noticed a pack slung over the creature's back. "What's in here?"

"Mine! Mine! Don't touch!"

Curiosity impelled Reese to turn the alien around and peer in the bulging pack while the old man gibbered in fear.

Reese whistled. The pack was brim-full of ampoules of benzolurethrimine, the pain-killing drug to which Kuhli had been made an addict. The alien had stumbled into the colony one day, his chest slashed open by the talons of a khaljek-bird; the colony doctor had administered the drug to ease his agony and only then discovered benzolurethrimine was a powerful narcotic for the aliens.

"Where'd you get all this stuff?" Reese demanded.

"Took it. Needed it. Not going back to Colony any more."

There was something doing there, all right. This was no pipedream of Kuhli's—not when he was willing to steal a supply of drugs and strike out on his own into the treacherous jungle. Reese tightened his lips and, started to run toward the nearby colony at a dead trot. He hoped Lois was all right; he'd never forgive himself for leaving her if anything had happened to her.

He entered the circle of domes. No one seemed to be around. That was peculiar. There should always be a few idling colonists resting up before continuing their task of clearing the jungles.

Finally he spotted Lloyd Kramer, one of his best friends. He and Kramer had decided together to join and had come out to Damballa on the same ship.

"Lloyd! Lloyd!" Reese ran toward the big man, who was standing stiffly outside his hut, staring elsewhere. "Hey, Lloyd!"

Kramer turned. Reese said, "I just saw old Kuhli heading through the forest with a packload of benzo. He says there's some trouble in the Colony. What's up? How's Lois? Is she all right?"

A puzzled frown appeared on Kramer's face. "Who are you?" he said in a deep rumbling, voice. "I do not recognize you."

"What? You crazy, Lloyd? I'm Jim Reese!"

"Jim ... Reese?" Kramer repeated the words as if they were some totally alien name. "Where did you come from, Jim Reese?"

"I—what the devil is this, Lloyd?" Reese backed away suspiciously. "What's happened to you? Where is everyone?"

 Prev. P 2/12 next