A ship! It could have been nothing but a spaceship.... Socrates knew he had the only ships in the area, but the crepe ring was out of bounds. The strange ship had been gunning for it at ten per—
Socrates barked into his radio:
"Hello, hello! Who's out here?"
The voice mocked him. "Who do you think?"
He didn't have to think at all, but he felt like crying. It was Norma. "I thought you'd tell me when you went!"
"I tried to, honest. But you weren't on Mimas, Smitty. So I took off. But don't worry. I've already been through the bright ring. Pretty nice setup, Smitty."
"I'm glad you like it. But you're heading in the wrong direction now." Ahead of them was the darkness which obscured part of Saturn's huge bulk—the darkness of the uncharted and mysterious crepe ring.
"What do you mean? Isn't this the way to the dark ring?"
"That's just it. Mimas is the other way."
"Oh, pooh. You go back to Mimas with your ship if you want. I'd rather see the inside of that dark ring. I'll say hello tonight, Smitty. Have a good trip back with Mrs. Entwhistle—I checked the tourist log."