An ominous black wall of metal reared itself out of the jungle a few yards away and he sensed that here was the handiwork of some intelligent creature. There was an oval window of transparent material staring like some empty eyesocket out of the wall at him. Memory jabbed feebly at him and presently he recalled what this must be.... The _Indra_! * * * * * Voices were shouting something in a tongue that was familiar; whether Yzap or Rurak's own beloved Martian he could not tell. And then he saw a knot of dark shapes, red insect men, crawling toward him through the blue jungle. But it was not the sudden appearance of these creatures that made Rurak gape in wonderment. For circling to a landing above the heads of the insect men was a small golden chariot drawn by two gigantic crimson birds. And standing in the sky-chariot was the most beautiful woman Rurak Dun had ever seen. As the queer conveyance swooped gracefully to rest in the small clearing the girl stepped out and walked swiftly toward them. Her amazingly golden hair floated freely about her rounded, shapely shoulders as she approached the dumb-founded group. Rurak Dun remembered that he was still gaping rudely. He colored, and started an apology, but with upraised hand, the girl brushed it aside. "I am Nitha Kel, daughter of Hudar Kel," she explained tersely. Now he could see that her brief vest of golden cloth and her short skirt were made of the carefully tanned hide of some Earthly beast. Sandals of thick hide were upon her shapely feet and there was a regal unconscious poise to her whole body that stamped her as the princess that she claimed to be. "And I," he said, forcing himself to speak, "am Rurak Dun, fifth officer of the _Tekna_, come to rescue your royal father if he yet lives." "Father is alive," she said puzzled, "and is even now fighting off the attack of one of our renegade crew and his party of Yzaps. But why this sudden interest in our whereabouts? Is it only because our two planets are in apposition? Surely a third son of a Martian emperor is not worthy of a special expedition?" "Your father is now our Emperor," said Rurak gravely, "if he returns to claim his throne before the New Year. And the time is drawing short. Will you take me to him at once?" She nodded, then turned and ran back to her strange conveyance. A word of command, and the two giant birds rose gracefully into the air. They did not disappear, but hovered above Nitha Kel and Rurak Dun as they made their way on foot through the jungle. "They are attacking the South Cliff today," Nitha told Rurak as they walked along. "Jokar Ged and his ferocious Inpo warriors are climbing ladders of lashed poles and young trees to try to take this hilltop. We will beat them back of course but many of our brave Yzaps will die." "Why do you fight?" Rurak wanted to know. "What does Jokar Ged desire so greatly here upon the hilltop--the wrecked _Indra_?"