"I mean Reggar!" Shane echoed. His mouth twisted. "They say he cuts a figure when his raider ships come in on a helpless _Chonya_ town. We'll see if he looks as bold when someone's hunting him!" "But by now he knows you have escaped. He will be waiting--" "He may. Or then, he may not. Most men Reggar has known asked only to get away." The girl turned back to the controls. Again, the car veered, and again. * * * * * Once more, she faced the Earthman. She said, "Give me the light-gun now, _Sha_ Shane. We must burn off your shackles while we have this chance." Shane threw her a bleak smile. "You ride pressure well, _Malyalara_." The girl's slim shoulders lifted in a shrug. "My grandfather said that pressure proved a man, _Sha_ Shane." Already, the light-gun's purple beam was eating at the handcuff links. "And Reggar--?" "I have set the controls to take us to him. Five minutes will do it, if we are not cut off by his cars." "But if we are--?" "We still may find a way. There are twelve levels here, more corridors than can be counted--" "Yet all on a slavers' moon? All Reggar's?" "I do not know, _Sha_ Shane. But Reggar is here; no other." The last link holding the handcuffs broke. Talu straightened. "It will not be long--" With startling suddenness, a bell clanged overhead. "The crash alarm--!" Even as she cried out, the girl punched frantically at the control buttons. The rear vision slot caught a gleam of red lights--dangerously close already; rushing at them headlong. Barely in time, their own car veered right at an intersection. The breath went out of Talu. Her knuckles stood out white beneath her skin. Overhead, the collision bell clanged again. This time, the other car hurtled out of a side passageway, cutting them off. Desperately, Talu manipulated the controls. They backed to the nearest cross-hall; fled down it as fast as the car would go. Talu said: "They are hemming us in, _Sha_ Shane. Reggar has guessed your thoughts." Shane's hand knotted about the light-pistol's butt. "Can we still break clear? Is there a way?" "If we could get to another level--" "Try it!" The girl's breath seemed to come a fraction faster. Her eyes caught the same reckless glint as Shane's. Her fingers flicked at the buttons. Their car swung right. Ahead, a blank wall came rushing to meet them. "A shaft," said Talu. Her voice shook just a little. * * * * * Just when it seemed that they must surely crash, the car slowed. Then, swiftly, they were dropping straight down, cushioned on a beam of force. Three levels down, Talu threw a switch. The car swept out of the shaft and down a passageway. The collision bell clanged. Talu punched buttons. Again, the bell. More buttons. Red lights, hurtling towards them. "... another level--" Talu whispered. They climbed a shaft at dizzying speed; rushed off through another corridor. The bell. Buttons and switches. The bell again.