"Oh, yes, you do," Strom interrupted. "If you were what you claim to be perhaps I would let you go for the ransom, though you took my eye from the first."
"The ransom will be paid."
"It will not. You will be one of those who do not return. There is only one price I will accept from you."
"Yes? What is that?"
"The formula of the new etheric ray."
"I don't know the I.F.P. secrets. I told you that."
"You know how to operate the ray. All its men do. I want you to tell me what you know. I can deduce the rest."
Quirl thought rapidly. Strom was right. The I.F.P. had developed a new ray that was far superior to the ionizer ray, for the latter required an atmosphere of some kind for its operation, while the new one would work equally well in a vacuum.
"I never heard of any," he lied stubbornly. "Anyway, what do you want a ray for? Your guns, with no gravity to interfere and no air to stop the bullets, have just about unlimited range, haven't they?"