"Where there is hope you have new life," smiled Stasor gently. "Without science to benefit their lives the people of Karr have no hope." Angus lashed out bitterly, "The Diktor is too powerful. There isn't any way to beat him." "I will show you a way," murmured the old man. IV Stal Tay held high court before his ruby throne. He sat with right hand on his knee, bent forward, thin lips smiling. Before him stood the Hierarch, rigid with rage, black eyes burning under the shadow of his white cowl. To the Hierarch's left an almost naked Moana was crumpled on the cold stone floor, manacles rivetted to her wrists and ankles, her white flesh gleaming through torn garments. Stal Tay taunted, "You come too late, Hierarch. I know where Red Angus went, what he went for, and who sent him." "It was done in your interests," rasped the scientist. "I brought her to you that you might know the truth." Stal Tay glanced at the weeping Moana. "So many odd things are done in my supposed interests these days. At that, I'm almost inclined to believe you but what really bothers me is this--did Angus find...." The Diktor snapped off his speech abruptly. He rose half out of his throne, fingers clutching the jeweled arms. The Hierarch whirled. Even Moana turned her head to look, the sobs still racking her body. A yellow glow was forming in midair a foot above the stone tiles of the Audience Chamber. The yellow glittered, coruscated and faded away. Where the color was now stood a flat black dais with three chairs whose curving legs were rivetted to the floor of the dais. A man turned from the control panel that rose between the seats, a man with red hair and a tanned body. The man looked at them and laughed. "Angus," whimpered Moana. "Seize him," raged Stal Tay. Angus bent and lifted something and held it up. It glittered in the light filtering through the arched windows of the Audience Chamber. Angus said, "This is the Book of Nard. I've come to bargain with you, Stal Tay." The Diktor sank back into his throne, gesturing his guards aside. He said, "What do you want for the Book?" "Moana." "Moana," said the Diktor in surprise. "Is that all? Take her ... but wait. How do I know this isn't a trick? How do I know I'll get the Book?" Angus stepped from the dais to the floor of the chamber. He placed the book in its golden covers on the floor. "I went to the City of the Ancients. I met Stasor and took the Book of Nard from him. I came to bring it to you. I see I came just in time to save Moana." Stal Tay came to his feet. "That thing you ride. What is it? Tell me its secret and I'll pardon you." Angus laughed in his face. "Stasor calls it a teleportator. It shifts space, draws sectors of space together in an instant. In it a man can move from here to anywhere on Karr. Stasor knows many things, Stal Tay. One of them is how to bring you off that throne!"