"Well, now you're with us. How does it feel?" "Like being with the team again," Carter lied. "Brief me on what's been going on here." "There are about a dozen Khethlani, on various worlds in this sector. One to a world. They've been that way for millions of years--it's an ancient and very wise race." "And where do we fit in?" "We're busy building a thought-generator," explained Gendron. "The Khethlani wants to set up a linkage with its brothers, and it needs our help." "I get it. It's a sort of thought-amplifier." "Right. The Khethlani shows us how to build it--but he can't do it himself. We're like his arms and legs. He works through us. It's a tremendous job." "How far have you gotten?" "Just the framework," Gendron said. "That's why we're sending out that wide-beam SOS. We need all the extra hands we can get. You're the third one so far." "Neat. Only it almost didn't work on me." "I still don't understand that. You resisted incredibly well. But you couldn't stand up to the Khethlani face-to-face." "No," Carter said. "Of course not." "Here we are," said Gendron. "This is what we've done on the thought-generator so far." He opened another door, and Carter saw a large room almost completely filled with a complex webwork of machinery. Half a dozen Earthmen were working busily in the far corner, soldering delicate wires together and assembling an array of transistors. "It's a long, slow, tough job," said Gendron. "The Khethlani's guiding us every step of the way." "And when it's finished--?" "Then the twelve Khethlani will be in contact with each other. Then they'll blend their mental powers into one super-being that will control the universe." * * * * * Carter barely repressed a shudder. "How wonderful!" he forced himself to say. "Yes. Wonderful." Gendron slapped him on the back. "I'm sorry we had to rough you up, Carter, but we had to get you under control." "I understand. When are you going to show me what I can do here?" Gendron looked at him peculiarly for a moment, and Carter realized he had blundered. Supposedly all orders would be coming direct from the Khethlani. "We won't have to show you," Gendron said. "You'll know when you're supposed to work." "Yes, of course," Carter said. "I see that. And I think my time is coming now." "Good. We're happy to have you with us." Gendron walked away, and Carter moved stiffly toward one corner of the room and pretended to busy himself with the tangle of equipment he found there. Whatever this thing the Khethlani was designing was, it was a miracle of engineering. He watched the others in the room working busily, their minds and fingers guided by the promptings of the thing in the pit. It was only a matter of time before the Khethlani found out that Carter wasn't really under control--if it didn't know already. As soon as the Khethlani was certain, it would communicate that to Gendron and his men, and this time they wouldn't be merciful.