"Why?"

"He said the differences were too great. The moss we're worried about couldn't possibly have any relationship with the natural biological evolution of Azgola."

"So-?"

"It must have been imported here from another world.

24 hours later Terra was informed of the situation. Also, the report advised that the Azgons were on their way to sure extinction if they could not be evacuated in time. Since Azgola only had a population of 2 million this was not an insuperable problem for the Terran fleet. Action was taken immediately.

In his apartment in Terrania, Ron Landry checked his weight on the scales. During his mission on Azgola he had gained 30 pounds. It would have been much worse if the Springer base where he had spent most of his time had not been located in the middle of a marshland where the heavier humidity trapped the spores and made them sink to the ground. Moreover the Springers had probably set up their collector equipment outside the swamp and were drawing in spores for their processing machinery.

30 pounds! It was going to be quite a ch.o.r.e to get rid of that much superfluous weight.

Within a few hours the evacuation of Azgola were in full operation. The Springers did not interfere. They were content to be left alone by the overwhelmingly powerful fleet.

Behind all the activity going on with regard to Azgola, no one noticed that Terran and Arkonide ships were patrolling the galaxy side by side in an effort to find out the whereabouts of the 2 alien ships that had been responsible for the Azgola crisis.

An unknown race of intelligences somewhere out there in the depths of s.p.a.ce-this was the sensation of the day wherever anyone was informed about events on Azgola.

THE SHIP OF THINGS TO COME.

SOME UNKNOWN RACE was trying to solve its food supply problem in a fantastic manner-of this Rhodan was sure. What he did not know was the origin of the race, probably highly intelligent beings, nor the principle on which they were operating.

"I'm in favour of destroying this menacing nutritive moss with acid," Bell recommended. "Or heat radiation."

The exciting chapters that const.i.tute the next episode include: "An Unexpected Visitor"

"Mysterious Message"

"Mustering the Mutants"

"Infinity Lost"

"Menacing Mechmen"

"Crisis: Kakuta"

... and 4 other action-filled chapters.

Plus! "Report: NEIL ARMSTRONG!"

Don't miss-

SEEDS OF RUIN.

By Willi Voltz

Qvadis Express Reader Edition www.qvadis.com -------------------------------.