The factor suddenly slammed the table with his bony fist. "What are you playing with him for, Y? I've sacrificed everything. The cantonment, the slaves. I demand that he be done away with before he can contrive any more damage."
Y regarded the factor with venomous amber eyes, the only living features in his death mask. "Has it occurred to you to wonder why Mr. Murdock dumped the Nova's fuel?"
The factor started.
"Mr. Murdock," said Y, turning back to Gavin, "what persuaded you to ground the Nova?"
Gavin's lips thinned. He didn't say anything. Y continued to regard him a moment. Then he asked Nadia, "I believe you suspected Murdock of being an agent of United Spaceways, Miss Petrovna?"
Before the girl could answer the factor broke in again. "Why can't we use the Nova's special space drive?"
"You're referring to the machinery of the little death," rejoined Y. "But I thought you knew. It can't operate until the Nova has attained a certain velocity. That much we've ascertained from Mr. Villanowski."
"Then we're trapped!" The factor leaped to his feet. His agility in the increased gravity was amazing. Gavin realized that the long years the factor had spent on Jupiter had trained his muscles as well as wrung every ounce of extra flesh from his spare frame.
"I see that you've comprehended our position at last," said Y grimly. "What about the emergency fuel tanks at the cantonment?"