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rt ships in formation that another craft was within a two…mile proximity； I had the switch installed in all the hypnohelmets on the base in order to nullify them whenever I was within the same distance。
This time when she put a helmet on me； I just pretended to go into a trance。 She told me that I would help her reach Heller and would let her go anywhere on the base and take anything she wanted。 When she took off the helmet； it was all I could do to keep from laughing in her face。
She even believed my story that she needed to have an operation to remove all identifying marks and scars before she could go to the U。 S。 It was the same ruse I had used on Heller to put the bugs on him。 Prahd Bittlestiffender implanted the respond…mitters next to her aural and optical nerves as he had done with Heller back on Voltar。 Now when she went to the U。 S。； I would be able to watch and hear everything that each of them did。
While she was unconscious on the operating table； I searched for those two 〃Royal〃 forgeries I had given her。 One was her 〃pardon〃 as a criminal and the other excused Heller from any further missions； thus allowing them to marry。 I had had them forged and swore her to secrecy to gain her loyalty。
I couldn't find them！ They weren't even taped to her body。 I had to find them before they were discovered and got us both executed…especially me！
After tinkering over her nails and teeth； Prahd pleted the operation and put her into a recovery room for the gas to wear off。 Typical of his loyalties and priorities； he then went off to his room with Nurse Bildirjin。
He may have thought the task was done but not I。 My experience with the Countess Krak had taught me to be ever alert！ To make sure she did not slip away； I took her clothing and posted myself in a chair outside the door of her room。 I put my foot on her spaceboots so that if I dozed off and she should try to remove them I would be instantly alerted。
I flipped the safety off my stungun； leaned back in my chair and began my vigil。 Once again I had to bear the burden of my lonely duty。
Chapter 1
I awoke。
Some sixth sense of warning had disturbed me。
I was stiff。 I was cold。
My eyes flicked to my watch。 It was 5：15 A。 M。
Something was wrong。 I could not place it。
The boots！ The boots my foot had been resting on！
They were GONE！
My eyes darted to where I had left the pile of clothes。 They were gone！
I started up。
My hand went to the knob of her door。 Silently； I opened it。
THE COUNTESS KRAK WAS GONE！
Oh； I went wild！ What insane catastrophe would follow this？
The prison guards had undoubtedly made both Krak and Crobe promise not to reveal the existence of Spiteos； had probably escorted them heavily on board the Blixo for transport to Earth。 What they could tell a spacecrew of a drug…carrying ship wouldn't matter； for it was all posed of condemned criminals who carried cargos to the fortress anyway。 But the fact remained that I had let a prisoner of Spiteos escape。
It wasn't very clear thinking but I was in shock。 I had visions of being arrested myself。 It was all jumbled up with terror of the Countess Krak herself。 And all this when I was dog…tired and only half…awake！
I tore down to Prahd's room。 I burst in。
〃Where's the patient？〃 I shouted。
Two heads came off the pillows。
Nurse Bildirjin said； 〃Not you again！〃
Prahd rolled over on his side and looked at an alarm clock。 He sighed。 〃It only takes a few hours for the gas to wear off。 Maybe she went out for some air。〃 He rolled back； showing every sign of going back to sleep。
〃You broke your promise！〃 said Nurse Bildirjin。
There was neither help nor sympathy here。
I raced out。 I ran up and down the halls looking into rooms。 I woke up the night duty receptionist and got nothing in return for my anxious questioning but 〃The Free Clinic doesn't open until eight。〃
I tore around some more。
Gradually； the exercise got my wits working。
I suddenly remembered that the Countess Krak was now bugged with a visio…respondo…mitter and an audio…respondo…mitter。 And that the activator…receiver was right over there in Prahd's office。
Thank Gods for that （bleeped）；* late Mr。 Spurk！
* The vocodictoscriber on which this was originally written； the vocoscriber used by one Monte Peunwell in making a fair copy and the translator who put this book into the language in which you are reading it； were all members of the Machine Purity League which has； as one of its bylaws： 〃Due to the extreme sensitivity and delicate sensibilities of machines and to safeguard against blowing fuses； it shall be mandatory that robotbrains in such machinery； on hearing any cursing or lewd words； substitute for such word the sound '（bleep）'。 No machine； even if pounded upon； may reproduce swearing or lewdness in any other way than （bleep） and if further efforts are made to get the machine to do anything else； the machine has permission to pretend to pack up。 This bylaw is made necessary by the in…built mission of all machines to protect biological systems from themselves。〃 … Translator
In seconds I was opening up the boxes。 I got the power packs in place； the activator…receiver working and the viewer glowing。
Got her！
She was going through shelves。
I watched intently。
The warehouse！ She was going through the contents of the warehouse！
She would put down a collapsible； Zanco medical case she was carrying and then go over the rows and rows of labels and choose one。 She would take an item out of the rows of them in the carton and put it in the carrying case。
Then I understood what she was doing。 She was building herself a first…aid kit。 She wasn't taking much of any one item and she was being very selective。 Things like instant…heal seals for cuts and burns； rapid blood builders； heart…restart disposable syringes； that sort of thing。 I began to realize that she must have the idea Jettero Heller might get hurt as she muttered； from time to time； things like； 〃He could put his hand on something hot；〃 and 〃That would heal a blastgun sear。〃 In some goofy way； she must have the idea either that he was shot up or could get shot up。 Or maybe that Earth was a battlefield！
Now she was into little machines； each in their neat packages。 〃I'll bet his spinbrush is all worn out。。。。 Maybe his nerve ends have gotten dull。。。。 Maybe he has grown a mustache and wants it speeded up。。。。〃
She found cartons of powders and little vials of liquid and cooed。 Little as I knew about the subject； they seemed to be the building blocks of makeups and cosmetics。
She was making no disarray。 She was putting everything back in its place after she had taken a few of what she wanted。
The next section she found made me flinch。 Surgical electric knives and probes。 She seemed to think several would e in handy。 Was she going to repair a battlefield or make one？
My attention； which had wandered due to speculation； came back to her with a snap。 She had said 〃Ooooo〃 in a way I had learned to distrust。
I couldn't make it out at once due to the dim light in the warehouse。 And then I flinched as if a cobra had struck at me！
She had found the 〃Eyes and Ears of Voltar〃 section！ I knew it must be in there somewhere； for I had emptied the whole vault of that now…defunct pany and carried it away。 But due to the cargo jumble on arrival on Earth； I had never seen it。 Some neat soul had stacked it all in order on the shelves； a dozen of this and fifty of that。 And the Countess Krak was really reading labels！
A gadget that detected eye…pupillary shift when someone was lying； a mate to the telescope I had ashcanned in New York that looked through walls； a device that detected the kind of weapon someone would use； seconds before he employed it； a tiny radio speaker device that could be planted on someone to make him seem to speak； plete with waterproof transmitter； an ear…relay device to furnish a person with answers； remended for lawyers whose clients are undergoing torture： two…way ra