y-lit case were the three besieged Earthlings, half
in blackness, the light from the front making ghastly shadows on their
faces. Acolites at some sorcerer's rite they looked, with the long inky
patches that left them to dissolve formlessly against the far walls of
the room.

Grotesque in the operating garments he wore, his bald head shining in
the eery light, Eliot Leithgow approached the microphone Dr. Ku had used
to communicate with his pathetic subjects. He looked down at the brains,
at the wires which threaded the pans they lay in, at the narrow gray
tubes that pulsed with blood--or whatever might be the fluid used in its
stead. All mechanical was the apparatus--all of metal and other
cunningly fashioned man-made materials--all but the brains....

* * * * *

To the old Master Scientist there came a vision of five human figures,
rising specterlike from the case they were entombed in; straight, proud
young figures, two of them; two others old, like himself, and the fifth
a gnarled hunchback. Very different were they, each from each other, but
each face had its mark of genius; and each face, to Eliot Leithgow, was
warm and smiling, for these five men were friends....

So he saw them in vision....

"Another switch has to be thrown to talk with them, Carse," he said. The
Hawk indicated one inquiringly. Leithgow nodded. "Yes. That was it." The
switch went over.

He steadied himself and said into the speaking grille:

"I am Eliot Leithgow--Master Scientist Eliot Leithgow. Once you knew me.
Professors Geinst, Estapp and Norman, Dr. Swanson and Master Scientist
Cram--do you remember me? Do you remember how once we worked together;
how, long ago on our Earth, we were friends? Do you remember your old
colleague, Leithgow?"

He stopped, deeply shaken. In seconds his mind sped back through the
years to those five men as he had last seen them--and to two women he
had met, calm-faced as their husband-scientists.... God forbid those
women should ever learn of this!

Carse watched his old comrade closely, fearful of the strain this was on
him.

Then came a cold, thin, mechanical voice.

_"Yes, Master Scientist Eliot Leithgow. I remember you well."_

The scientist strove to keep level his voice as he continued:

"Two friends and I are trapped here. Dr. Ku Sui desires my brain. He
wishes to add it to----" He stammered, halted; then burst out: "If it
would help you in any way, I