ine from his hospital bed was now
allowing five Star Watch officers to join Hector, even though they
were physically sitting in a starship orbiting high above the planet.

The odds were even now. The five additional Watchmen were the
roughest, hardiest, most aggressive man-to-man fighters that the Star
Watch could provide on a one-day notice.

Twelve powerful chargers met head on, and twelve strong men smashed
together with an ear-splitting CLANG! Shattered spears showered
splinters everywhere. Men and animals went down.

Hector was rocked back in his saddle, but somehow managed to avoid
falling off.

On the other hand, he could not really regain his balance, either.
Dust and weapons filled the air. A sword hissed near his head and
rattled off his shield.

With a supreme effort. Hector pulled out his own sword and thrashed at
the nearest rider. It turned out to be a fellow Watchman, but the
stroke bounced harmlessly off his helmet.

It was so confusing. The wheeling, snorting animals. Clouds of dust.
Screaming, raging men. A black-armored rider charged into Hector,
waving a battle-ax over his head. He chopped savagely, and the
Watchmans's shield split apart. Another frightening swing--Hector
tried to duck and slid completely out of the saddle, thumping
painfully on the ground, while the ax cleaved the air where his head
had been a split-second earlier.

Somehow his helmet had been turned around. Hector tried to decide
whether to thrash around blindly or lay down his sword and straighten
out the helmet. The problem was solved for him by the _crang!_ of a
sword against the back of his helmet. The blow flipped him into a
somersault, but also knocked the helmet completely off his head.

* * * * *

Hector climbed painfully to his feet, his head spinning. It took him
several moments to realize that the battle had stopped. The dust
drifted away, and he saw that all the Kerak fighters were down--except
one. The black-armored warrior took off his helmet and tossed it
aside. It was Odal. Or was it? They all looked alike. _What difference
does it make?_ Hector wondered. _Odal's mind is the dominant one._

Odal stood, legs braced apart, sword in hand, and looked uncertainly
at the other Star Watchman. Three of them were afoot and two still
mounted. The Kerak assassin seemed as confused as Hector felt. The
shock of facing equal numbers had sapped much of his confidence.

Cautiously he adv