room, one of the Masters passed
out heatguns to Nuwell, Placer and the other four.

"If we use these on them at half intensity, I think we can calm them
down without killing any of them," said Placer. "We'll probably have
more trouble beating down the Toughs and keeping them from killing all
the Jellies than we will subduing the Jellies in the first place."

"I hope we warned the three at the other end of the hall in time," said
one of the others. "There hasn't been any word from them."

Placer flicked a switch on the intercom system.

"Touchstone, are you men safe?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," replied a voice on the other end. "We locked ourselves in,
because there aren't any heatguns we can get to from here. The Jellies
haven't gotten this far down yet. They seem to be cowed by the Toughs at
the door to Miss Cara Nome's room, and the Toughs are strutting around
getting themselves in the mood for an attack. We've been watching them
through the window."

"Good," said Placer. "Between the Toughs at that end and our heatguns at
this end, we ought to be able to force them back below without much
trouble. Are we ready to move out?"

A different voice came in over the intercom, the voice of the tenth
Master, who was on duty in the farm's control room.

"Placer, the screens show three groundcars moving up from the south," he
said. "I've tried to contact them by radio, but they don't answer."

"We haven't been notified to expect any government visitors," said
Placer. "It may be a convoy of travelers off-course in the desert, or it
could be a wandering party of escaped rebels. Warn them away."

"Yes, sir."

Touchstone's voice came in from the other end of the hall.

"The Toughs are attacking, Placer. Space, it's awful! Those poor Jellies
can't stand up to the Toughs."

Suddenly his voice changed, and became shrill with excitement.

"Placer! One of those Jellies has a heatgun! Two of the Toughs were just
burned down, and the others are falling back down the hall. The Jellies
are coming on, and I can see the gun in the hand of one of them."

"Great space!" muttered Placer. "All right, Touchstone. Hold tight and
keep that door locked. We'll get to you."

He turned to the others.

"We've got to move out now," he said. "Use full intensity and shoot to
kill. We'll have to burn our way through those Jellies and get to the
other end of the hall."

Leaving one of the Masters at the intercom in the control room, the
othe