In a flash of horror Ron realized his intention—to destroy that paper in the rocket blast! Ron took two bounding steps after him, and then realized he could never catch him in time. But Ron still held the atom pistol. He swung his arm stiffly up in a straight line with Tarnuff's back, and pulled the trigger.
It was a purely instinctive action, and not until a split second later did Ron realize it. And he laughed wildly then, for Tarnuff had been bluffing about that pistol; there was no reverse action to it. He saw the center of Tarnuff's back explode in ghastly devastation. Then Tarnuff, or what was left of him, plunged head foremost down along the sharp curve of the hull toward the rocket tubes.
Ron leaped after him, but it was too late. He saw the crumpled paper jarred from Tarnuff's outflung hand. It drifted lazily on, down over the rocket tube and then out into the blast, where it vanished in an insignificant little puff of flame.
Ron was suddenly very weary. He didn't move from where he stood, he just sat down there, bowed his head in his hands, and waited.
"Hello, hello. Jordan, is it? Can you hear us? Hello!" The voice came so faintly in Ron's ears that it sounded like a dream. He lifted his head, stared around, and then realized it was coming through his phone.
"Yeah, I hear you," he replied tonelessly, looking out at the Patrol ship which was nearer than he had supposed.
"Commander Graham of Patrol ship Terra speaking! Lucky thing for you, Jordan—we've had you in our magniview plate for the past half-hour, and in our phones for the past ten minutes. We heard everything, so don't worry, you're in the clear. That is the Lucifer I suppose?"
"You suppose right, Commander! Come and get it!"
Ron looked back at the Silicytes. They were still at it! The damn things were insatiable! The gaping hole had widened perceptibly, and they were working in his direction now. Ron could almost imagine he felt the heat of them already.