"Nothing--and worse than nothing. There is a place out there where heaven and hell, as well as the earth and the sky, are suspended. I suddenly found myself in a halfworld where all directions seemed to lead straight down. I felt myself slipping, sliding, flowing downward. And once I thought I saw a _face_--an impossible face. Then I was expelled and found myself back in normal waters. I started to swim back here." "You were very brave to survive such an ordeal," he said. "Would that I had been half so courageous when I first set eyes upon that devil, Turpan! I might have spared all of you this humiliation." "Then--you are the technician who came with Turpan?" He nodded. "I was--and am--his prisoner. I have more cause to hate him than any of you." "In that case I shall tell you a secret. The capitulation of our camps to Turpan's tyranny was planned. If you had counted us, you would have found that many of the men stayed away from the festival tonight. They are preparing a surprise attack upon Turpan from behind the village when the celebration reaches its height and he will expect it least. I heard them making plans for a coup this afternoon." "It is ill-advised. Many of your men will die--and perhaps for nothing. Turpan is too cunning to be caught napping." "You could be of help to them," she said. He shrugged. "I am only a technician, remember? The hated ruling class of the Technocracy that you left. A supernumerary, even as Turpan. I cannot help myself to a place in your exclusive society by helping you. Come along. We had better be getting back." "Where are we going?" "Straight to Turpan," he said. * * * * * "I cannot believe that you would tell me this," Turpan said, striding back and forth, lion-like, before the door of his tent. "Why have you?" "Because, as you observed, my fate is bound with yours," Stephen said. "Besides, I do not care to be a party to a massacre." "It will give me great pleasure to massacre them." "Nevertheless, their clubs and stones will eventually find their marks. Our minutes are numbered unless you yield." Turpan's eyes glowed with the fires of his inner excitement. "I will never do that," he said. "I think I like this feeling of urgency. What a pity that you cannot learn to savor these supreme moments." "Then at least let this woman go. She has no part in it." Turpan allowed his eyes to run over the figure of the girl, standing like a petulant naiad, with lowered eyes and trembling lip, and found that figure, in its damp and scanty attire, gratifying. "What is your name?" "Ellen," she said. "You will do," Turpan said. "Yes, you will do very well for a hostage."