l, and one fall only!" And then Jorak was upon
him.

Jorak seemed for all the world like a snake, writhing and twisting with
a deceptive sinewy strength. But calmly Smith stepped out of his reach,
cuffing his ears roundly when he came too close.

"You're afraid, afraid, afraid!" Jorak taunted. "Fight!"

Smith shrugged. If he did not want to fight, he did not want to. But the
women hooted, and they were hooting him, all but Geria who remained
glumly silent.

"This is getting me nowhere," Jorak hissed. "You're making me look like
a fool, Earthsmith." Perspiration bathed the purple face, stained the
sides of Jorak's tunic darkly.

And then he smiled. Smith felt giddy, hardly could keep his legs under
him, yet hardly had Jorak touched him. Then the man of Gyra was using
his psi-powers, despite the sanction. Oddly, Smith felt detached from it
all. Let him use his powers then--that would end it. Let him....

"Fight back, Smith!" Geria cried.

Jorak's powers were not like the woman's. He could induce giddiness,
yes, but not in any overpowering quantities. Smith swayed foolishly,
tipped first to left, then to right, stood for a moment with arms at
sides. Jorak rushed upon him and struck out with both fists, and Smith
stumbled back half a dozen steps, crashed into a pair of struggling
figures, was dimly aware that both fell.

Jorak came on, cocky, confident, and Smith rocked for a moment on the
balls of his feet. Once and once only he lashed out with his right arm,
smeared Jorak's nose flat against his face. Jorak toppled backward and
fell, writhing.

Smith looked around him, panting. The other contestants ceased their
struggles, and the instructor said:

"Someone has used psi. I don't know who, but someone--"

Jorak pointed weakly, said, "Earthsmith!"

"Snap judgment," the instructor admitted. "Your word only. Still, you
alone were bested, Jorak of Gyra--and, hah, that makes twice, doesn't
it?"

"Once with psi," said Jorak.

"You sure?"

"I ought to know what hit me! He held me rigid, I tell you, and then he
struck me. What could I do? I ask you, what?"

Smith knew that the instructor could read minds--with limitations. He
knew the psi-power had been used, but he did not know who had used it.

* * * * *

Jorak wiped the blood from his face with the back of one hand. "Listen,"
he confided, "Earthsmith is a savage, really and truly, of the planet
Earth. Terribly barbaric. Obv