"It means the realization of my dream and my father's dream, John. A new independent world built up in the Zone. You'll help me build it?” He held her close, tears standing in his eyes, unable to speak for the moment in the flood of his emotions.
Then they all stared amazedly at Philip Blaine, who had crumpled down beneath his switch-panel with his face buried in his hands. The little physicist looked up shakenly at them.
"I hope I never have to use the neutralizer to black out the system again!” he said hoarsely. “I felt when it was on that I was trespassing against the command of the One who said, ‘Let there be light!’”
CHAPTER XXIII
Epilogue
From Mercury to Pluto,
From Saturn back to Mars —
Lustily the old song of the Companions of Space was roaring from hundreds of throats, resounding across the huge sunlit spaceport of great New York, Lana's pirate followers, after being feasted and honored for weeks on Earth, were trooping out to their ships to follow their leader back to the Zone. And that roaring chorus that always before had inspired dread was now greeted by a tremendous cheer from the vast throng gathered around the spaceport.
At the edge of the spaceport stood a little group — the Planeteers, Lana, old Stilicho Keene, and the big space dog that pressed close to its mistress. Facing them were Richard Hoskins, Chairman of Earth, little Philip Blaine, and grim-faced Commander Leigh. Drawn up to one side were solid ranks of gray-uniformed men of the Earth Navy, an honor-guard of many thousands.
"I don't know what to say to you Planeteers,” the Chairman told them unsteadily. “You know what you've done, the whole system knows, and will never forget. But I wish you'd stay here."