“As slaves! With time hanging a glowing torch over our heads! Try another tack, Koler.” The bitter anguish in Rod’s voice tightened the skin on the traitor’s cadaverous skull. Unconsciously, he stepped back before Rod’s overwhelming fury. “Some day we’ll rid ourselves of the tetrarchs. The time will come when Earth again will be free. When it comes, Koler, kill yourself. At least you’ll have your choice of the various kinds of death.” Koler peered doubtfully at the tetrarch who nodded and walked to the aperture. A guard stood at attention. “Bring the sslave, Mona Darlanan,” the tetrarch commanded. [Illustration: “_Bring the slave, Mona Darlanan!_”] When she entered Rod faced her impassively. “You’ve turned traitor too, I see.” The girl faced him. She looked remote and submissive, but somehow untouched. Her hand sought unconsciously to brush back the heavy golden hair under the confines of her helmet. “I have a brother,” she said simply, “the baby of our family. We’re all that’s left. My parents adopted him to look after him. I’ve taken over.” “Sslave Darlanan,” the tetrarch interrupted, “we wissh you to convinsce Ross Harros of the sstupidity of further resisstansce.” “If you do,” Koler’s voice rustled, “perhaps Jerry--your brother--can be put to work in the compartment instead of the mines.” Mona turned her breath-taking beauty on Rod. Her eyes glowed with passionate conviction. “Don’t you see,” she said softly, “we only make things worse by resisting? The tetrarchs want more slaves. Let them get them--from other planets--other galaxies. If we help them perhaps they will send us back to Earth. You’ve _got_ to understand.” * * * * * Before her his reason was powerless. Unconsciously, his arms encircled her waist. He couldn’t bring himself to fight her. She dropped her head on his chest. Then she raised her eyes, “You will help--with you and Latham Koler in the confidence of the tetrarchs....” The spell was destroyed. Rod stiffened. “Not Koler!” He grasped her by the wrists and thrust her away. “Koler!” His voice deepened in contempt. “We knew him on Earth before these slave-makers lulled us into a false sense of security with their friendship and their gadgets. Koler never amounted to anything then. He was always on the fringe of things. Here, he’s venting his spite on the few of us that are left--and he’s gotten that opportunity by toadying to these lousy, so-called powers.” “No sso fasst,” the tetrarch put out a restraining arm. “We are simply following the desstiny by ensslaving you. Our rasce iss to be the overlords of all the galassies. You can have a sshare if you wissh.” “I can see your point though,” Rod ignored the tetrarch to face Mona, “but don’t you see there are some things more important than your brother--that in spite of him--you can’t turn traitor?