t plume of fire from the ship's drive； and an evil face painted on to the front of the ship； all jagged teeth and cruel； slanted eyes。
'Thanks' Keill said sardonically。' Very artistic。'
Better than a map； is it not？ asked Glr； her laughter bubbling。
'Much better。 Be quiet now； while I go and look'
The heavy vibrations set up by the cruiser's landing increased steadily as lie crept forward； until … crouching within the solid blackness of a tall rock's shadow … he was again at the edge of the plain。
The vibrations eased and stopped。 The cruiser was down。 Keill leaned forward to peer round the rock that sheltered him … and at once jerked his head back。
The cruiser had landed about three hundred metres away。
And beyond it； he had seen the entrance of the dome … its airlock open and spacesuited men emerging； moving at speed in the same long； leaping strides that Keill had used earlier。
He flattened himself against the rock。 If any of those men； or the men in the ship； had glanced his way … and if his helmet had glinted even for an instant in the brilliant light。。。
It was an outside chance … but it was possible。 Time to move。
But he did not retrace his steps。 He drifted with slow caution from rock to rock towards where the cruiser had settled。 Whatever the risk； he was not going to pass up a chance to see whatever might be seen。
Soon he had spotted another vantage point at the edge of the open area。 When he reached it； he saw； he would be able to observe the ship and the dome while staying safely hidden in a bulge of deep shadow。 He began to circle an outcropping； moving towards that point。
And he came face to face with two men； rounding the outcropping from the other direction。
Their faceplates； like Keill's； were darkened against the glare； revealing nothing。 But one of them was wearing a space…suit identical to Keill's … with the blue circlet of the Legions gleaming from helmet and chest。
And both men were holding weapons； ready in their hands。
Keill identified the guns at a glance； and with some distaste。 Janglers； they were called … stubby pistols with ugly； flared；
bell…shaped muzzles。 They discharged a field that set up interference with the human nervous system … which caused； at the very least； indescribable pain。 The guns were a sadist's weapon； outlawed on many worlds； and never； as Keill well knew； carried by legionaries。
He stood calmly where he was； making no motion towards his own weapon； while the other two took a tentative step towards him。 The one in the Legion spacesuit lifted a gloved hand to his helmet； touching the switch that activated the man…to…man municator。
'That you； Jiker？' The voice within Keill's helmet was metallic； distorted by the municator。
Keill felt relieved。 Of course there were two men on Creffa wearing full legionary uniform。； which obviously included spacesuits。 This one； seeing Keill's suit； naturally thought he was looking at his fellow impostor。
Keill flicked his own helmet switch。 'Yeah； it's me；' he said gruffly； knowing his voice would be just as distorted in the other man's ears。
But to his surprise the other raised his gun menacingly。
'The hell it is；' said the voice in Keill's helmet。 'I'm Jiker。'
Keill's hand flashed； and his gun leaped from his belt。 But the other man had only to press the firing stud on the jangler。 And pure； raging agony reached out and grasped Keill's body like a monstrous fist。
Dimly he heard himself cry out； dimly he felt himself twisting； jerking； beginning to fall。
Then he heard and felt nothing at all。
Chapter eleven
Keill awoke to the clamour of his own name being shouted； over and over。
No； not shouted； he realized。 It was Glr's mental call； as penetrating as a cry of fear。
'Stop it' he thought； raising one hand to his head； which was throbbing dully。 'I'm here。'
Relief flooded into his mind from Glr's。 What happened？ Where are you？
Keill's probing fingers found a raised and tender bump on his head； and the slight roughness of dried blood。 'I must have bounced my head around in my helmet when I fell。 As for where I am。。。'
He looked around。 He was lying on a hard bunk in a small； metal…walled cubicle … which he recognized as the usual cramped sleeping quarters for men in a space…dome。 The air smelled stale and musty； but was breathable … and he was his normal weight； which meant that some form of artificial gravity was operating in the dome。 His spacesuit had been stripped off him and flung untidily in one corner … though his energy gun； predictably； was not with it。
'I'm inside the dome； and I'm in one piece。' He swung up to a sitting position； ignoring the headache。 One thing about the janglers； he thought to himself … for all the pain they caused； it stopped instantly when the weapon was deactivated。 Though there could sometimes be serious after…effects。。。
What now？ Glr asked。
'You stay there； and stay quiet awhile。 The door is probably guarded； and I'm going to。。。'
Whatever it was； he was not able to do it。 The door swung open； and two men entered。 Both were carrying guns； and they separated as they entered； moving to either side of Keill and keeping their weapons trained on him； all very professionally。
One of them； holding a jangler； was thin； wiry； with a long jaw and small； glittering eyes。 The other was heavy…set and swarthy； with a nose that seemed to have been broken many times。 And he had Keill's own beam…gun in his hand。
Both were wearing legionary uniforms。
'Y've e round； have y' ？' the thin one said。 'Thought y' might've cracked y'r skull。' He grinned； a mouthful of small； yellow teeth。 'Nice trick； that； wasn't it ？ Askin' y' if y' was me ？ Ol' Rish here； he would've answered different； wouldn't y'； Rish？'
The heavy…set man grunted； never taking his eyes from Keill。 So the thin one was Jiker； the one who had shot Keill。 And； yes； it had been a good trick。 But Keill remained silent； studying the two men； judging their abilities； doubting if he would have much of a chance to move against two guns； but poised and ready if even the edge of a chance offered itself。
'Nothin' t' say t' y'r brother legionaries ？' Jiker went on。 His laugh was high…pitched and ugly。
'Where did you get the uniforms ？' Keill asked； his voice as expressionless as his face。
'Took 'em off a ship that just came floatin' by；' Jiker grinned。 'Boys wearin' 'em didn't have use for 'em； not any more。'
'Where was that ？' Keill asked。
'Just off good ol' Moros；' Jiker said； snickering。 'You remember Moros； don't y'； boy？'
'Why were you there？' Much could be learned from talkative men； Keill knew； if they could be kept talking。
Jiker seemed all too ready to chatter。 'We like it there； don't we； Rish ？ Quietest place y' ever saw … real peaceful now。 Like the boss said； when we did the last sweep 。。。'
'Jiker！'
The voice from the doorway was deep； resonant； musical；
seeming effortlessly to fill the room。 Jiker's thin mouth snapped shut； and he paled slightly beneath his spacer's sunburn as he glanced towards the door。
The bare…chested man who was entering the cubicle had to stoop； and to turn his vast shoulders sideways； to pass through the doorway。 Here was the leader of the original three false legionaries … the half…naked giant who had gazed at Keill； and laughed； that frustrating day on the spaceport of Saltrenius。
He was smiling now； unpleasantly。 'Jiker； one of these days I think I will send you for a walk outside without a suit； and see if you can talk in vacuum。'
The threat seemed all the more vicious for having been made in that easy； melodious voice。 Then the giant turned to inspect Keill … who countered with an inspection of his own。
The enormous； smoothly muscled bulk of the man was belied by the lightness of his step； the control of his movements。 Here was no lumbering man…mountain； Keill saw； but a man who was as athletic and co…ordinated as he was powerful。 Which made him all the more formidable。
Probably from one of the altered worlds； Keill surmised。 The hairlessness； the bronze skin were indications。 But there was something else。。。
He remembered the words of the newsman back on Saltrenius； which seemed