"Why don't we go aboard, sir?" asked Tom.
"We'll wait a little longer for the flare. If we don't get it soon—"
"There it is, sir!" shouted Tom at Strong's side.
From the flare port near the nose of the commercial ship, a ball of fire streaked out.
"Red!" said Strong grimly, "That means we can't go alongside. We'll have to use jet boats."
"Captain Strong," shouted Roger from the radar deck, "they're signaling us with a small light from the upper port on the starboard side!"
"Can you read it?" asked Strong quickly.
"I think so, sir. They're using standard space code, but the light is very dim."
"What do they say?"
" ... reaction ... chamber—" said Roger slowly as he read the blinking light, " ... radiation ... leaking around ... baffle ... all ... safe...." Roger stopped. "That's all, sir. I couldn't get the rest of it."