far wall.

A quick glance told Marten that the projectors in the walls were following, but they couldn't shoot for fear of hitting Ghuvek.

The Flesso leader squirmed in Marten's grip as he tried to get his ray pistol out of its holster.

"No you don't!" Marten said, and grabbed the alien's arm. Ghuvek grunted as Marten bent the arm upward and twisted until the ligaments creaked.

"No!" Ghuvek moaned.

"Drop the gun, then."

The alien squirmed again. Marten twisted upward and there was a sharp crack—followed by another, the sound of the gun hitting the floor. Then something slammed against Marten's head from behind.

Jerking his head aside, he crashed his fist against Ghuvek's temple to knock him out and reduce the opposition. Again something struck his head. This time, Marten turned and grabbed a slimy wrist.

It was Captain Yknor, who had been trying to knock Marten out with the butt of his pistol. Marten twisted viciously at the captain's wrist, and the ray pistol clattered to the floor. Yknor screamed in agony as a burning pain raced up his arm, and swung wildly at Marten with his good arm.

The savage claws raked the air just above the Earthman's head, and he drove in with a solid punch that made Yknor gasp. Marten followed his advantage with a smash to the face, sent the alien reeling away in pain, and in the same motion reached down and grasped one of the fallen ray-pistols.

He stepped over to Ghuvek's limp body and jabbed the pistol into the alien leader's scaly side.

"All right," he said coldly. "Anything more, and I'll let Ghuvekenkh-Nathor have a fast burn through his guts!"

There was a stunned silence for a moment, then the pain-wracked voice of Captain Yknor said, "Don't shoot at the Earthman. Get away from those projectors!"

The projector crew held fire. Marten waited tensely as Ghuvek moaned and stirred. Ten feet away, standing amidst the torture implements, the captain clutched his broken arm and watched the Earthman with terror in his eyes and pain evident on his face.

Ghuvek blinked his eyes opened. He looked dazed for a 

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