geant remained unconscious.
Wayne shook his head uncertainly, wondering what had come over the
mild-mannered Boggs. A chilling thought struck him: _was this what
happened to the crew of the Mavis?_

* * * * *

He looked up the cliff, where the other two men were still peering over
the edge.

"MacPherson! Manetti! Come down! We're going back to the ship!"

He heaved the unconscious body of Sergeant Boggs over his shoulder like
a potato-sack, and waited for the two men to come down. They drew near.

"Boggs must have gone out of his head," Wayne said. "He jumped me like
a madman."

They had nothing to say, so he turned and began to trudge back to the
_Lord Nelson_, trying to assemble the facts in his mind. They followed
alongside.

What was behind the attack? After seeing the monster, why had Boggs
attempted to push his superior officer over into the sand? There were
other little beasts under that sand; why would Boggs want one of
them--there seemed to be dozens--to jab him with its needle of a beak?

And what were the beastly little animals, anyway?

There were no answers. But the answers would have to come, soon.

He tossed Boggs into the airlock and waited for the others to catch up.
They climbed up the ladder and said nothing as the airlock went through
its cycle and the antibacterial spray covered them.

* * * * *

Colonel Petersen looked at him across the desk and put the palms of his
hands together. "Then, as I understand it, Captain, Sergeant Boggs tried
to push you over into the sand when this--ah--_monster_ jabbed you in
the foot?"

"That's right, sir," Wayne said. He felt uncomfortable. This wasn't a
formal court-martial; it was simply an inquiry into the sergeant's
actions. Charges would be preferred later, if there were any to be
preferred.

Sergeant Boggs stood stolidly on the far side of the room. A livid
bruise along his jaw testified to the struggle that had taken place. One
eye was puffed, and his expression was an unhappy one. Near him,
MacPherson and Private Manetti stood stiffly at attention.

The colonel looked at Boggs. "What's your side of the story, Sergeant?"

The non-com's face didn't change. "Sir, the captain's statement isn't
true."

"_What's that?_" Wayne asked angrily.

"Quiet, Captain," Petersen said. "Go ahead, Boggs."

The sergeant licked his bruised lips. "I was about to start up the rope
when, for no r