The gig gave another small lurch. Webster laughed and went on.
"The relative velocity between the ship and the pellet is probably only a few octillionths short of the velocity of light. So somewhere in the pellet-ship system a huge mass momentarily appears. It's enough to tear the ship apart. And our own high velocity has been what made it possible. They don't even try to hit us; they just try to come within some minimum distance."
Silence from the Sirius. Then.
"Well done, Webster. Well done. Go on in. We'll follow. You've got about a twenty-minute start on us so we'll meet you in Central City." He stopped, then went on: "I owe you something for that runabout incident I guess, so I'll overlook this disobedience. Besides, if you're ever going to get beyond Third somebody is going to have to overlook something. This'll do it. Good luck, man."
Just before Webster clicked off the radio he overheard the Admiral say to the Second:
"The Uranians have one thing to be thankful for. They don't have any teeth."
Webster grinned and happily pulled on his space suit. The jinx was broken. Second Officer Webster coming up. There was nothing but Uranians ahead of him. And just wait till he got his hands on them.
