truck my wounded arm. I
staggered away from the door, dazed with the pain.

I side-stepped in time to miss another ponderous blow. Under two and a
half gees, the man in the suit was having a hard time, even with power
assisted controls. I felt that I was fighting a machine instead of a
man.

As he stepped toward me again, I aimed at his foot. A concentrated
stream of needles hit, like a metallic fire hose, knocked the foot
aside, toppled the man again. I staggered back to my door.

But now I realized I couldn't risk opening it; even if I got in, I
couldn't keep my suited assailant from crowding in with me. Already he
was up, lurching toward me. I had to draw him away from the door.

The shuttle sat unmoving. The mob kept its distance. I wondered why no
one was shooting; I guessed they had realized that if I were killed
there would be no way to enter the vital control areas of the ship; they
had to take me alive.

* * * * *

I made it past the clumsy armored man and started down the corridor
toward the shuttle. I moved as slowly as I could while still eluding
him. He lumbered after me. I reached the shuttle; a glance showed no one
alive there. Two men lay across it. I pulled myself onto it and threw in
the forward lever. The shuttle rolled smoothly past the armored man,
striking him a glancing blow that sent him down again. Those falls, in
the multi-gee field, were bone crushing. He didn't get up.

I reached the door again, rolled off the shuttle, and reached for the
combination. I wished now I'd used a shorter one. I started again; heard
a noise behind me. As I turned, a heavy weight crushed me against the
door.

I was held rigid, my chest against the combination key. The pressure was
cracking my ribs and still it increased. I twisted my head, gasping. The
shuttle held me pinned to the door. The man I had assumed out of action
was alive enough to hold the lever down with savage strength. I tried to
shout, to remind him that without me to open the doors, they were
powerless to save the ship. I couldn't speak. I tasted blood in my
mouth, and tried to breathe. I couldn't. I passed out.

CHAPTER 2

I emerged into consciousness to find the pressure gone, but a red haze
of pain remained. I lay on my back and saw men sitting on the floor
around me.

A blow from somewhere made my head ring. I tried to sit up. I couldn't
make it. Then Kramer was beside me, slipping a needle in