can show her an
alternative with a chance of success. At least, that's how she seemed
to me when I met her."

"Do you think," Thane asked, "that she would be ready to help now if
it meant the overthrow of Candar?"

Astrid was silent for a long time. Finally she nodded. "I think so. I
don't know but I think she would."

Thane glanced at his watch. It might do. And they just might have time
for what had to be done. "It's the best chance we have, and it may
work. But now we've got things to do. We can use some of the equipment
here, and the batteries will give us enough power."

* * * * *

Thane rapidly explained that he was going back into his own identity,
and that some of the equipment present would help accelerate the
change-over. He tried to give Astrid the general picture as they made
the circuit changes on the equipment.

"Astrid, you are going to turn me in. You are going to surrender me to
the Onzarians when they get here."

Astrid stopped. She had been re-fusing a circuit, and the fuse hung
limply in her hand, forgotten.

Thane went on. "I'll explain while we finish the circuit. We haven't
much time. You remember how we talked of driving the cork into the
bottle? Well, that's what we're going to do. The Onzarians will be
here before long when they've discovered their cruiser is missing. You
will pass as an Onzarian. As an acolyte of the religion, you'll turn
me over to them as a spy."

They had finished the identity accelerator circuit. Thane wasn't sure
the rough equipment would do, but it might be close enough. He'd try
it. He climbed on to the laboratory table and showed Astrid how to
make the connections.

"I'm using all the power we have," he said. "I'll be out about 13
minutes, absolute. If they get here before then do everything you can
to keep them out till the time's up."

Astrid looked down at him lying on the table. She was very serious,
very quiet. She brushed her lips lightly against his forehead and said
softly, "We'll manage."

She was gone and Thane heard the hum of power.

It went on and on, in the easy world of change. And then the power was
gone. Thane struggled to open his eyes, minutes, years before he
should. He looked up into the cold, unfriendly eyes of an Onzarian
lieutenant.

Astrid appeared beside the lieutenant. She talked rapidly in Onzarian.
Her manner was imperious, "He's the one. He did it all. He attacked us
here, and after he had