if he got down carnate, and if Girzad didn't catch him, he'd still be
afoot ten miles from the nearest city unit. That gives us a little
chance--about one in a thousand."

"Is there any way they can get at us, except by those tubes?" Dalla
asked.

"They could cut a hole in the floor, or burn one through," Sarnax
replied. "They have plenty of thermite. They could detonate a charge
of explosives over our heads, or clear out of the dome and drop one
down the well. They could use lethal gas or radiodust, but their
Assassins wouldn't permit such illegal methods. Or they could shoot
sleep-gas down at us, and then come down and cut our throats at their
leisure."

"We'll have to get out of this room, then," Verkan Vall decided. "They
know we've barricaded ourselves in here; this is where they'll
attack. So we'll patrol the perimeter of the well; we'll be out of
danger from above if we keep close to the wall. And we'll inspect all
the rooms on this floor for evidence of cutting through from above."

Sarnax nodded. "That's sense, Lord Virzal. How about the lifter
tubes?"

"We'll have to barricade them. Sarnax, you and Dirzed know the layout
of this place better than the Lady Dallona or I; suppose you two check
the rooms, while we cover the tubes and the well," Verkan Vall
directed. "Come on, now."

* * * * *