Within moments, the shuttle craft rose -on muffled jets and hurtled up and out of Kerak’s atmosphere. Romis entered the control compartment and sat beside the pilot.
“This is a risky business, sir,” the pilot said. “We could be spotted from the ground.”
“The nearest tracking station is manned by friends of ours,” Romis said tiredly. “At least, they were friends the last time I talked with them. One must take some risks in an enterprise of this sort, and the chief risk seems to be friends who change sides.”
The pilot nodded unhappily. Twelve minutes after liftoff, the shuttle craft made rendezvous with an orbiting star ship that bore the insignia of the Kerak space fleet. A craggy-faced captain met Romis at the air lock and guided him down a narrow passageway to a small, guarded compartment. They stepped in. Lying on the bunk built into the compartment’s curving outer bulkhead was the inert form of Star Watch Lieutenant Hector. Nearby sat one of the guards and a meditech who had been at the dueling machine. They rose and stood at attention.
“None of Kor’s people know about him?” Romis’ voice was quiet, but urgent.
“No, sir,” said the meditech. *The interrogators were all knocked unconscious by the power surge when Major Odal and the Watchman transferred with each other. We ere able to get the Watchman here without being detected.”
“Hopefully,” Romis added. Then he asked, “How is he?”
The meditech replied, “Sleepng like a child, sir. We thought it best to keep him drugged.”
Romis nodded.