Messages crackled through the black gulf of space—the Interplanetary Distress Call. Blaze Norman, navigation officer of the ISP cruiser Scorpio, came out of his space-fog and stared at the helioflash board which was suddenly ablaze with light. Harald, the operator, grunted and spun dials as the frantic messages clicked off. "What's up, Harald?" Norman asked. Harald waved him away impatiently and crouched over his helio receiver board. He was a grizzled old spacehound and hated working with rooki