THE COSMIC COMPUTER

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three and a half miles away.

He didn't know whether to be more awed by the original eruption that had
formed the crater or by the engineering feat of carving these docks and
ship-berths, big enough for the hugest hyperspaceship, into it.

At first, he had been afraid of getting into position too soon before
the task force from outside could profit by the diversion. Then he began
to worry about the time it was taking to get halfway around the crater.
He could hear artillery thundering continuously above. Except at the
very beginning of the battle, there had been little gunfire. He wondered
if both sides were running out of lift-and-drive missiles, or if the
fighting had gotten too close for anybody to risk using nuclear weapons.

He was also worrying about the women and children among the released
prisoners.