s that of a beast, but Kennon was a civilized man to whom
fighting was an art perfected by millennia of warfare. And Kennon knew
his trade.

Even so it took longer than Kennon expected because George was big,
George was strong, and George had courage and pride that kept him coming
as long as the blazing will behind his blazing eyes could drive his
battered body. But the end was inevitable.

Kennon looked at his bloody arm where George's teeth had reached their
mark. It was hardly more than a scratch, but it had been close. George
had his lesson and Kennon felt oddly degraded. He sighed, dragged George
back into the cell, and locked the door.

Then he turned to Douglas. The howls of hate from the caged Lani died to
a sullen silence as Kennon gently examined the limp body.

Douglas wasn't dead. His neck was dislocated, not broken, but he was in
serious condition. Kennon was still bending over Douglas wondering how
to call for help when three guards burst through the door, faces grim,
weapons at the ready.

"What's going on here?" the leader demanded. "The board showed an
open door down here." He saw the body--"Mr. Douglas!" he gasped. "The
commandant will have to know about this!" He took a communicator from
his waist belt and spoke rapidly into it. "Arleson in stud cell block,"
he said. "Attempted escape. One casualty--Douglas Alexander--yes,
that's right. No--he's not dead. Send a litter and bearers. Inform the
commandant. I am making investigation on the spot. Out." He turned to
look coldly at Kennon.

"Who are you--and what happened here?" he asked.

Kennon told him.

"You mean you took George!" Arleson said.

"Look in his cell if you don't believe me."

The soldier looked and then turned hack to Kennon. There was awed
respect in his hard brown eyes. "You did that!--to him! Man, you're a
fighter," he said in an unbelieving voice.

A stretcher detail manned by two sober-faced Lani females came in,
loaded Douglas's body on the stretcher, and silently bore it away.

"Douglas was a fool," Arleson said. "He knew we never handle this kind
without maximum restraint. I wonder why he did it?"

"I couldn't say. He told me that gas and shackles would hold him."

"He knew better. These Lani know gas capsules. All George bad to do was
hold his breath. In that cell George would have killed you. You couldn't
have stayed away from him."

Kennon shrugged. Maybe that was what Douglas had wanted. Kennon sighed.
He did