Part 2

"Only a feeble imitation of the _Cinnabar's_. Don't forget that her fuel exploded spontaneously--with a thousand times the force. In our case the fuel was inert, because our refrigeration didn't fail. It _burnt_, once ignited, but without an explosion--just as I expected. What I didn't tell you, Akars, was that the collision you had near the wrecked _Cinnabar_ knocked a hole in one fuel tank. I was lying almost against it--almost froze, too--and for hours I could hear fuel leaking out through the rip. Not much--just enough to catch fire when that spark hit us, and to carry back and ignite the whole tank."

Akars groaned. "That spark--that damn spark!"

Jordan was staring into space. He rose and looked long, then sat down again.

"We're rescued, Akars. Naturally the salvage ships kept a lookout for the missing life ship and saw the flare-up here. They'll arrive soon."

"That spark!" groaned Akars. "What the devil was it?"

"That was what you weren't interested in, Akars. The 'plus' of H277 plus. Did you know that the earth and most planets are negatively charged--have a surplus of electrons? And that our ships are also negatively charged--in fact super-charged because of the driving fields we use? A planetoid or asteroid with a simple name or number is also negative and no precautions are necessary. But a 'plus' following the designation means it is positively charged, whether because of interacting gravitational fields, internal radio-activity, or induction between the body and an atmosphere or some other reason. When an accredited navigator has to land on a 'plus' body he orders a careful check of all fuel tanks, because he knows there will be a heavy electrical discharge between it and the ship just before landing. But you didn't know that--

"Another thing you didn't know, being a petty and not a commissioned officer, is that a new I.T.C. ruling requires an exact duplicate of the ship's log to be kept aboard life tenders at all times. Just before I went back to the tanks I replaced that duplicate log book. You took it along, Akars, and I found it when I found the Urulium, safe and sound in its fireproof case. That's what will convict you, Akars--not my words, but the story of the Urulium find and my turning it over as a ship's prize, written and signed by Captain Cardigan himself. The I.T.C. would have found that duplicate log anyhow, Akars. You never really had a chance to get away with it. Funny, isn't it? Funny how dumb a smart guy can be...."