"Attention, all hands! Attention, all Pluto Station men on board the Andromeda! A dangerous situation has been discovered in the drive room of the ship. You are hereby directed to clear the Andromeda instantly. A delay of a few seconds may mean the difference between life and death."
The voice gained in volume, became more commanding.
"ALL HANDS CLEAR THE SHIP INSTANTLY!"
In the seconds that elapsed while the voice was rolling from the ship's communication system, Craig grasped what was going to happen next, and what he was going to have to do about it.
Captain Martin spun back toward the open lock.
With all his strength, Craig slugged the captain on the side of the jaw. The blow knocked Martin sideways and down to the ramp.
But it did not knock him out. Snarling, he came to his feet. Craig he ignored, the man who had slugged him was not important to him at this moment. Cursing, he started toward the open lock. Craig tackled him around the legs. The captain fell heavily. Craig rolled with him to the edge of the ramp, forced him over it. Both fell to the hard floor of the vast hangar.
In obedience to the voice that had come over the intercom system, and which had sounded very much like the voice of Captain Martin, men were already pouring from the lock.
Beside the ramp, Craig and Captain Martin fought viciously.