He swung the Hell Bat about on its gyros. The stern screen, working on both eyes in sharp three-dimension, showed that she had gotten the idea. SP47 was also swinging around.
Larry turned the video eyes up to full magnification and searched ahead. Eventually he saw it. A small globular mass of rock. And on it rested a ship with SURPLUS JUNK CO. in bold blue letters.
God! It's a trap. If 2615 didn't want us to see it, it would have parked it on the spaceward side!
Larry cursed in a monotonous undertone without being aware of uttering a sound. Stella was fifteen hundred miles ahead of him and already matching speed with the planetoid. It would take him at least a half hour to be in position to do anything. By then it would be too late....
2615 had watched the planetoid move closer like some ponderous dream out of Freud. Ship and planetoid came to rest against each other without a bump. That could only mean magnetic grapples and cushioned springs. It was no surprise, therefore, when Pwowp led the way to the belly hatches and opened them into a shaft that led downward.
The robot drew back at what it saw below.
"Don't be alarmed," Pwowp said. "They are fifteen of my race, also wearing human-like bodies. There are more of us. We have built quite a station out here—a sort of advance base of operations. I've already told them about you, so you're expected."
2615 was introduced around.
"We're very glad to have you join us," one of them said. "We've been having some trouble. You're just what we need to complete the last step in our plans."