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They were whisking back into town at a moderate, legal, and inconspicuous velocity. They had felt several more tremors, but nothing like that first quake.

“I understand,” Vuffi Raa acknowledged, “and I suppose telling you I was programmed to betray you is much the same as a human being’s saying he couldn’t help himself. Well, I came to rescue you by way of restitution.”

Lando thought about that. “Very well, and just to show you my good faith, you might as well know that Rokur Gepta and Duttes Mer are both wrong about the Mindharp.”

Vuffi Raa brought the car to a screeching halt as they neared the outskirts of Teguta Lusat. “What?”

“That’s correct. And we’ve got to get out to the port, steal something that will get us out of the system, but fast.”

“Master, I agree about getting out. You don’t want your mind controlled, especially by a being like the governor—believe me, I know. But if they’re wrong …”

“It will be worse, Vuffi Raa. My only regret is leaving the Falcon on Rafa V.”

“Master, four months have passed. Mer had the Falcon brought back. It’s cargo of life-crystals hasn’t even been unloaded, because until we reappeared in Teguta Lusat, Gupta and Mer didn’t know if they might have to bargain more with you.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me? He didn’t think to have her drives repaired, did he?”

After a long pause, the droid replied, “No, Master, I did that, the first thing on the way to Rafa V.”

Lando didn’t say anything. If he’d realized the extent of the droid’s housekeeping back then, they might have taken off and skipped the last four months inside the Sharu ruins. “Well,” he said irritably, “let’s get out to the port!”

“Yes, Master.”

Aboard the decommissioned cruiser Wennis, leaving orbit from Rafa V, a decision had been made. Rokur Gepta lay in a special acceleration couch, being strapped up for the voyage ahead of him. The vessel in the lifeboat bay was not a lifeboat, but an elderly Imperial fighter, refitted as a scout. It could make the trip to Rafa IV in a third the time of its parent vessel.

If the occupant could stand the G-forces involved.

The safety precautions were primarily for the benefit of the crew, Gepta reflected. He didn’t need them, but it was dangerous for them to know that. As the last strap and bit of tape was in place and the port clamped down, he relaxed, waited for the tick, and didn’t stir a hair when thrust that might have seriously injured a mere human being passed harmlessly through his body.

He’d be in Teguta Lusat within an hour.

* * *

Duttes Mer looked down at the Mindharp on his desk, afraid to try again, but desperate to master the weird thing before Gepta could return and take it from him. He had no illusions. If he couldn’t control that mind, along with millions of others, he was doomed. He placed his short, square hand on the central shaft of the Harp again, suppressed a wave of fear, and tried to concentrate.

“Master!”

Vuffi Raa clung to the steering tiller as the road tried to shake them off its back like a wet dog. Lando grabbed the ends of a seat belt, tried to fasten them together as the police car pitched and swayed.

“This is no good!” he shouted, finally giving up the effort. “Look, let’s make a run for it!”

The spaceport gates were only a few hundred meters away, and they were traveling twice that distance weaving back and forth across the road. Lando slammed the door open, rolled out, got to his feet, and ran toward the gate. Vuffi Raa, right behind him, took no time at all to catch up.

A guard, well away from his swaying guardpost, was standing in the gateway. He aimed a blaster at Lando.

“Halt! Looters will be shot!”

“I’m not a looter,” Lando hollered as he approached the guard. Both were pretty busily occupied just staying on their feet. “I’m the captain of that ship over there, the Millennium Falcon, and I’ve got to get her off before she breaks up with everything else on this planet!”

The blaster came up to Lando’s eye level. “That ship’s under the governor’s seal. You can’t—”

Lando stepped closer. The guard fired,