d throw, yet also big
enough to pin him for a few moments. Once he is down, it will be easy
enough to bury him under more rocks.

The Kerak major spotted a boulder of the proper size, a few yards
away. He backed toward it, throwing small stones in Hector's direction
to keep the Watchman busy. In return, a barrage of stones began
striking all around him. Several hit him, one hard enough to knock him
slightly off-balance.

[Illustration]

Slowly, patiently, Odal reached his chosen weapon--an oblong boulder,
about the size of a small chair. He crouched behind it and tugged at
it experimentally. It moved slightly. Another stone zinged off his
arm, hard enough to hurt. Odal could see Hector clearly now, standing
atop a small rise, calmly firing pellets at him. He smiled as he
coiled, catlike, and tensed himself. He gripped the boulder with his
arms and hands.

Then in one vicious uncoiling motion he snatched it up, whirled
around, and hurled it at Hector. The violence of his action sent him
tottering awkwardly as he released the boulder. He fell to the ground,
but kept his eyes fixed on the boulder as it tumbled end over end,
directly at the Watchman.

For an eternally-long instant Hector stood motionless, seemingly
entranced. Then he leaped sideways, floating dreamlike in the low
gravity, as the stone hurtled inexorably past him.

Odal pounded his fist on the ground in fury. He started up, only to
have a good-sized stone slam against his shoulder, and knock him flat
again. He looked up in time to see Hector fire another. The stone
puffed into the ground inches from Odal's helmet. The Kerak major
flattened himself. Several more stones clattered on his helmet and
oxygen tank. Then silence.

Odal looked up and saw Hector squatting down, reaching for more
ammunition. The Kerak warrior stood up quickly, his own fists filled
with throwing stones. He cocked his arm to throw--

But something made him turn to look behind him. The boulder loomed
before his eyes, still tumbling slowly, as it had when he had thrown
it. It was too close and too big to avoid. It smashed into Odal,
picked him off his feet and slammed against the upjutting rocks a few
yards away.

Even before he started to feel the pain in his midsection, Odal began
trying to push the boulder off. But he could not get enough leverage.
Then he saw the Star Watchman's form standing over him.

"I didn't really think you'd fall for it," Odal heard Hector's voice