Jacklyn came back with a small flat box, in which a lens was set. He touched a button and turned the lens to focus upon Brady’s thigh. “Thanks ... up a bit ... You know they kidnapped Ruggiero?” * * * * * Desquer nodded “Yes. I found a Copt alone and induced him to give me a little information.” He glanced at his hands, took out a small knife, and began to clean his nails. “What this means I don’t know. A _jehad_—a holy war, possibly. Though it’s without precedent.” The captain lifted his hand. “Enough, Jacklyn. Tend to the commander.” But Desquer shook his head impatiently. “No time.” He drew Brady aside, as Jacklyn turned to the others. The two officers withdrew a few steps and lowered their voices. Tony stared at the lensed box as Jacklyn used it on Jimmy’s arm. “What the devil’s that?” “A gadget the Copts have. Nobody knows how it works. They don’t themselves. It was handed down ... it’s a ray that increases cell activity. Builds up cell tissue. Prevents infection ... how’s that?” “Swell,” said Jimmy, touching his arm. “It still hurts a bit, though.” “It won’t for long—” Desquer said, “You three recruits—listen to me. We’re going down. Into Alu. Jacklyn, you’ll go for help.” The skull-faced legionnaire’s body jerked convulsively. He stared at the commander. “For—help?” Desquer nodded. “Right. You know these caves. There are other openings to the surface. Get help. We’ll hide out and wait for you. The Copts won’t expect us to go right to their headquarters, so that’s just what we’ll do.” “But—” Jacklyn moistened dry lips. “I’ll have to go to the surface?” There was a curious note of horror in his voice. “Don’t argue. Move! You’ll have a better chance alone than with companions, so—_allez!_” Jacklyn moved a pace away, stopped, and turned back. He said woodenly, “I can’t go to the surface, Commander.” Desquer said very softly, “Why not?” “Sunlight will kill me.” There was a little silence. “Why?” “I was space-burned. That’s why I joined the Legion. It’s a kind of allergy, you know—I was so badly burned in space by direct solar rays that even filtered sunlight will kill me now in a few hours.” Tony felt his stomach move sickeningly. So that was why Jacklyn had remained in Sub-Sahara for fifty years. A prison with its mockery of freedom— “Let one of the others go, sir!” “I’ll go,” Jimmy offered—but Desquer snarled at him. “Silence! You know these caves, Jacklyn—” “The captain knows them!” “He’s badly burned. That heat-ray touched the bone. He couldn’t stand a long trek. Here!” Desquer bent over the dead Copts and rapidly began to strip them of their garments. “If sunlight will kill you, stay out of it.” “In the desert?” “Bandages, you fool—bandages! Wrap yourself up in these. Travel by night if you have to, after you reach the surface.” Silently Jacklyn began to don the garments. He said without expression, “It will kill me.”