"No. Been all alone."
"A Neptunian attacked me back in the bushes. Look," he showed Thurner the frost-bitten bruises on his throat. "Whoever set the Neptunian on me came this way ... fast!" He moved forward, seized Thurner by the shoulder, and laid his hand on the pilot's heavily-muscled chest. If Thurner had been the man, speedy running would have resulted in irregular breathing and heart-action. But the pilot's breathing was calm and normal. With an angry snarl he seized Timmy's wrist and flung him backward.
"Keep your hands to yourself, Gordon!" Thurner hissed.
"Sorry." Timmy's eyes squinted into slits, "I was just proving you innocent ... to my own satisfaction." He turned, climbed out of the ship, and hurriedly called the Director to report what had occurred. "Shall I stay on," he asked, "and help investigate?"
"No. We'll clean up the mess. Blast off as soon as possible, and get back here sooner!"
"QX, sir," said Tim, and hoisted himself aboard ship. "All set?"
"Been ready for twenty minutes."
"Yowsah, boss!" chimed Johnny Damokles.
There was utter silence, but in the midst of it, Callisto vanished. Seconds later Jupiter's bulk faded redly from the sky to become a dot silhouetted sunward. And all in silence.