rs was not equal, and when the spears got their
chance they must make up for much to balance the scales of justice.

He did not even wonder why his emotions were so wholeheartedly
enlisted upon the side of the furred people. Nor did he try to analyze
his feelings. He was only sure that more than ever he wanted to be
free of the aliens and out of this whole venture.

The warrior sharing his seat was sulking now, twisting about to look
back at the island as Raf circled in ever-widening glides to get away
from the site and yet not lose track of the globe when it would have
finished its dirty business and take once more to the air. But the
alien ship was in no hurry to leave.

"They are making sure," Soriki reported. "Giving the whole island a
fire bath. I wonder what that stuff is--"

"I'd just as soon not know," Raf returned from between set teeth. "If
that is one of their pieces of precious knowledge, we're as well off
without it--" he stopped short. Perhaps he had said too much. But
Terra had been racked by the torrid horror of atomic war, until all
his kind had been so revolted that it was bred into them not to meddle
again with such weapons. And war by fire aroused in them that old
horror. Surely Soriki must feel it too, and when the com-tech did not
comment, Raf was sure of that. He hoped that the slaughter had made
some impression on the captain and on Lablet into the bargain.

But when, as if sated with killing, the globe rose again from its
position over the island, moving almost sluggishly into the fresh sky,
he had to follow it on. More islands were below, and he feared that
each one might show some sign of life and tempt the killers to a
second hunting.

Luckily that did not happen. The chains of islands became a cape as
they had on the coast of the western continent. And now the globe
swung to the south, trailing the shore line. Forests made green
splotches with bluish overtones running from the sea cliffs back to
carpet the land. So far no signs of civilization were to be seen. This
land was as untouched as that where the spacer had landed.

Then they saw the bay, stretching out wide arms to engulf the sea. It
could have harbored a whole fleet. And marching down to its waters
were broad levels of buildings, a giant's staircase leading from sea
to cliff tops.

"They had it here--!"

Raf saw what Soriki meant by that outburst. Destruction had struck. He
had seen the atomic ruins of his own world, tho