"In a moment now," Jan said. "The sun is nearing the limb."
"Open! Open, you aberrated spores!" The command came but faintly through the inside valve of the emergency airlock.
"They've found out!" Kass gasped. "Quick, never mind the shadow!"
Jan had already leaped to the long cylindrical hull, the product of endless labor and sacrifice.
"Inside!" Sine shouted. Kass and Sine made for the ship's manports. "I'll take care of the thermite."
In his hand he carried a small heat pistol that had long ago been stolen and hidden by a Mug. Quickly he made a circuit of the room, which was like an enormous sheet-metal blister on the inside of the metal satellite. After the thermite had cut out the ship free, that blister would prevent the escape of air, saving the lives of thousands of the First Race and also preventing discovery of their escape for a time.
The thermite was piled generously in a ridge all the way around. Sine leaped inside the first valve of the manport, colliding with a soft body.
"Get inside, kid!" He leveled his pistol at the thermite ridge where it was nearest to him. High time too. The walls of the blister were radiating heat. The fools were turning their infra-red beams on it!
"Lock!" Sine shouted, pressing the trigger and jumping back.
Instantly the ship was surrounded by an oval of brilliant orange and white fire. The valve clicked shut in Sine's face, and he dived through the second one into the interior, tripping the lock of that one also.