r six went out into the corridor, heatguns ready. The foremost
Jellies had advanced almost to the door, and now that they had spread
out along the corridor, they were not packed so closely together.

The six men advanced steadily, leveling their guns. They fired, intense,
almost invisible beams stabbing into the group of Jellies.

Jellies shrieked in pain, several of them collapsing to the floor with
smoking flesh. The others turned in panic and began to crowd back down
the corridor, the beams stabbing at them and picking them off one by
one.

Then, from amid the Jellies, a beam struck forth, and one of the Masters
went down, his face burned away. Placer burned down the Jelly holding
the heatgun, and the five survivors moved grimly on.

On the ramp ahead, Dark and Old Beard approached the open gate to the
corridor, Happy and Shadow following them.

"I wish I had been able to find more heatguns at Ultra Vires," said Dark
to Old Beard. "Only three, besides our four, are spreading them out
pretty thin."

"At least the Jellies made the break into the corridor, and we've
managed to discourage the Toughs below from following them up for a
while," said Old Beard. The bodies of a dozen Toughs at the foot of the
ramp behind them attested to the rear guard battle they had fought. That
was what had held them up so long. "If we can hold the corridor and keep
the Masters bottled up, your friends outside should be able to turn the
tide."

"It will take them a while to break in," said Dark. "But I've already
contacted Cheng telepathically and told him to move in."

They emerged into the corridor, into a scene of tremendous confusion.
All they could see in both directions were Jellies, milling about and
chattering. The mass seemed to be drifting gradually toward the left,
while from the right came shrieks of agony.

"This way," said Dark, turning to the left. "We have to get Maya out of
here before we can do anything else."

Forcing their way through the Jellies, they came to a door. Dark tried
it. It was locked. He burned the lock off and pushed it open.

Maya was standing back against the wall on the other side of the room,
alarmed at the noise in the corridor, frightened at the opening of the
door. As Dark and Old Beard came in, and she recognized Dark, she ran
across the room to meet them, joy transforming her face.

She threw herself into Dark's arms.

"Oh, Dark!" she cried. "I knew you'd come!"

He enfolded her i