ittance to ITA's armed posts on
the outer planets! This could mean only one thing, that the long
rivalry, the ancient dispute between Earth and Mars was about to flare
into open war. Any friendly visit from a foreign flier would be
heralded by word from M-I-T-A. Thomas' face became a stony mask,
covering the tumult of his mind.

"You understood. I want the Earth recognition signal at once--and
after that, the surrender of the Dome." The very calmness of the husky
tones was a threat.

"Never!"

"I warn you, Darl Thomas. It would be the better part of wisdom for
you to yield willingly what I ask. You will give in eventually, and
the means of persuasion I shall use will not be exactly--pleasant."

"You'll get nothing from me!"

The outlander's lidless eyes were filmed with a gray membrane. His
head thrust forward, the feathered ruff beneath it bristled. Darl
braced himself to withstand the swooping pounce that seemed imminent,
the slash of the sharp beak. A burring rattle broke the momentary
hush. The Martian relaxed, turned to the Mercurian from whom the sound
had come and replied with staccato vibrance.

* * * * *

As the cave filled with a whirring tumult Darl had a chance to examine
the Mercurian natives crowding around his prostrate body. They were
little yellow midgets, ranging from eighteen inches to two feet in
height. Half of their small stature was taken up by snouted heads,
with saucer-like, crimson eyes, and long white tusks jutting from
foam-flecked mouths. The trunks were globular. The spindling legs and
thin arms ended in sharp claws. There was an impression of animal
ferocity about these tiny beings that stamped them as utter savages.

His captor was speaking to the Earthman again, his horny beak parted
in what might have been a grim smile. "My friends remind me that I
promised you to them. They have not forgotten how you and your fellows
drove them from their burrows."

Darl was suddenly cold, though the sweat still streamed from his bound
body. An uncontrollable shudder took him as he saw what the diminutive
claws of the midgets held. While the Dome was still an unfinished
framework one of the Terrestrian artisans had somehow been isolated
from his fellows. Thomas had been of the party that found what was
left of him, and the memory was still a throbbing nightmare.

"Once more! Will you give me the recognition signal?"

Darl shook his head, and prayed for sudde