e
girl to bring you back to life."

"To bring--" echoed Chandler his mouth falling open.

"Actually, she produced a perfect copy of you. A living copy. Do you see
what she offers us, Chandler? Infinite wealth from creativity out of
nothing--and eternal life by copying our bodies each time we die! What
do you say about your precious captain now?"

Chandler seemed confused. He shook his head, staring first at Glaudot
and then at Robin. "The ship," he said. "Our duty ... the captain ..."

Glaudot snorted and told Robin: "Kill him."

"Kill him?"

"Yes. You brought him into being. Now send him out of being."

"But I can't do that. I have no further control once I make something.
And besides I--I wouldn't kill a human being, even if I could."

Fear was in Chandler's eyes. "Mr. Glaudot, listen ..." he began.

"Listen, hell," Glaudot said. "I brought you back to life. I offered you
a share in the greatest power the worlds have ever known. You turned it
down. I'm sorry, Chandler. I'm really sorry for you. But I can't let you
return to the ship, you see. Not until I learn some more about this
world, not until I understand exactly what the girl's power is, and
consolidate my position."

* * * * *

Without waiting to hear more, Chandler began to run. In three great
bounds he reached the grazing roan stallion and leaped on its back,
digging his heels into its flanks. The stallion moved off at a quick
trot as Glaudot drew his blaster and took dead aim at Chandler's
retreating back.

When he had Chandler squarely in his sights, Glaudot began to squeeze
the trigger. But suddenly the trigger-housing-unit of the blaster became
encumbered with tiny vines. There were hundreds of them writhing and
crawling all over the weapon and getting in the sights too so Glaudot
could no longer aim. By the time he tore the vines clear, cursing
savagely, the roan stallion had taken Chandler out of sight on his
retreat toward the spaceship.

Glaudot whirled on Robin. "You did this!" he accused her. "You did it.
Why--why?"

"You were going to kill him. You shouldn't have."

"But now you've ruined everything. Not just for me. For us, don't you
see? I could have laid the world at your feet. I could have--listen!
Tell me this--is there any place we can hide? Some place they won't find
us if they come looking, while we work on this power of yours and see
exactly what it can do and what it can't do?"

"I want