By E. E. SMITH They were four of the greatest minds in the Universe: Two men, two women, lost in an experimental spaceship billions of parsecs from home. And as they mentally charted the Cosmos to find their way back to earth, their own loves and hates were as startling as the worlds they encountered. Here is E. E. Smith's great new novel.... The guardian struggled to immobilize the beast's gigantic talons as the frightened girl leaped to the safety of Garlock's arms....

Her hair was a brilliant green. So was her spectacularly filled halter. So were her tight short-shorts, her lipstick, and the lacquer on her finger-and toe-nails. As she strolled into the Main of the starship, followed hesitantly by the other girl, she drove a mental probe at the black-haired, powerfully-built man seated at the instrument-banked console. Blocked. Then at the other, slenderer man who was rising to his feet from the pilot's bucket seat. His guard was partially down; he was telepat

Next morning, Garlock was the last one, by a fraction of a minute, into the Main. "Good morning, all," he said, with a slight smile. "Huh? How come?" James demanded, as all four started toward the dining nook. Garlock's smile widened. "Lola. She brought me a pot of coffee and wouldn't let me out until I drank it." " Brought? " "Yeah. They haven't read their room-tapes yet, so they don't know that room-service is practically unlimited." "Why didn't I think of that coffee business a couple of year

Lola and Garlock went to town in the same taxi. As they were about to separate, Garlock said: "I don't like those hell-divers, yellow, green, or any other color; and you, Brownie, are very definitely not expendable. Are you any good at mind-bombing?" "Why, I never heard of such a thing." "You isolate a little energy in the Op field, remembering of course, that you're handling a hundred thousand gunts. Transpose it into platinum or uranium—anything good and heavy. For one of these monsters you'd

"I think I'll come along with you and bodyguard you, Lola," Belle said, the following morning after breakfast. "Clee's going to be seven thousand miles deep in mathematics and Jim's doing his stuff at the observatory, and I can't help either of 'em at the moment. You'd do a better job, wouldn't you, if you could concentrate on it?" "Of course. Thanks, Belle. But remember, it's already been announced—no death. Just hands. I can't really believe that I'll be attacked, but they seem pretty sure of

Supper was over, but the four were still at the table, sipping coffee and smoking. During a pause in the casual conversation, James suddenly straightened up. "I want an official decision, Clee," he said, abruptly. "While we're out of touch with United Worlds you, as captain of the ship and director of the project, are Boss, with a capital B. The Lord of Justice, High and Low. The Works. Check?" "On paper, yes; with my decisions subject to appeal and/or review when we get back to Base. In practic

Since the tests took much time, and were strictly routine in nature, there is no need to go into them in detail. At their conclusion, Garlock said: "First: either Jim alone, or Lola alone, or Jim and Lola together, can hit any destination within any galaxy, but can't go from one galaxy to another. "Second: either Belle or I, or any combination containing either of us without the other, has no control at all. "Third: Belle and I together, or any combination containing both of us, can go intergala

Since everyone, including the ebullient ComOff, slept late the following morning, they all had brunch instead of breakfast and lunch. All during the meal Garlock was preoccupied and stern. "Hold everything for a while, Jim," he said, when everyone had eaten. "Before we move, Belle and I have got to have a conference." "Not a Fatso Ferber nine-o'clock type, I hope." James frowned in mock reproach and ComOff Flurnoy cocked an eyebrow in surprise. "Monkey-business on company time is only for Big Sh

Next morning, early, Belle tapped lightly on Garlock's door. "Come in." She did so. "Have you had your coffee?" "Yes." "So have I." Neither Belle nor Garlock had recovered; both faces showed strain and drain. "I think we'd better break this up," Belle said, quietly. "Check. We'll have to, if we expect to get any work done." Belle could not conceal her surprise. "Oh, not for the reason you think," Garlock went on, quickly. "Your record as a man-killer is still one hundred point zero zero zero per

The Pleiades landed on Margonia's Galaxian Field, where the Tellurians found the project running smoothly, a little ahead of schedule. Delcamp and Fao were working at their fast and efficient pace, but the hairy pair from Thaker seemed to be, literally, everywhere at once. "Hi, Belle." Fao 'ported up and shook hands warmly. "I thought I was going to have the first double-Prime baby, until she appeared on the scene." "Didn't it make you mad? I'd've been furious." "Maybe a little at first, but not