"We know there is an officer in the Solar Guard named Connel."
"I am that officer," asserted Connel. "I was sent into the jungle to find this base, but one of our party was injured and we were captured by a patrol."
Tom and Connel heard voices whispering in the darkness and then a loud order.
"Lie down on the floor, both of you!"
The two spacemen hesitated and then got down flat on their backs.
"Close your eyes and lie still. One of us here knows what Connel looks like. I hope for your sake that you're telling the truth. If you're not—" The voice stopped but the threat was plain.
"Do as they say, Tom," said Connel.
The cadet closed his eyes and he heard the shuffle of feet around them. Suddenly there was a flash of light on his face but he kept his eyes tightly closed. The light moved away, but he could tell that it was still burning.
"It's Connel, I think," said a high-pitched voice directly over them.
"Are you sure?"