| abstract
| - Ship Commander, Captain Martin Hawkins of the Perimeter Patrol is on the planet Rondos, where the patrol is based. He is being reprimanded by Commandant Luther Mynot. Mynot was treated roughly as a subordinate to Captain Hawkins's father, and now plans to put Martin through the fire. On board his ship, the Penumbra, Hawkins discovers that Centurion Luthor Mynot assigned his son, Lieutenant Groll Mynot, to the Penumbra. Hawkins assumes that Groll is sent by his father to spy on him. He tells the crew they are assigned to patrol the planetoids Menos, Pako, and Gykos. Gykos is the location of an experimental hydroponic station. They are to check on Gykos to ensure the natives aren't causing problems for the scientists based there. On the trip, Groll is striken with "space sickness" and goes insane. It is standard procedure to set a sufferer of space sickness adrift in a "life rocket", leaving them to die. Captain Hawkins thinks of the tragedy of Commandant Mynot losing his only son. He decides to return to Rondos and place Groll in the hospital there, knowing it likely the Lieutenant can recover. As they return to Rondos, the scientists on Gykos calls for help against an uprising of the Gykosians, natives of Gykos. The Gykosians are lead by the Gykosian Great One. Luther reprimands Hawkins for his disobedience, which he thinks led to the events on Gykos, and immediately banishes him to the lonely outpost of the planetoid, Malooka. Captain Hawkins is whisked away to his place of banishment. On Malooka, Captain Hawkins finds the aliens have captured the scientists and are hiding them on the desolate planet. The aliens brutally force the scientists to work on creating a fungus that will grow over Perimeter Patrol ships and make them inoperable. Martin tries to take them on, but he succumbs to superior numbers. Back on Rondos, Groll Mynot's health improves. Once he recovers from his illness, Groll asks his father to see Captain Hawkins so he can thank him for saving his life. Luthor will have none of it, instead telling Groll to forget about Hawkins. A few days following, Groll Mynot is fully recovered and given command of the Penumbra, Martins's ship. His patrol orders are the same, but he changes course for Malooka to rescue Martin from his undue banishment. The Gykosians see the ship coming and throw "fungus grenades" at the ship. The fungus instantly starts to grow, and will soon make the ship inoperable. The crewmen don't notice it in time, but they do see Captain Hawkins running at the ship with a flaming torch. They are confused at first, thinking him insane, but they see him lighting the fungus on fire and killing it. This sends the Gykosians into a fury. The crewmen come from the ship with their blasters. After a brief altercation, the Gykosians are either killed or captured. Lieutenant Groll Mynot returns with Captain Martin Hawkins to explain to his father, Luther. Luther pretends at first to chastise Groll for insubordination, but instead begs pardon from Hawkins. Groll and Martin are sent off on space patrol, with Commandant Mynot looking proudly on, considering what Colonel Hawkins, Martin's deceased father, would think of their sons working together.
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