e good arm as well as his eyesight. He could work in
the library and relieve a fully fit man. How long he had been dragging
the useless husk of a body around the building, no one knew. In spite of
the pain that filled his red-rimmed, moist eyes, he had stayed alive.
Growing old, older than any other Pyrran as far as Jason had seen. He
tottered forward and turned off the alarm that had called him.

When Jason started to explain the old man took no notice. Only after the
librarian had rummaged a hearing aid out of his clothes, did Jason
realize he was deaf as well. Jason explained again what he searched for.
Poli nodded and printed his answer on a tablet.

_there are many old books--in the storerooms below_

Most of the building was taken up by the robot filing and sorting
apparatus. They moved slowly through the banks of machinery, following
the crippled librarian to a barred door in the rear. He pointed to it.
While Jason and Meta fought to open the age-incrusted bars, he wrote
another note on his tablet.

_not opened for many years, rats_

Jason's and Meta's guns appeared reflexively in their hands as they read
the message. Jason finished opening the door by himself. The two native
Pyrrans stood facing the opening gap. It was well they did. Jason could
never have handled what came through that door.

He didn't even open it for himself. Their sounds at the door must have
attracted all the vermin in the lower part of the building. Jason had
thrown the last bolt and started to pull on the handle--when the door
was _pushed_ open from the other side.

* * * * *

Open the gateway to hell and see what comes out. Meta and Poli stood
shoulder to shoulder firing into the mass of loathsomeness that boiled
through the door. Jason jumped to one side and picked off the occasional
animal that came his way. The destruction seemed to go on forever.

Long minutes passed before the last clawed beast made its death rush.
Meta and Poli waited expectantly for more, they were happily excited by
this chance to deal destruction. Jason felt a little sick after the
silent ferocious attack. A ferocity that the Pyrrans reflected. He saw a
scratch on Meta's face where one of the beasts had caught her. She
seemed oblivious to it.

Pulling out his medikit, Jason circled the piled bodies. Something
stirred in their midst and a crashing shot ploughed into it. Then he
reached the girl and pushed the analyzer pro