Surely that’s what it had to be, a beast escaped from some on-board holding pen or traveling zoo. But it wore clothing, and moved with more than feral purpose. Despite what his revolted insides shouted, Broh knew it had to be one of the alien crew.

It continued to utter incomprehensible noises as it chased Iel. Broh drew his stinger but determined not to fire until the last possible moment.

At that point the abomination noticed the burrowing party crowded together at the end of the corridor. It halted abruptly, generated a tremendously violent sound that rattled Broh’s head, and vanished back the way it had come.

Outsider Iel finally reached them and skidded to a stop. He started to say something. Then a shadow darkened his ommatidia and he keeled over on his left side. His superior and Broh bent over him, dividing their attention between the unconscious Iel and the now deserted corridor.

Broh watched while Anzeljermeit inspected his subordinate. “He doesn’t appear to be injured, sir,” the officer finally concluded. “His suit is intact and the seals don’t seem to have been breached—but it’s difficult to tell, since they’re self-repairing. In any case, his breathing is normal, if labored.”

“You mean he does not appear to have been injured physically.” The third observer was gazing with a mixture of awe and revulsion down the corridor. He made a gesture of astonishment mixed with fourth-degree worry.

“I don’t wonder that he went comatose,” the first observer said. “Did you see the thing clearly? What an impossible organism!”

“Surely it was one of the crew.” Broh rose to his feet.

“Much as I would like to think otherwise, I fear I must concur,” said the second observer.

The captain’s attention was on the still empty corridor. “

No telling how many of them there are. However, we must keep in mind that this one carried no weapon.”

“If that was an attempt at a friendly greeting,” said Anzeljermeit, “I’ll eat my left leg.”

“Which one?” asked Quoz.

“Both of them. And without spices.”

“I’m afraid there’s no question but that violence was directed toward lei,” Broh murmured regretfully. Things had not gone as he’d hoped. He rechecked his stinger’s charge. “Fall back to the shuttle. Have the Zinramm send over another. I want a full complement of our Outsiders here.”

“Yes, sir.” Anzeljermeit whistled into his suit pickup preparatory to contacting his unit.

“Rifles as well as small arms this time,” Broh added reluctantly.

“Your pardon, Captain,” the third observer said, “but is that wise at this point? Admittedly I would not have liked to exchange positions with that poor fellow a moment ago, but surely we have matured beyond mere shape-fear? We must try to contact them.”

“So we will,” Broh agreed, “but I must note, with all due respect, that you observers are my responsibility, as are all on board the Zinramm. I am instructed according to procedure to use the most extreme caution should any new alien intelligence be encountered. I have seen nothing thus far that would induce me to relax such procedure.” He continued to stare down the corridor, trying to visualize once again the horror that had charged at them. “Least of all would I relax it now.”