tupid while I'm
checking, kid. This could be serious."

"I won't," Dave promised, impressed into obedience despite himself.
He'd tried escaping a couple of times since he'd been foolish enough to
try replenishing his supplies at what had seemed to be a commercial
camp, but he'd been recaptured quickly; now he endured his captivity
stolidly.

"Good enough. I'll be back as soon as I can." Theo left the tent they
shared, with Dave following him as far as the entrance. It was dark,
so he saw only fire-glow from the central area--but from here, he could
hear a slapping noise like something hitting flesh before another
scream broke through the party sounds. It made him wish again that he
was back in his own tent, maybe five kilometers away. His parents had
let him go camping alone to celebrate his fourteenth birthday, and that
had been a lot more fun than this . . .

Moments later Theo returned, looking grim. "It's time for you to get
out of here, kid. Lord Robert's gone beyond trying to kick out his big
sister; this ain't just a family fight any more, it's treason against
the Empire." He paused. "I'd get out myself, but maybe I can help the
Ranger by sticking around. Think you can slug me convincingly with
that lamp, then get the hell back home? There're grav-hoppers in the
parking area just south of the camp, and it's drunk enough out that you
should be able to duck what guards're left."

"Ranger!" Dave exclaimed, horrified. "That's a Ranger--" He broke off
at Theo's expression. "Yeah . . . I think I can." Then he'd see what
he could do!

"Okay. Do a good job; I'll need a fair-sized lump to convince his
Lordship." Theo turned his back to his prisoner.

Dave picked up the lamp and hefted it, thinking. He and Theo both
wanted to help the Ranger, so he'd have to make his escape look real--but
he didn't want to hurt Theo, who'd been as good to him as possible
under the circumstances. He took a deep breath, gave the lamp a couple
of practice swings, and then brought it down with what he hoped would
be the right amount of force.

Without a sound, Theo collapsed.

"Hey, it worked!" Dave exclaimed, a little surprised.

Then he frowned as a sudden thought struck him, and he knelt beside
Theo's limp form. A blow like that, he'd read, could sometimes kill!
But thankfully this time it hadn't; he was relieved to find his guard
still breathing. Theo might play a mean game of chess, but for a rebel
he was