"It requires a great deal of fuel to get through the Whirlpool star cluster—and even sixty years ago, the Elusium ores of Vogar were almost exhausted."
Y'Nor smiled thinly. "That reminds me—you would be one of the Saints who murdered their guards and stole a ship to get here."
"We killed no guards, sir. In fact, all of them eventually joined our church."
"Where is the ship?"
"We had to cut it up for our start in mechanization."
"I presume you know you will pay for it?"
"It was taking us to our deaths in the radium mines—but we will pay whatever you ask."
"The first installment will be one thousand units of fuel, to be produced with the greatest speed possible."
"Yes, sir. But in return"—the old man stood a little straighter and an underlying resolve was suddenly revealed—"you must recognize us as a free race."
"Free? A colony founded by escaped criminals?"