"
"All right," said Strong, "see what you can do."
In a few moments the teleceiver screen glowed and then the silver
outline of the _Lady Venus_ appeared on the screen.
"I don't see any damage to her hull," said Strong half to himself. "So
if it was an explosion, it wasn't a bad one."
"Yes, sir," said Tom. "Shall I stand by with the flares?"
"Better send up a yellow identification flare, identifying us as the
Solar Guard. Let them know who we are!"
Tom turned to the yellow button on his left and pressed it. Immediately
a white flash resembling a meteor appeared on the teleceiver screen.
"There should be an answer soon," said Strong.
"Three thousand yards to objective," reported Roger.
"Fire braking rockets one half," ordered Strong.
Tom relayed the order to Astro and made the necessary adjustments on the
control panel.
"Stern drive rockets out," ordered Strong.
Once again Tom relayed the message to Astro and turned to the control
board.
"Cut all rockets!" ordered Strong sharply.
The great ship, slowed by the force of the braking rockets, became
motionless in space a bare five hundred yards from the _Lady Venus_.
"They should be sending up their safety-factor flare soon," said Strong.
"Keep trying to raise them on the teleceiver, Roger."
Strong was peering through a crystal port directly at the ship hanging
dead in space opposite them.
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