"It's one way of finding out who's the best flier," agreed Downing.
Toralen Ki looked up at Thompson. Billy smiled. He made motions, conveyed the idea to the Little Man that Downing and Lane were going out to destroy the machine personally.
Toralen Ki fumbled for the meaning and then understood. He agreed vigorously, nodding and smiling.
"The Little Man here says to go ahead," Thompson said, into the communicator. "I'm supposed to be a buffer until this mission is complete—it will be complete when that machine is blasted. Everybody knows that you fellows are going to go rivet-cutting sooner or later—might as well have something to do it over."
"Thanks," said Downing dryly. "And the guy that loses makes a public announcement of his inferiority, see?"
"I'll be listening to you," came Lane's taunting laugh.
"What you'll be hearing is my acceptance," returned Downing.
Thompson left them quibbling and took his crew over to the meteor that carried the machine. It was a real meteor, a huge one almost a half mile in jagged diameter. A well penetrated it, sealed by huge metal doors. They breached the doors and resealed them, once they were inside, to pressurize the cavern.
Then they went to work on the huge machine.