Alar," commented Ronaro at 3000 feet.

"The waters of this planet may well be deeper than those of our home world," pointed out Ekrado.

Both of them looked at the pressure gauge. At the Alarian equivalent of 1358 pounds per square inch, it was not far from the red line that indicated the maximum pressure the lifeboat could stand. But still they kept going down through the ice-cold blackness.

"Look Ekrado!" clamored Ronaro. "The God Ka!"

It was not, indeed, the God Ka, but it might well have been. Its body alone was five times the size of their lifeboat and its tentacles stretched for an unknown distance, far beyond the rays of their feeble lights. It brooded motionless in the inconceivable pressure, as though watching them, although it had no trace of eyes.

Both Alarians concentrated their minds on the problem of communication with the tremendous mind they knew was contained within that mighty bulk. They both floated motionless, eyes closed, concentrating. But while the Alarians were motionless, the thing before them was not. A great tentacle wrapped itself around the hull. As the tentacle tightened in its body-crushing embrace, it encountered unexpected resistance in the hard metal of the hull. Even as the two Alarians were beginning to face their disappointment at what they had found, or what they had not found, that unexpected resistance registered within the brain of the giant squid. The dull surprise and heavy anger that flared within the primitive mind warned the two Alarians of their danger.

As they became aware once more of their immediate surroundings, one vision screen was completely covered by the width of one huge tentacle wrapped around their ship, while the other showed several more tentacles drawing near to enfold their lifeboat. The upper part of the hull, the roof of their cabin, bulged inwards, while the hull groaned and creaked as though every plate and bar was about to collapse.

"Quick, Ronaro, the heat cannon," snapped the Captain as he dove for the controls.

The motors hummed vainly as Ekrado sought to free the craft from the monster's grip. At the same time, Ronaro brought his sights to bear on the approaching tentacles. The tight beam sliced through them as fast as he could bring it to bear; one, two, three, four.... But not fast enough, for one more tentacle closed around the lifeboat. By chance, the monster had blotted out their vision screen with the 

 Prev. P 8/11 next