Jon Karyl grinned a trifle wryly. What kind of torture could this be?
Would it last 21 days? He glanced at the chronometer on his wrist.
Jon's Steel-Blue led him out of the alien ship and halted expectantly just outside the ship's lock.
Jon Karyl waited, too. He thought of the stubray pistol holstered at his hip. Shoot my way out? It'd be fun while it lasted. But he toted up the disadvantages.
He either would have to find a hiding place on the asteroid, and if the Steel-Blues wanted him bad enough they could tear the whole place to pieces, or somehow get aboard the little life ship hidden in the service station.
In that he would be just a sitting duck.
He shrugged off the slight temptation to use the pistol. He was still curious.
And he was interested in staying alive as long as possible. There was a remote chance he might warn the SP ship. Unconsciously, he glanced toward his belt to see the little power pack which, if under ideal conditions, could finger out fifty thousand miles into space.
If he could somehow stay alive the 21 days he might be able to warn the patrol. He couldn't do it by attempting to flee, for his life would be snuffed out immediately.
The Steel-Blue said quietly: