gher than they think."

"Their intention is to reduce our population so it can be easily handled.
And I can assure you that these women are perfectly capable of slaughtering
as many people as they think necessary. They have both the means and the
contempt for human life that such an undertaking requires."

Ben hazarded a guess. "This project is part of their preparation?"

"The final part. Since the surface of Teris has a temperature of absolute
zero it can only be reached from here through a series of locks. What they
are building now are new locks big enough to handle their largest ships. As
soon as that's done they plan to attack."

"Any idea when that will be?"

"About a week, Earth time." Murchison's shoulders sagged with despair.
"We've been wracking our brains for a way to stop them, but it's no use.
They're as clever as they are evil. They've even sent doubles of each of us
men to Earth to pave the way for the attack. I suppose you've seen your
double."

"No."

"Then they haven't made one. You have to be awake while it's being done. I
suppose they didn't think it necessary now that there's so little time
left."

"Less time than I thought," Ben grunted. "I'd better get moving." He tilted
his head back and shouted to the woman above.

* * * * *

For a second time Ben stood before Arndis, queen of Teris. Her eyes probed
at him, trying to divine his thoughts. There was anger in those eyes. If
she detected a single flaw in his story it would mean Ben's death. More
than that, it would mean disaster for Earth. He talked fast.

"When we found that plate in the firing tube of Murchison's ship we knew he
was lying. We figured he'd discovered valuable deposits out here and was
trying to keep them secret."

"That was all?"

"It's enough, isn't it? Enough for Interplanetary Intelligence to send me
on this mission. Those false papers I carried are proof that we suspected
something. And if I'm not back in the time we allowed they'll have our
entire battle fleet out looking for me."

"Very clever," Arndis smiled. "But if you are trying to frighten us you are
failing. The women of Teris had a high civilization before your Earth was
born. We can do things you never dreamed of."

At her command Ben's arms were seized and bound behind him. He was carried
swiftly into a room nearby, a room filled with a maze of scientific
apparatus. On what appeared to be an operating table was a tran