und had come from
Kilby, invisible in the blackness ahead of him.

Halder threw all his will and strength into the effort to force motion
back into his body. Instead, a wave of cold numbness washed slowly up
through him. It welled into his brain, and for a time all thought and
sensation ended.

* * * * *

His first new awareness was a feeling of being asleep and not knowing
how to wake up. There was no disturbance associated with it. All about
was darkness, complete and quiet.

With curious deliberation, Halder's senses now began bringing other
things to his attention. He was seated, half reclining, in a deep and
comfortable chair, his back against it. He seemed unable to move. His
arms were secured in some manner to the chair's armrests; but, beyond
that, he also found it impossible to lift his body forwards or, he
discovered next, to turn his head in any direction. He was breathing
normally, and he could open and shut his eyes and glance about in
unchanging darkness. But that was all.

Still with a dreamlike lack of concern, Halder began to ask himself what
had happened; and in that instant, with a rush of hot terror, his memory
opened out. They had been trapped ... some undetectable trick of
Federation science had waited for them in the bungalow at Lake Senla. He
had been taken somewhere else.

What had they done with Kilby?

Immediately, almost as if in answer to his question, the darkness seemed
to lighten. But the process was gradual; seconds passed before Halder
gained the impression of a very large room of indefinite proportions.
Twenty feet away was the rim of a black, circular depression in the
flooring. At first, his chair seemed the only piece of furnishing here;
then, as the area continued to brighten, Halder became aware of several
objects at some distance on his right.

For an instant, he strained violently to turn his head towards them.
That was still impossible, but the objects were there, near the edge of
his vision. Again the great room grew lighter, and for seconds Halder
could distinguish three armchairs like his own, spaced perhaps twenty
feet apart along the rim of the central pit. Each chair had an occupant;
in the nearest was Kilby, restored to her natural appearance,
motionless, pale face turned forwards, eyes open. Suddenly the light
vanished.

Halder sat shocked, realizing he had tried to speak to Kilby and that no
sound had come from his throat. Nei