, then room enough for Case's broadshoulders.
They dropped through and hit the ground, running. With Burnine leadingthe way and Case keeping him covered from behind, they raced around theedge of the tower, cut down a pair of surprised guards who weren'texpecting them here, and skirted the outside tower.
Then the hangars were only yards away and they were sprinting towardthem. Now there were no more men to block their way. Only time was theenemy.
And time ticked away on Case's watch as he and Burnine strappedthemselves into their seats. Five minutes was all the time they couldhope for. With his own ship that would have been enough, but this spaceliner was not built for speed.
* * * * *
Case had deliberately spoken with more confidence than he'd felt. Ifthat was to be his last look at Karin, he'd wanted her to have a smileon her face.
"All set," Burnine said. His skin was drawn tight over the long bones inhis face.
They took off with all jets wide open. From stem to stern, the big linershuddered. Even with all power on, they lifted slowly. From overhead, asmall attack ship flashed in. Fire darted at them, slid harmlessly offthe liner's duralloy plates.
"Wish that was our biggest worry," Case said. He could still grinweakly.
Now their speed was mounting steadily. The altimeter climbed past 60,000and kept going. Case kept his eyes glued to the vision plate.
Now was the time. Thunder rumbled, roared in their ears. Far, far belowand behind them there was another roar. Then came the single blindingflash that spelled the end of Kanato, and afterward a billowing mushroomcloud. It was the end of Yuna and his devilish weapon.
Over them, in the heart of the brightness, there was a black speck. Itgrew larger as they roared toward it. It was a black cleft in the azure.Case flashed a desperate glance at his watch. Seconds left, that wasall.
With a prayer in their hearts, and with all jets blazing, they aimed forthe blackness. It grew smaller, almost too small. There was a rumble ofthunder. And they were through, into a black sky dotted with a myriad ofstars.
Case reached up and flicked on the liner's telecast. It warmed upslowly, first the click coming through, and then the audio. Last of all,and best of all, the video.
Karin's face filled the screen. She was smiling, none the worse for herexperience. Her hair was in disorder but it still looked like spun goldto Case. He could almost taste those velvety lips.
"Be with you soon, honey," Case said. "We've got a honeymoon to finish."
Her face beckoned him Earthward.
