Randall snorted. It was the age-old paradox of the Time Traveler who goes into the past and kills his grandfather. Only in this case, the Kralons were gleaning from a future civilization the knowledge which would prevent the development of that same civilization! Sublime absurdity! Things which had sprung into being from Time's capacious womb could not be relegated to oblivion merely by the selfish ambitions of the Kralons or any other creatures! Then Randall remembered with a pang of fear that his own presence in this fantastic world of the past was apparently a contradiction to that same logic. If he and his companions could be catapulted into a time preceding their birth by millions upon millions of years, was it then so fantastic that the Kralons could alter a future which now existed only as a memory of Randall and his companions? He closed his eyes for a moment, then turned again to the huge creatures who were waiting for him to speak. "And if we refuse to give you the information you desire?" he asked tonelessly. The Voder sputtered in an expression of wrath. "In that case," it said in response to the Kralon's flying fingers, "In that case, we can still make use of those who wish to be obstinate!" "What do you want to know?" he asked. "We want the secret of atomic power," was the reply. "And the process for neutralizing gravitation. We want the data on methods for varying electronic and nuclear structure of atoms, transmutation of elements, as you call it. We want--" "But I know nothing of these things!" interrupted Randall. "Even the most brilliant physicists of my time had just learned the rudiments of atomic fission and fusion, and they had as yet not even touched the theory of gravitational neutralization! How can I help you, when apparently your knowledge is greater than mine?" "We know," was the reply. "Zor Ala seems to be the only one we have thus far trapped in our Time Net who came from an era in which those phenomena were understood. And so far we have been unable to persuade him to reveal that knowledge." * * * * * Apparently the interview was over insofar as Randall was concerned, and the small Kralon returned and led the agent out another door. Randall followed his guide back to the stockade where he was met with a storm of questions from his companions who still waited at the gate. His eyes searched for Blake Garnet. When he saw that the man who had preceded him to the interview with the Kralons was not among them, he went in search of Zor Ala. The future-man winced when Randall asked him if he had seen Garnet. "No," he said in a low voice. "Blake Garnet has not returned. He will never return." Randall's thin brows lifted. "What do you mean?" Zor Ala's dark eyes mirrored a world of emotion. "The hunter was a magnificent physical specimen," he replied. "The Kralons have use for such as he."