they found
out it was missing; then they'd think we were dead."

"True, but we can't count on that; it'd be best to assume they landed
it, and are looking for us."

"Yeah, I guess so." Dave hid his disappointment; the Ranger was
counting on him! "We've got to be awfully careful, then. They were
holding you hostage, weren't they?"

"Yes--to get His Majesty to give Lord Robert a Sector" Tarlac
chuckled. "The last I heard, anyway; by now, his Lordship may have
decided he wants to be Sovereign."

"He won't be," Dave said positively. "No one who'd take a Ranger
prisoner could possibly be qualified as Sovereign--even if Prince
Forrest hadn't been elected Successor."

"True, but that doesn't keep some people from trying." Tarlac shifted,
bit back a groan. "I think the quidine's wearing off, Dave. Do you
have anything stronger?"

"No--and I wouldn't give it to you if I did." Dave braced himself
against the objection he anticipated from the Ranger. "Quidine's
almost too much of a risk itself, for someone who's been hit with
stingweed."

Tarlac sighed. "You know more about it than I do; I won't ask again."

"Yes, sir." Dave echoed his patient's sigh. Tarlac's acquiescence
helped--but this was not going to be fun!

And the next couple of hours were hard, for both of them. As the
quidine wore off and the stingweed poison grew stronger, Dave wished
his patient would pass out--for both their sakes. Eventually, Tarlac
did; Dave made sure he was covered snugly, then turned down the lamp
and arranged the remaining blankets into a nestlike bed for himself.

He didn't really think he could rest, with all the excitement and
problems going on, so he decided he might as well make what plans he
could. They had two days before they could expect rescue, and the
Ranger thought the rebels would know they'd escaped, rather than being
blown up. That meant he should try to make their cave defensible--he
snorted at the implausibility of one boy with a disruptor holding off
well-armed rebels, but he'd have to do his best--plus play doctor and
nurse to a man who had about as much chance of living through his
wounds and poisoning as the two of them did of holding off the rebels.

He opened his eyes to more light in the cave than the lamp had been
giving off. Scrambling to his feet, he grabbed the disruptor and moved
cautiously toward the entrance--then dropped it to his side as he
realized the light was morning sun, not r