t physical torture, and he did
have a certain protection against most of the drugs.

But the older medic simply asked him to sit down. He did, and his
assistant twisted a few dials. Indicators gave readings, quite a few
hundred readings. A metal recorder plate dropped out. The assistant
dropped this into the computer which began busily to eject tape. The
older man read the tape as it ticked out. The computer stopped and he
crumpled up the tape and tossed it into a corner. "Injection A17," he
said.

Vaguely he heard his name. He sat up, blinked his eyes open and looked
around. He was in quite a different room. There were curtains at the
windows, a desk, a rug, even a fire. There was a figure in front of
him speaking to him. "Roger Thane, we know you now. There is much that
we do not know, that has been hidden from even our methods. But we
know enough."

Thane was now fully alert. The voice had been soothing, but the shock
on seeing the face, when his eyes had come back into focus, was enough
to change all his ideas. It was Manning Reine.

Reine was sitting close to him, one elbow casually thrown across the
desk. He smiled, and asked if Thane would like coffee or a drink.

"I've had both," Thane said, "and they're not what I need now. Right
now all I want is what goes on. My job, which I didn't particularly
want, was to nursemaid you. Frankly, it's turned out to be quite a
job. After three or four very thorough stoltzings, one space battle, a
challenge, and a duel, you have me kidnapped. All right. I've got a
reasonably open mind. I'll listen. Now just what in the hell is going
on?"

Manning Reine said calmly, "Undoubtedly you have reason for anger,
Thane. It is true that we have used you. We have had to. But you
should know that there was nothing faked about my abduction. Those who
took me were Onzarians, agents of Candar, and they were deadly
serious. It was only with the greatest of good fortune that I was able
to escape. Only the presence of Pyuf at Aberdeen Spaceport made it
possible.

"And another point for your consideration. We did not know your
position. Your appearance is Onzarian. We could not be sure that you
were what you claimed, an agent of Liaison. And even if we could have
been sure, there were considerations that required us to proceed with
the greatest caution. Now, I hope you will accept my apologies and
listen. There is much that you can do, important for us and for the
whole Galaxy."

Tha