There were houses, at least they could be houses, spaced entirely without relation to each other and surrounded by immense park-like grounds. There were no congested areas within his range of vision. Neither was he able to discover roads or sidewalks, fences or walls anywhere. Alpha Centauri A was still just rising, its orange twin not yet above the hills, which he could see in the distance. He turned wonderingly back into the room. Their guard regarded them in amusement. "Sit down," he suggested, indicating a bench. They seated themselves. "Ask him what they're going to do with us, Jon." Ileth nudged Saxon in the ribs. Saxon cleared his throat. Before he could speak, the guard smiled and said, "I haven't the faintest idea how they plan to dispose of you. Even if I did, that would be for Them to tell you." He nodded toward a closed door on their right. "They'll send for you any moment now." "Who are 'they'?" Saxon asked. "The Elders." "What planet is this?" "Vark." The guard's voice was pleasant. He smiled faintly when he talked. "The fourth planet of the sun you call Alpha Centauri A. This is the city of Ghibellena." He nodded out the windows. "How did we get here? Teleportation?" "Not exactly." There was a momentary silence while the Alien observed them with that amused gleam in his eye. Then Saxon tried again. "Who are you? Why have you captured us?" The man nodded briefly again towards the closed door. "You'll learn that in there--if They see fit to tell you." "Where are the rest of the crew? Dead? In prison?" "Oh, no. They've been taken to Zara." "Zara? Where's Zara?" "Zara is a satellite of the third planet. The one we call Tunis." "What is that city we saw? The deserted one near the ship?" Again the man smiled and nodded toward the door. "If They see fit to tell you." Saxon shrugged burly shoulders. "How do you make yourselves invisible?" Surprisingly enough the man answered. "It's a refinement of your stellar drive, an excursion into the time field. In fact, it was discovered almost a hundred of your years ago by a Terran. A Dr. Walter." Saxon looked disconcerted. Ileth swallowed, her eyes as round as saucers. Suddenly her hand squeezed his arm. "The door! It's opening!" "You may go in," said their guard. "They're ready for you." Saxon had risen uncertainly. He looked at the door which was receding into the wall. Through the portal, he glimpsed a terrace or a balcony, roofless. Beyond and below the terrace was a yellow sea stretching to the horizon, its cadmium waves frothing against a beach of black sand. "They're expecting you," the guard prompted. Saxon shrugged. Taking Ileth's arm, he went through the opening. The door slid shut behind them. * * * * * The balcony, Saxon saw, was paved checkerboard fashion with green and yellow blocks. At the left, out of sight from the entrance, was a twenty foot table of pale green stone. Seven incredibly old men sat behind the table.