He gauged his distance from the killer and moved a step closer to Tompkins while draining his glass. Then he swung suddenly away, turning his back on Tompkins. In the faces of the men surrounding him he could see the sudden change of expression, which they could not hide. He called the bartender. "Fill up again, Louey. All around. I feel lucky tonight." Simultaneously, his hand dropped carelessly to his side and twisted the pocket of his flame lance to point the electrode behind him. His little finger locked around the trigger and pressed. A sharp scream arose from behind Tompkins and a flame lance clattered to the floor. Nathan whirled. Both his lances were in front of him when he faced Tompkins. But Tompkins was staring down at the dead killer. And he was searching frantically for the source of the shot. Then his glance fell on the charred wood of the front of the bar where Nathan's reflection shot had turned. At first his unbelief was amusing. Then anger came like a hurricane across his face. The spacemen were hungry for a brawl. A hunching of Tompkins' shoulders would send them rushing. Nathan could kill perhaps a dozen before they got him. But there would be little satisfaction in that. He said quietly, "I'll get you first, Tompkins. Better call off your dogs." Tompkins hesitated. If he gave the signal, Nathan would kill him first. If he failed to give it, some drunk spaceman's shot might easily find his back. Then a bellowing interruption solved Tompkins' problem for him. A newcomer burst into the tavern and grasped the scene. He laughed with a gentle thunder. "Ho--I come to look for the son of Thymar and find him holding up the brawlingest joint on all Mars--including my old friend Trigger Tompkins!" Nathan glanced out of the corner of his eye as Tabor strode forward. VII Tabor pushed his way into the crowd and the men backed away to return to their tables. The mob urge was broken. "Put up your guns, Nathan. Can't you see that old Tom here is just having a little fun? Why, he wouldn't hurt a fly." Nathan smiled thinly. "I hope the gentleman on the floor wasn't having a little fun, too. I'm afraid he won't be able to have it now." Tompkins said sourly, "I thought you said Firebird and this young fool had been killed on the way here." Tabor shrugged his shoulders. "That's the way news is here in these parts of the System. Nothing reliable. Everybody's liars." He turned to Nathan. "There was some report about you and Firebird having gotten into trouble and I guess the story got exaggerated. I'm plenty glad to see you safe. I came in the _Sunbeam_ to take you back to Venus." "How did you know I was here?" "The _Corsair_ was seen leaving. I knew you'd be aboard." "Why?"