The inside of the craft, operating under low flying procedure, was darkened except for the dull orange of the instruments. "Up!" Parr cried in Knoug, and the craft shot away pressing him to the floor even though the acceleration compensator was whirring in his ears. He groaned and stiffened, anticipating the light when they were in second procedure level. He heard one of the crew say: "Pick-up successful." "Can you berth your craft on the Flagship?" * * * * * Parr felt a dread for he had thought to go to the Advanceship, and that was the one Lauri would name for destruction! Relief came when the crewman said, "Wrong hangar sort. This isn't combat equipment, sorry." "All right." Parr breathed an easier sigh, and the communications set went off. The lights came on. Instinctively Parr lowered his head into his arms. He groaned again. "My leg," he mumbled. "What?" "Hurt my leg," he lied. A crewman knelt beside him. Parr realized then that they were carrying an extra crewman. The Knoug rolled him over. There was a startled gasp of recognition and Parr hit him in the neck. He slumped down and Parr had to squirm from under his limp body. "What the--!" Parr was on his feet. "That's not Kal!" one of the others said. The pilot swiveled around. Parr dove, realizing, even as he was in the air, that each Knoug was reaching for his focus gun. He hit the standing Knoug. The Knoug teetered. Parr hit him again. The pilot had his gun out. Parr slammed a mental bolt at the pilot and he was surprised to see that the shield folded like hot butter. Even had he wished to, he could not have stopped his assault from crisping the other's thoughts to oblivion. He was almost annoyed at the weakness. He tried a mental assault at the other sagging crewman with equal results. The craft started to spin out of control. Parr struggled forward, was slammed sideways, and far below he could see moonlight flash on water. He was thrown into the controls on the second spin, and he pulled back the emergency equalizer in desperation. The craft skittered. And then he was in control. He found the beam on the dial. He was to the left. He centered on it and followed it in. He jockeyed below the gaping hatch of the Advanceship and came up slowly. The controls were stiff. It was a ticklish job. Then he was inside. He shied left to set the craft down. It bounced and half rolled on the deck. Then he struggled to the door. When he opened it there was an orderly waiting. "That was a hell of a landing," he said. "For--hey!" He went down easily under the assault. Parr realized his mind had grown even stronger than he had supposed. For the first time he began to hope that he really stood a chance of making it. He glanced at his watch. Almost forty-five minutes! It had seemed only five.... * * * * *