At least we have made a good fight, Hadron,
shesaid. With it weshould have no difficulty in eluding all dangers between here
andGathol. Tavia pressed closer tome and for the first time I thought I felt her
tremble. We werealone and on foot in a strange and, doubtless, an unhospitable
country,U-Gor!
I saw that it would be useless to attempt to reach
Helium from here.
A great battleship of Tul Axtars fleet was hit
three times insuccession almost alongside of me. Next he lowered Tavia to my side,
and then he,himself, descended to the ground.
They, too, can feel sorrow at the loss of
lovedones.
In the dim light of thecabin I saw that it was Tul
Axtar and that his other hand held adagger.
I am alive now, I cried, but none of us will be
unless I can getword to your commander.
Shall I stand uponyour right or upon your
left?
Almost immediately the other ships of Helium were
brought to a stop.
Keep at least a haad distance from them and you are
relatively safe.
Tavias sweet solicitude for her welfare touched me
deeply. Well, her ambition would be fulfilled, but at what a hideous cost. Her
breast was bared to receive my dagger, her face was upturned towardmine. They can
have peace if they want it as far as I am concerned, I said.
I did not know; I could notguess; she was an enigma
to me. I saw one overtake his prey and leap upon it from behind. This one looks like
a man and I swear that shewould be as easy to subdue as a she banth.
Keep at least a haad distance from them and you are
relatively safe.
While my hand can holda sword, you will need no
other defense.
The very thought of it filled me
withdisgust.
As I sat there on the ground, my head bowed in
misery.
Sanoma Tora had slightly recovered her poise and
control of her nerves.
Despite the cowardice of the jeddak, the great
fleet pushed on to theattack.
Fortunately the ship lay close to the ground andI
was not injured.
As far as I am concerned ithas served its purpose
well.
To mysurprise my knuckles struck something hard
above me. I opened my pocket pouch and reached in to withdraw the cloak. Our
situation appeared hopeless; it washopeless, and yet I refused to admit defeat.
Through the inventive genius of Phor Tak, and the compound ofinvisibility that I
filched from him.