Navy #2 kicked at Rather with his good leg. Rather caught it on his foot. Reaction separated them: Navy #2 was headed toward a wall. There was blood on his mouth. Rather pulled the other's arms around behind him. They came, not easily, and Rather kept pulling until he had pulled Navy #l's shoulder from its socket.

Clave had a rib lock on the third man.

Rather pushed Navy #1 away. The man turned in the air, moaning, his arm at a crooked angle.

Navy #2 had reached the wall. He jumped. They traded blows: Rather put his heel in the other's midsection, but a fist smacked solidly into the side of Rather's neck. Short arms and legs had cost Rather more than one match.

Again the blows had thrown them apart. Rather's ears buzzed; lights flared in his eyes. He was too far from the walls. He waited ... but Navy #2 was curled in a tight ball. When a wall touched him he stayed there, winded, resting.

Wayne Mickl was pointing a crossbow at Rather. "Cut it. I'll shoot you someplace nonlethal. You too, Jonthan. Stay there. You, the tree man, let go ofDoheen!"

Clave released Navy #3. Doheen was unconscious.

Panting, elated, Rather said, "Stet. But mistakes are something . . . somebody pays for, and that's what . . . the word is for. Or am I going too fast for you?"

"Yes. Pause a minute. J- What is it now?"

The men in the doorway both looked surprised. One was a Navy crewman. He had Raym Wilby in a rib lock. "Captain-Guardian, this one flew up like he was coming to the house. Then he saw the ship and turned around and flew away. The Petty and me chased him down."

"Who are you?" Mickl demanded.

Raym only gaped. Cariot said, "It's Raym Wilby. He guided us into the Dark."

"Wilby, what were you flying from?"

"I ... I just don't like N-Navy."

"Stet. Jonthan, wipe your face, then take Wilby into the storage room. Ask him about the trip. Be polite."

Doheen blinked; his eyes opened. The man from the ship took charge of Navy # 1, the man with the dislocated arm. Rather heard him yell as his shoulder popped into place. Jonthan (Navy #2) wiped blood from his mouth with a cloth, then took Raym Wilby by the elbow and towed him away. Rather noticed for the first time that Sectry had a crossbow too. It was pointed at Clave.

Mickl ignored it all. "Now, Rather, tell me about a pressure suit that looks like mine. Don't forget the crossbow."

Rather was still panting a little. He took a moment more than he needed. "Pressure suit? Booce told me. You've got three. Nine crew to use them, but you're short of dwarves." Which ought to be a pun, he thought; but he'd irritated Micklenough without that.

"A fourth pressure suit invaded Headquarters fifteen days ago. You were in it."

Rather stared. "No, I wasn't. Fifteen days? I was in the Dark getting mud. Is that what this is about?"