Some of the blank horror left Veta's eyes. "Tell me--? What?" Low-voiced, Ross said, "I don't want us to die with you thinking I'm Lewis Thigpen. That bracelet Cheng found was mine. My name's Stewart Ross, and I'm a Security Agent. Actually, Thigpen died of a heart attack before Tornelescu was killed. But whoever murdered Tornelescu doesn't know that. He's geared to go after Thigpen, because the catalyst formulas and notes use a code for ingredients, and Thigpen's the only one who knew it. So we figured a fake Thigpen would draw the killer out of hiding." He stopped abruptly. "I wanted you to know." And then, staring down at the gulfers as moment by moment they closed in: "Here. Give me your pipe." But Veta's fingers tightened about it. "No. Not till I've told you something too, Stewart. You see, I had to help Mawson. It was the only way I could keep my brother Sanford out of Venus Barracks. But I didn't dare tell you. Mawson--he could have had Tornelescu murdered. And he sent Cheng after you, too, thinking you were Thigpen. Only I think he'd seen Thigpen someplace or other, so when he saw you, he knew you weren't the right man--" Ross broke in, "I'm sorry, Veta. There's no more time for talk. For real, we either do or die right now." A gulfer brushed his foot as he spoke. Shuddering, Ross' jerked back hard against the room's rear wall, twisting the vocorn pipe from Veta's hand. Then, like lightning, his arm whipped back, and forward, hurling the instrument the length of the narrow room, straight at the barred door and Igor Cheng. It was close, a near miss. But Cheng ducked as it hit. Simultaneously, Ross dived bodily across the encroaching gulfers. He didn't clear the last, but he was rolling when he landed. Before the creature could get a grip and wrap itself about him, he was on his feet and lunging for the barred door. Arms extended, thrusting between the heavy rods, he threw his whole weight on the wheeled cage just beyond. The cage rolled back, away, gaining momentum with every turn of the wheels. Something brushed Ross' leg. He whirled as a gulfer started to surge up about his ankle. * * * * * Bending double, Ross caught the monster by one edge and, with a mighty heave, sent it flapping and slithering between the door's bars, out into the anteroom beyond. The thing almost hit Cheng. With an oath, the slaver leaped away. "The cage!" he roared. "Bring back that cage!" His aides leaped to obey. Ross snatched up a second gulfer; hurled it after the first. Cursing and dodging, Cheng's men raced the cage back, striving to block the door. Kicking through the bars, Ross knocked it out of alignment. Then, grappling with another gulfer, he swung it so it fell on the far side of the closest man. A hoarse yell. The burly, bullet-headed outlaw leaped back against the bars in his effort to escape contact with the monster.