"Wouldn't a definite statement of their course and velocity be evidence?"
"Nope. I happen to know it. It was part of the maneuver secret that I was kidnaped for, remember."
"They'd just accuse you of telling tall tales that couldn't be substantiated," agreed Kane. "The crew and myself would be considered biased witnesses. I'd sure like to cinch the argument, though."
"So would I," said Guy thoughtfully.
"Do you trust this dingbat of yours? The barrier, I mean."
"Naturally."
"Then couldn't we really do something about it?"
"I don't know what—unless we splashed them with a bucket of paint. We have a gallon of bright red, wire-impregnating varnish. Executive to Pilot, Astrogator, Technician, and Observer: Get the course of the Orionad to the last millimeter. Both the intrinsic course and the course with respect to the Asterite. Then plot a free flight across their path to intercept within a thousand feet at thirty degrees angle. You know the standard attack problem as we have designed it; this is an applied problem, fellows. We're going to label the Orionad! And when they land, they're going to bear the Asterite's trademark, and they'll not know it until we make Terra. Like?"
"We're on it now," said Stan.
"And working in nine decimals," added Astrogator Cummins.