arried to those guards out there in the
Tritu Nogaru by some magic of the crystal sphere. As one man they
snapped to attention. With deadly accuracy they released the energy of
their ray pistols. It was a shambles, that square of the Tritu Nogaru;
a slaughter house. Agonized screams of the doomed Rulans rent the air
of the council chamber. They organized hastily and rushed again and
again into the crackling blue flame of the disintegrating blasts of the
guards' fire. It was hopeless: unarmed and unprotected, they were at
the mercy of Clyone's minions.

[Illustration: _Sick and trembling, Blaine cried out against the
massacre_.]

Sick and trembling, Blaine cried out against the massacre. He was
seized instantly by two of the green-bronze guards who had been
watching his every move. Tommy, too, was in their clutches once more,
fighting valiantly but without avail. The sphere went blank and silent,
and the drape was returned to its place. Still muttering disapproval,
the members of the council gazed at their queen in alarm. There was no
telling what this vile creature might do.

"The slaughter continues. Tiedor," she gloated. "Soon your handful of
followers will be no more. And good riddance."

Swaying drunkenly, eyes glazed with the horror of the thing. Tiedor
went raving mad. In one wild leap he was upon her, his fingers sinking
into the white flesh of her throat. Woman or no woman, he'd have her
life.

But it was not to be. A quick move of jeweled fingers was followed by a
crashing report. Tiedor staggered and drew back, spinning on his heel
to face them all with distended, pain-crazed eyes. Astonishment was
there, and horror, but the fire of undying courage remained. His olive
skin turned suddenly purple, then black from the poisoned dart that had
exploded in his entrails. He collapsed in a still heap at the feet of
the Zara.

She stood there a moment in the awful silence, caressing her bruised
throat with fluttering fingers. She had faced death for one horrid
instant and was obviously shaken.

Then she recovered and flew into a rage. "Out of my sight, all of you!"
she screamed. "Out, I say! The Earth men are to be freed and Pegrani
will conduct them to their quarters. Go now!"

The councillors made haste to comply, jostling one another in their
anxiety to jam through the doorway. Blaine found himself released. He
took one step toward Clyone, murderous hatred in his heart. But he
recoiled from the expression