The crewmen jerked Haral to his feet again. The coleoptera surged forward. He glimpsed slim Kyla, with horror written on her lovely face.... Sark, doubled over, gloating and laughing ... the seething fury that dwelt in Xaymar.
But now his brain was clear again, the shadow of the nameless evil gone. Fire surged in his veins, and wild, reckless daring.
The dau and the Pervod dragged him towards the beetles.
He cried, "I'll meet my fate standing, you chitzas!" and kicked with all his might for the Pervod's fragile reptilian ankle.
He heard the bones snap over all the tumult. The Pervod's shriek rang like the scream of a sky-shell.
He snatched for its ray-gun.
The dau's great arms caught him as the weapon tore loose from the holster. He felt his ribs cracking as it lifted him—crushed him.
Desperately, he triggered the beam square into its belly.
The hairy arms dropped him. The dau sprawled back, dying.
Haral spun round, still firing.