Key Out of Time

m Me

rate they had just emptied. "Something was done h

d across his forehead, smearing

the devils of the aliens. But what if the Reds ope

s, but don't risk your enemy's learning them either. You held a white-hot iron in both hands in this business. And Ashe was right, they had stumbled on

stle people natives?"

established here so long they had developed a local form of

tle and the rock bombardment

rogressive against a less technically advanced. American w

fancy their welcome. They steered out to se

exist in the castle patt

aiming for first-the

e jumps forward until we do connect. Only we'll be under severe handicaps.

tending to do more than just lurk around a little beyond the gate; he was really p

he came so hastily that the contents of the two cups she c

ince Ross had known him he was very serious, a frown line between h

ay?" Ashe wa

.. maybe

had had idyllic weather for the six weeks since their plane

ing," Hor

ght aloud, "too much of it set t

ri wanted to know, "wou

where we have it based. To f

ese matters, Gordon, but you've all our help, for what it

at. This storm, how will it c

w do we know? We have not yet

" Karara commented. "

ee Rimbault about a

t before its coming the gate must be finished. The final fitting was left to Ashe and Ross, and the older agent fastened the last bolt when the waters beyond the reef

-the two upright bars, the slab of opaque material forming a doorstep between them. This was only a skeleton of the g

y rations, a medical kit, all the basics. Was Ashe going to try now? He had activated the transfer, the rods were

remember. The disorientation of the pass-through he had experienced before; this time he was whirled into

one; here was only dark and beating water. Then a lightning flash ripped wide the heavens over Ross as his head broke the surface and he saw, with unbe

e land that had been somewhere beneath the heights supporting the castle. Then he fought for hi

d brought him there. His nails grated and broke on the stone, and then the fingers of his right hand caught in a hole, and he held with all the strength in

e next wave. Somehow he gained a foot before it came. The mask of the gill-pack saved him from being sm

He crouched there, spent and gasping. The thunder roar of the surf, and beyond it the deeper mutter of the rage in the heavens, was deafening,

They moved, some clustering along the wave line, a few strung up the cliff.

ongue of land into the sea hung a ship-two ships-pounded by every hammer wave. Sh

wall until he was again faced with angry water. To drop into that would be a

been jerked through to this past, then somewhere in the water

ugh the welter of foam and water. Not only the sea poured here; now a torrential rain fell into the ba

been suitable for the Hawaika he knew; but this was a different world altogether. Dare he use his torch to see the way

left was a drop into a boiling, whirling caldron from which points of sto

p, and then a second ledge. He measured the distance between that and

belt. Then he leaped and landed painfully, as his feet

ction. And between them a shadow crawling from water to shore. Ross stumbled along th

f them, had reached the shadow. A man-or at least a body which was humanoid-spr

their find. Ross caught the glint of light on a metallic headcovering, the glisten of wet armor

. There had been a blade in that hand. Already the three were turning away from

he had won ashore washed into a cave in the cliff. Dare he try to work his way into that? Masked, w

irlpool on its far side. There was really no choice: stay and be killed, or try for the cave. Ross fastened on his flippers and lowered his body into the narrow stream.

rolling water, but winning steadily to the break in the cliff wall. Then he was through, int

rise and fall of the water. He could make out the gleam of light without. It might be that one of those hu

nted. In here he would have the advantage. Let one of them,

o wish to press the hunt. The light disappeared, and Ross was left in the dark. He c

upon. And he discovered, when he ventured to release his wall hold and

d then by wavelets. He had found a temporary refuge, but his good fortune did not quiet his fears. Had

s ... ships' crews and castle men? But the callous act of the shore patrol argu

not find Ashe. And to be hunted along the shore by an unknown enemy was simply asking to

water in the form of a wedge. At his back the wall of the cave was rough, and trails of weed were festooned on its projections. The sme

into the dark flood. Then a sleek head arose in the path

second dolphin showed for a moment and between the shadow

through the time gate, but that they had guided t

retched. He had been so sure of the other's identity that he blinked in complete b

eight upon him. Her hands made a feeble movement to her mask, and he pulled it off. Uncovered, her face was

ss demanded even as he pus

owly, in a weak g

p with a note of hysteria in it. "Then ... I was here ... and Taua with me. Tino-rau came ... Ross, R

he stared into her fa

it Go

it back and forth across her chin. There was a small red

it as if she had neve

they kil

forth. Then, realizing he was shakin

g had come into her eyes. "No

?" Ross persisted, kn

te." Her words were less slu

was a

where a

te and back in time. And we have to find Gordon!" He did no