"It is," I agreed, belatedly recalling to mind my mission. I was probably this minute under disapproving observation. "You can't hope to fight them all," I continued. "That is why I would earnestly suggest that you run." "To where would I run?" "I gave that a good deal of thought on my way here," I said. "There's a space ship--on a meadow outside the walls, on the far side of the city--that you might be able to reach. You could take it and flee to your own world, probably the only place where you'd be safe." "I wouldn't know how to operate it." "The ship is very nearly automatic. Look," I said. I took a sheet of velum, and a stylus, and drew three circles with smaller circles beneath them. "These represent the dials on the ship's control panel. The bubbles in the first dial must be set in this order--you'd better memorize them--blue-blue-yellow-blue-yellow. That's the range for your Earth. You'll have to shrink the last yellow bubble to about three-quarter size. That will give you a safety leeway. The ship will take itself in on motors from there. "This second dial starts the ship. You merely squeeze the knob beneath it. The third dial is for stopping. As you are about to land, the tighter you grip the knob, the slower the ship will settle. You shouldn't have any trouble manipulating it." His spirits seemed to revive somewhat. "It's worth a try," he said. "I have nothing to lose." "It's only a few hours to night-fall," I told him. "That will be the best time to try getting through the city. I'd suggest you eat a good meal, and fix yourself a lunch to take along. Then nap if you can." * * * * * I was back in Srtes' office, watching the big screen, with the eight council members, when the alien started out. That was shortly after dusk. It is never completely dark on Zade. He was shrewd enough to leave his room the back way, I observed. There was no rear door, but he let himself down from the balcony, dropping the last few feet to the ground. "He is wearing a sword, I see," a white haired councilor remarked. "Yes," Srtes answered. "He was given it when they were testing his weapons adaptability. But the fool filed it down until it is hardly thicker than a reed. It will be a poor weapon." The alien hugged the wall of the house, and after glancing into the opening between it and the next, scurried quickly across. Two buildings farther on the rear court ended, and he had to go around to the front. When he reached the yellow pedestrian walk he did not turn, as we might have expected, but went on across a second courtyard. "He realizes that the normally travelled yellow walks would not be very safe," Srtes said. "I wonder how long it will take him to solve the enigma of the others." At the next white street he turned to his right. When he reached the end and learned that he had gone up a blind alley he retraced his steps and went across to a perpendicular blue street. He seemed a bit nervous now.