Harmon had seen the trend. And he had been shrewd enough to combine the possibilities of the secret Jones Drive and the Gravinol-addicted survivors of the Corps for the foundation of a new and more completely dominated empire as his domain on Earth crumbled. On Mars. And perhaps, some day when he had gathered sufficient power, once again on Earth. Often around the barracks of Central Camp the Mecs had speculated on the identity of The Man, the mysterious and unapproachable top link in the chain of command. Now Nick Tinker knew the whole story. "My God!" he said. Susan's shoulders sagged. "We're through, and the Martians are finished too. And sooner or later he'll manage to wreck the New Governments also." "Damn it, we're still alive!" Nick exploded. "There's still a chance." She smiled weakly and brushed at her tears. Twice they passed side tunnels, and at a third opening turned in at a Martian's gesture. A short passage opened into a series of three rooms. Nick looked around. The glow-plates in the ceiling were the same as those in the abandoned surface cities, but far brighter. The first room was furnished with a single broad couch and three peculiar objects he decided were chairs. There were no shelves or cupboards, but niches had been cut into the smooth stone walls at irregular intervals. The second room was completely bare, giving the impression that furnishings had been recently removed. The blue-faced Martian emitted a series of chirps, and at once the creature around Nick's shoulders pulsated, uncoiled and fell to the floor with a dull thump. Nick jumped aside in distaste as it collected itself into a flattened ball and rolled toward the doorway. There it changed shape again, flowing into a slot in the door frame. "He says the _varlu_ will kill us if we try to escape," Susan translated the Martian's chirpings. Nick decided that if there were any other possible escape route he would not try the doorway. "_Mel nikko ne cho twa Klev?_" Susan asked again. The Martians conferred, and finally the bluish one made a gesture of reluctant assent. All three withdrew. "Just who is this Klev?" Nick demanded. "Why did old Blueface get so bothered whenever you mentioned him?" "He's an old, old Martian," Susan explained. "He was dying of the Plague when Dad's experiments saved him. He remained our friend even when most of the others turned against us because of the Exploiters." "Who's Blueface?" "That's Merlo. He has the Plague and will die soon, just as the Martian who lived here must have died recently." "_Voras?_ Plague? What's it all about?" Nick sank into one of the chairs, suddenly conscious of fatigue. Despite the light gravity the human body tired rapidly in the thin atmosphere of Mars.