He got to his feet and danced around for a while, holding a barked shin, then straightened as a new sound smote his ears. Someone was sobbing. A woman. A woman crying. It did not take Tommy long to trace the sound. He was in a narrower, lower corridor now; one not as fine as the big one upstairs. As Tommy moved forward, the sobbing told him he was going in the right direction. He opened a door. Inside the small room was a narrow, high-legged bed--more of a table, Tommy thought, but he gave it no attention. He was held spellbound by what lay upon the table. A girl with wrists and ankles bound down. She had long chestnut hair that hung down over the edge of the table. She was helpless. And she was completely nude.... * * * * * Rex got up from the floor to which he had been viciously hurled by three Martian guards. He and Jean were in a cell. As the barred door clanged shut, he turned to help Jean as best he could. "Are you hurt?" "I--I guess not." She tried to smile. "Only my dignity." "I got us into a pretty bad mess." "It wasn't your fault." "I don't know who's else it was." Jean strained at her bonds. "They could have at least taken these things off our wrists." "We can do it ourselves." "That guard out there--he's leering in. Maybe we'd better wait until he leaves." "Maybe he won't leave. Anyhow--I don't think they care whether we take them off or not." They stood back to back while Rex worked on the thongs binding Jean. The knots were stubborn but they finally gave, the guard outside watching the process with amusement. Jean got Rex's wrist free quickly and they sat down on the edge of the single bunk and rubbed their wrists. "Well," Jean said, "where do we go from here?" "To wherever they execute their prisoners, I imagine." "But we're still alive. Aren't we supposed to keep the chin up like they do in books?" He took her suddenly in his arms. "You're a brave girl." She pressed close to him. "I'd rather hear you say I'm an attractive girl." He kissed her hard. "Does that convince you?" She sighed and snuggled closer, oblivious of the leering guard. "Thanks, mister. That's better. A gal doesn't mind dying, but she hates to go out feeling she hasn't hooked her man." Rex felt a catch in his throat at the brave front she was maintaining. And it had to be an effort. Jean was no fool. She was a realist. No need to tell her they were finished--that he was no superman who could kick down a wall and carry her to safety. "Let's not think about anything but us," she whispered. "We have at least a few minutes to live--really live!" "With that guard standing there?" Rex said bitterly. "Well, then we can almost live." She kissed him. A few minutes later, he said, "Did you notice anything funny out there in that council room?" "What do you mean by funny? I was so busy looking at those tumbling ice cliffs--"