Coxine strode over to the teleceiver. Immediately the image of a man in the uniform of a Solar Guard major appeared on the screen. His voice echoed in the control room.
"Hello, Coxine! This is Major Sommers! Come in, Coxine!"
"Yeah—" replied Coxine. "Whaddya want?" The pirate captain stepped arrogantly in front of the teleceiver's transmitting lens, and from the look on the officer's face, Tom knew he had seen Coxine on his own screen.
"We've followed orders," said the major. "Our only request is that you do not harm any of the citizens—"
Coxine cut him off. "Stow that space gas! I'll do what I please! I'm sending down a crew of men. They have certain orders. Any interference from you and I'll open fire with everything I've got—right in the middle of the spaceport."
Tom gasped. The spaceport was now crowded with the citizens of the tiny colony.