the criminals; and it arrived at precisely your own
conclusion ... that it might be possible to reduce and demoralize the
gangs to the extent that they would no longer be able to carry out
their plan. It began a systematic series of attacks on them with that
end in mind.

"But meanwhile you had come into the picture. The Hlat was rather
puzzled by your motive at first because there appeared to be an
extraordinary degree of discrepancy between what you were saying and
what you were thinking. But after observing your activities for a
while, it began to comprehend what you were trying to do. It realized
that your approach was more likely to succeed than its own, and that
further action on its side might interfere with your plans. But there
remained one thing for it to do.

"I may tell you in confidence, major, that another legend which has
been spread about these Hlats is their supposed inability to escape
from the cubicles. Even their attendants are supplied with this
particular bit of misinformation. Actually, the various force fields
in the cubicles don't hamper them in the least. The cubicles are
designed simply to protect the Hlats and keep them from being seen;
and rest cubicles, of course, can be taken anywhere without arousing
undue curiosity.

"You mentioned that the Kinmartens very likable young people. The Hlat
had the same feeling about them; they were the only human beings aside
from Eltak with whose minds it had become quite familiar. There was no
assurance at this point that the plans to prevent a bomb from being
exploded in the Star would be successful, and the one place where
human beings could hope to survive such an explosion was precisely the
interior of the Hlat's cubicle, which had been constructed to
safeguard its occupant against any kind of foreseeable accident.

"So the Hlat sprang your cubicle trap, removed the bait, carried the
Kinmartens inside, and whipped out of the cubicle again before the
rest current could take effect on it. It concluded correctly that
everyone would decide it had been recaptured. After that, it moved
about the Executive Block, observing events there and prepared to take
action again if that appeared to be advisable. When you had concluded
your operation successfully, it remained near the cubicle, waiting for
me to arrive."

Quillan shook his head. "That's quite an animal!" he observed after
some seconds. "You say, it's in our general vicinity now?"

"Yes," Klayung