armed
hungrily toward it. At their expressions of wonder, Hanson felt more
confidence returning to him. He concentrated and went through the little
ritual again. This time loaves of bread rained down--fresh bread, and
even of the brand he had wished for. Maybe he was becoming a magician
himself, with a new magic that might still accomplish something.

Sather Karf smiled approvingly. "The theory of resonance, I see.
Unreliable generally. More of an art than a science. But you show
promise of remarkable natural ability to apply it."

"You know about it?" Dave had assumed that it was completely outside
their experience and procedures.

"We _knew_ it. But when more advanced techniques took over, most of us
forgot it. The syllables resonate in a sound pattern with your world, to
which you also still resonate. It won't work for you with anything from
this world, nor will anything work thus for us from yours. We had
different syllables, of course, for use here." Sather Karf considered
it. "But if you can control it and bring in one of your computers or the
parts for one--"

Sixteen tries later, Dave was cursing as he stared at a pile of useless
items. He'd gotten transistors at first. Then he lost control with too
much tension or fatigue and began getting a bunch of assorted junk, such
as old 201-A tubes, a transit, a crystal vase and resistors. But the
chief trouble was that he couldn't secure working batteries. He had
managed a few, but all were dead.

"Like the soul, electrical charges will not transfer," Sather Karf
agreed sadly. "I should have told you that."

There was no electricity here with which to power anything, and their
spells could not be made to work now. Even if he could build a computer
out of what was obtainable, there would be no way to power it.

Overhead, the sky shattered with a roar, and another piece fell, tearing
downwards toward the city. Sersa Garm stared upwards in horror.

"Mars!" he croaked. "Mars has fallen. Now can there be no conjunction
ever!"

He tautened and his body rose slowly from the ground. A scream ripped
from his lips and faded away as he began rushing upwards with increasing
speed. He passed but of their sight, straight toward the new hole in the
sky.

IX

In the hours that followed, Dave's vague plans changed a dozen times as
he found each idea unworkable. His emotional balance was also
erratic--though that was natural, since the stars were completely
berserk