marble building at the
farther end was built like the Parthenon Library at Athena. Why it had
been built and by whom (by the Alliance, to show their humane and
considerate treatment of the prisoners) he did not know or care. If it
was also a library then perhaps there would be records. It was a
feeble thought, but it drew him on because he had no other.

As his heart pounded unbearably he heard the same prayer repeated over
and over inside him. DEAR GOD FORGIVE ME I KNOW I AM SELFISH BUT
PLEASE DEAR GOOD PLEASE IF I MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU DON'T LET HER BE
HERE. I WILL DO ANYTHING JUST DON'T LET HER BE HERE. Then almost
against his will the post script, BUT IF SHE IS HERE MAY SHE PLEASE
PLEASE PLEASE NOT HAVE BEEN TORTURED AND AT LEAST BE DEAD NOW.

"No, no!" Almost he started to run, but the weight at his arm checked
him fiercely. The girl stood still with terror in her eyes, and
pointed to a figure at the top of the marble steps.

An old man with graying hair, not so horrible as the rest but still
dreadful to look upon, stood by another who lay sprawled at his feet on
the steps. Something red stood out clearly against the marble and
Brunner saw that it was blood, coming from an open wound in the
prostrate man. There was blood also on the knife the old man clutched
awkwardly in his left hand. If the two had still been human, the scene
might have been tragic---something from the epics of Homer. But as it
was it was ghastly and brutal, the afterglow of a vicious reptilian
death struggle. The standing man's jaw was torn to one side, exposing
teeth the size of walnuts.

The woman would have fled, but Brunner watched the old man intently.
He saw the weapon in the hand of the other as well---it had not been
outright murder. And also the man did not run, but returned his gaze
with troubled curiosity. At last some form of recognition seemed to
come over him, because with a twisting gesture of the right arm which
he could not lower, he beckoned them towards him.

"Come on," he said to the nurse.

She shook her head. "Make him drop the knife."

"All right." He lowered his mask. "My friend. . .we mean you no harm.
As a gesture that you don't either, will you drop the knife?" The
other looked puzzled. "Will you please drop the knife?"

At this he seemed to understand. He shook the arm with the knife in
it, but would not let it go. "Why doesn't he drop it?"

Brunner advance slowly. "He can't. T