f the Earth."

Haughty yellow eyes flashed at Engels and stilled his tongue. Then the
eyes swung back to Case and gave him a thorough scrutiny.

"So this is the one of whom we were warned," Yuna said. "I can see why
the Earthlings do not surrender so quickly."

"They'll surrender all right," Engels snarled.

Case saw an opening and lashed out with his foot. The kick caught Engels
low in the belly and drew a yell of pain. A fist thudded against Case's
jaw.

"You rat," Case said through drawn lips. "You'd sell out your own
mother."

"For the right price," Engels admitted, cheerfully. He turned to Yuna.
"What'll we do with him?"

"Put him with the rest. We can dispose of them later."

* * * * *

As a cell it was not too bad. But there was a stench that was
nauseating. Case adjusted his eyes to the gloom and looked about.

There were bunks along one wall, a few of them occupied. With the
shutting of the door behind Case, men stirred. Two thin legs swung over
the top of a bunk, followed by an equally thin body.

"Take your gloating elsewhere, Engels," a sharp voice said.

"The name is not Engels. It's Case Damon."

"Huh?"

There were more legs now, four pairs. Men were spluttering excitedly.
Thin bodies slid out of bunks and feet came toward Case. There was one
man he knew, Burnine, the pilot of the Mars-Venus liner which had
vanished.

"Case Damon! I knew sooner or later someone would get through."

"Don't let your hopes run away with you," Case said. "I'm the only one,
and it looks like I'll be the last."

Burnine was crying, definitely and without shame. He fought to bring
himself under control.

"They're going to get away with it," he said, brokenly. Long
imprisonment had broken him down.

"Maybe," Case said. "It all depends on what the chances are of getting
out of this cell before the next blast. The Council hasn't given up
yet."

"I know. But that humming means they're building up voltage for the next
shot. It won't be long."

"How do you know?"

"Engels. He comes down here every couple of days to tell us we're chumps
for not coming over to his side. Meanwhile, we've learned what goes on.
In a year you can learn a lot if you keep your ears open."

"A year," Case mused. "Since those liners disappeared."

"Yeah. Engels and his pals were on the one I was piloting. They stuck
guns in our ribs and took over and brought us here."

"There are a couple of things