"Of course not. Beyond and above is the point that coincides with
the narrow approach left for the Newcomers." The officer studied me
narrowly. "If you are from the Council, why are you ignorant of all
these things?"
It would be a difficult question to answer plausibly, but I was spared
the task. Someone hurried from a little televiso shack and saluted the
officer.
"Orders, sir. Important. We're to withdraw immediately. The Newcomers
are advancing, and the forces above will take over operation."
"Of course," the officer said, and turned from me to shout commands.
Men began to hurry away past us, toward the elevator, eager to quit the
post of danger.
"Come, Doriza," I said softly, and she followed me along a wall.
"Here's one of those explosion mechanisms. If we can bring it between
us--"
She did something to turn it off, and we trundled it along on its
wheels. I pointed to the spot above which the entry-point was said to
be, and toward it we went, unchallenged and unnoticed. We reached the
earthy far wall, and it was steep, but with the point of my ray-saber
I dug pits for hands and toes. Up I scrambled to the ceiling. There I
paused, hanging like a bat.
"Disintegrator," I called down to her.
"Dare we?"
"We must dare!"
She tossed me the disintegrator pistol. I turned it on and fate favored
me once again. No explosion occurred. I tunnelled upward, upward, and
climbed up the slanting chimney-like tunnel I made. Moments later, I
broke into open air above.
I was in a necklike passage. Lying flat, I looked each way. To one hand
was a great cavern, the ambush-space, in which Dondromogon's warriors
were cautiously ranging themselves. Opposite was a wide tunnel, empty
as yet--a work of the Newcomers, into which this passage had been
invitingly opened by the defenders. I was not observed as, rising to
my knees, I tore my cape into strips and knotted them into a line.
I lowered it. "Fasten on the glare-ray," I told Doriza, and when she
had done so I drew it up. After it climbed Doriza herself.
"Now what?" she demanded. "I haven't had time to ask."
"Turn on the glare. Like that, yes--set it against one wall, and let it
fall on the opposite, to fill this little passageway through which they
must pass to fight each other."
The golden glow sprang into being. At the same moment a shout rose from
the direction of the corridor. A patrol of Newcomers appeared, and
others behind.