t?" The deeply concerned look in her eyes made
him feel that he was a little more to her than just a part of an
underground conspiracy.

"The arm's all right," he said. "A sentry grazed it. I'll see you." He
turned away and started back for the roof.

VII

There was a throbbing ache in his arm as he went back up the
grav-well. He held the control in his teeth and twisted it with his
left hand as he reached the roof level. He stepped out. The cold had
deepened and the wind was bitter. He stepped over the unconscious
sentry and placed his guns on the ledge before him. He twisted the
dial of the Stoltz to 'lethal' and to 'max area.' With that sort of
adjustment the Stoltz was dependable only for very short ranges, but
he had to have something ready against a mass attack. The blaster was
a precision, aimed weapon, and would do for one at a time.

The cold soaked in. His arm numbed and then ached, and numbed again.
Thane waited. He had no way of knowing what Selan was saying or what
effect it had in the minds of the Onzarians. Or did he? The normal
street noises below seemed to be changing. Through the noise of the
wind, a dull, confused murmur came up from below. That might be mass
anger.

Thane picked up the blaster and walked over to the parapet. Far below
he could see that crowds were beginning to gather in the street. Some
were clumped around street loudspeakers.

There was a hum overhead. Thane spun around and looked up. A police
patrol was just overhead. As it settled Thane threw himself flat on
the icy tile. There was an immediate shrieking pain from his injured
right arm. He gritted his teeth and aimed as the door of the anti-grav
opened. The flash of his blaster was a bright orange in the night air.
The man on his side crumpled. Thane was on his feet at once and dashed
to the door of the patrol. One more flash of the blaster and the other
occupant tumbled out the other side.

Thane hurried back to the sentry booth for his Stoltz. There would be
more. As he reached it something hit him hard. He fell back towards
the patrol anti-grav. He was fighting desperately. A hand went around
his throat and tightened. A knee came down on his right arm. He
wavered on the brink of unconsciousness. He fought his way back.

He jabbed savagely with the stiff fingers of his left hand and caught
his opponent under the jaw. Thane pushed upward and back as hard as he
could. Thane felt the hand loosen on his throat. Thane cam