But one person in Colony Eight was free from Tersen's control. One person came and went as he pleased.
Reese was standing stiffly before the medical commissary later that day when Kuhli came out, his back once again laden with a packful of benzolurethrimine ampoules. The alien was smiling happily in his narcotic daze.
He approached Reese and peered at him curiously out of eyes clouded with drugs. "Earthman. Much trouble here. I leave again."
Prisoner within his own skull, Reese longed to break Tersen's iron control. But it was impossible. He stood stock-still while Kuhli stared at him.
The alien's blubbery mouth split in a pleased smile. "Pretty," he crooned. "Pretty. I take."
Kuhli's dim eyes were fixed on the shining bracelet on Reese's wrist!
The alien was pawing his arm now, examining the trinket, exclaiming little wordless cries of pleasure over it. Reese felt his body breaking out in heavy sweat. If only Tersen wouldn't notice--!
And Tersen detected it. His sudden, urgent thought came to Reese: _Stop him! Don't let him remove the bracelet, Reese!_
Unable to resist, Reese started to draw his hand back, to bring his other fist down on the alien's skull. But halfway through the action he felt a shock like a heavy-voltage current ripping through him and knew that he was free. The alien had removed the bracelet!
Quickly Reese seized it, grabbing it from the alien's paws. Despite Kuhli's protests, Reese hurled the bracelet as far into the underbrush as he could.
He grinned and patted the blubbering alien on one scaly shoulder. "That's all right, Kuhli. Good boy, Kuhli. When this thing is over remind me to get you a new bracelet."
He began to run, moving with grim determination now. He was free again--and now he knew where Tersen and his generator were located. He didn't intend to fail a third time.
Tersen had set up his headquarters in one of the small domes near the stream that ran past the colony. Blaster in hand, Reese ran to the dome.
"Don't go in there," she said--in her normal voice. "Tersen's in there."
"I know." He stared at her. She didn't have the same zombie-like appearance she had had earlier. "Get out of my way," he told her. "I'm going in."
She put her hand on his arm tenderly. "No Jim. Give me the gun. I've broken out of his control. He doesn't know it yet. Let me go in there--and I'll take him by surprise. He won't expect it when I blast him down."