I know you've got exciting careers
ahead, all three of you! You're three brilliant Starmen and you're a
credit to Starlight Enterprise-but your next adventure could be as
unglamorous as mapping geological samples in the canyons of Mercury."
"What will happen to Gene?" asked Mark.
"He will be tried with the rest of the pirates. His assistance in
turning the asteroid aside and the intercession of Jesus Madera will
probably stand him in good stead when his sentence is pronounced."
"What of the aliens aboard the asteroid, sir?"
"Well, maybe they're still there and maybe they're not. We saw no trace
of them after your first encounter. My guess is that there were just
the two of them, maybe a few more, and that they departed from the
asteroid about the time you did. We have plenty of time now to explore
the entire asteroid, and if they're there, we'll find them; and if not,
we'll find whatever traces there are to be found!"
But Richard was wrong. Nothing and no one on Earth had the capability
of finding and entering the inner sanctum on the asteroid. The
revelation of the alien inhabitants would come only if and when the
aliens wished it, and even Richard Starlight could not determine or
predict when that might be.
Zip said, "But it's not over yet, is it, sir? Whatever or whoever the
aliens were afraid of hasn't even been identified, much less overcome.
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