One tiny, thread-like wire had cheated a thousand Earthians from their freedom! And there was nothing to be done! The trap door opened slowly some time later, and Marene came up into the room. Her eyes were hollow and sad, but she seemed even more beautiful. Zurk could not feel the hot tears that coursed down over the steel hand that Marene was holding against her soft cheek; but he could hear the sweet vibrations of her voice. "Zurk. Oh, Zurk!" She was sobbing quietly against the hand she held. "You're ... you're the only one I have left now." She raised her head and choked back the tears. "Forgive me, Zurk," she pleaded, "and please understand...." The transformed Zurk would have given anything to let her know that he understood. As it was, he struggled with all his might to give her some sign of understanding, struggled until the small flame at the back of his neck grew white hot and sent him reeling into an oblivion filled with blackness. When light rays and sound vibrations again began streaming into his consciousness, Marene had gone. He didn't know how much time had elapsed since Zuldi's visit. Maybe a day. Maybe a week. Soon the black ship would be coming.... The thought of that black ship and what it meant sent Zurk into another frantic struggle against the thing at the back of his neck. Time and time again he struggled until blackness overcame him. * * * * * Once, when consciousness returned to him, he became aware of two people standing before him looking up at him. One was Marene. The other was a slim youth a year or two older than she. "Too bad he doesn't work," the young man was saying. "He would be such a help in the fight that is soon to come." "Yes," said Marene. Her voice was hopeful. "Perhaps you could find out what is wrong with him." A ray of hope flashed through Zurk. If the young man could find the loose wire at the back of his neck.... But the young man was shaking his head. "There is not time enough for that," he said. "It would take weeks to go over that intricate mechanism. As it is, I have only time enough to get the gun assembled and placed." Zurk watched Marene lead the young man to the table at the end of the room near the window. She pressed a button, and a small door slid open in the floor beneath the table to expose two neatly coiled electrodes. The young man's face lighted. "Just the thing," he said. "With that electrical power, my gun is bound to be a success!" "But it's dangerous," warned Marene. "Zuldi knows of this laboratory." "I doubt if he'll come back. He'll probably believe that no one would dare to use this laboratory again." A shadow of doubt came across the young man's face. "But I can't understand how it happened that Zuldi tore out the electric furnace in which your father built the guns but failed to molest Zurk."