The sizzling was faintly audible. My door seal was breaking. Upon impulse I reached for the door, jerked it open. No one there! The starlit segment of deck was empty. But I leaped and struck a solid body, crouching in the doorway. A giant man. Miko! His electronized metallic robe burned my hands. I lunged against him--I was almost as surprised as he. I shot, but the stab of heat evidently missed him. The shock of my encounter, short-circuited his robe; he materialized in the starlight. A brief, savage encounter. He struck the weapon from my hand. He had dropped his hydrogen torch, and tried to grip me. But I twisted away from his hold. "So it's you!" "Quiet, Gregg Haljan! I only want to talk." Without warning, a stab of radiance shot from a weapon in his hand. It caught me. Ran like ice through my veins. Seized and numbed my limbs. I fell helpless to the deck. Nerves and muscles paralyzed. My tongue was thick and inert. I could not speak, nor move. But I could see Miko bending over me, and hear him: "I don't want to kill you, Haljan. We need you." He gathered me up like a bundle in his huge arms; carried me swiftly across the deserted deck. Snap's radio room in the network under the dome was diagonally overhead. A white actinic light shot from it--caught us, bathed us. Snap had been awake; had heard the commotion of our encounter. His voice rang shrilly: "Stop! I'll shoot!" His warning siren rang out to alert the ship. His spotlight clung to us. Miko ran with me a few steps. Then he cursed and dropped me; fled away. I fell like a sack of carbide to the deck. My senses faded into blackness.... "He's all right now." I was in the chart room with Captain Carter, Snap and Dr. Frank bending over me. The surgeon said, "Can you speak now, Gregg?" I tried it. My tongue was thick, but it moved. "Yes." I was soon revived. I sat up, with Dr. Frank vigorously rubbing me. "I'm all right." I told them what had happened. Captain Carter said, "Yes, we know that. And it was Miko also who killed Anita Prince. She told us before she died." "Died!..." I leaped to my feet. "She ... died...." "Yes, Gregg. An hour ago. Miko got into her stateroom and tried to force his love upon her. She repulsed him. He killed her...." It struck me blank. And then with a rush came the thought, "He says Miko killed her".... I heard myself stammering, "Why--why we must get him!" I gathered my wits; a surge of hate swept me; a wild desire for vengeance. "Why, by God, where is he? Why don't you go get him? I'll get him--I'll kill him!" "Easy, Gregg!" Dr. Frank gripped me. The Captain said gently. "We know how you feel, Gregg. She told us before she died." "I'll bring him in here to you! But I'll kill him, I tell you!" "No you won't, lad. We don't want him killed, not attacked, even. Not yet. We'll explain later." They sat me down, calming me....