"You do not know," Kramer said. "Therefore you were not here when the conversion took place. Therefore I must capture you."

He lunged.

Reese got out of the way just as Kramer's six-four body came thundering toward him. He had known Lloyd long enough to be aware of the big man's fight-patterns; he could side-step easily enough.

"Lloyd! You out of your head?"

"You must be captured," Kramer repeated. He turned and swung his giant fists. Reese managed to parry one blow but a massive right crashed into his belly and knocked him gasping back against the thick bole of a ghive tree. He clung to the sticky bark for a second, sucking in breath. Then, as Kramer advanced again, Reese yanked out his hunting-knife. Kramer was unarmed.

"Lloyd, I don't know what's gotten into you but if you take another step closer to me I'm going to slice you up. You must be crazy!"

Kramer drew back, staring in puzzlement at the gleaming saw-toothed blade in Reese's hand. He froze some three yards away.

He said aloud, "What should I do, Dr. Tersen? He has a knife."

And in a cold, unfamiliar voice, he answered himself: "Keep him there at all costs—your life, if necessary. I will send help."

"Yes, Dr. Tersen," Kramer said in his own voice.

Reese frowned. Tersen? He remembered someone of that name—some scientist involved in a scandal a few years back on Earth. But what he was doing here on Damballa and what sort of control was he exerting over Lloyd Kramer?

"I am to keep you from escaping," Kramer said flatly. "Put the knife away, Jim Reese."

Reese glanced past Kramer and saw moving figures—colonists, coming toward him. He recognized them but still there was something unfamiliar about them. They moved stiffly. Like so many zombies, Reese thought.

Sweat poured down his body. He didn't want to hurt Kramer, not even the strangely-possessed Kramer before him.

Stooping quickly, he picked up a handful of the soft, warm Damballa mud and hurled it into Kramer's face. The big man, blinded, spat out mouthfuls of mud. Reese turned and ran.

"After him!" Kramer rumbled. "He's getting away!"

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