Then, like lightning, he was turning, kicking. The Pervod crashed backward with a howl of anguish.
Haral leaped through the doorway, out into the street, slamming the heavy portal shut behind him. He caught a glimpse of the two crewmen there—startled, whirling.
But Namboina was between Haral and the raiders. Savagely, the blue man threw himself against the priest and sent him crashing into the nearest crewman.
The second of the raiders was a one-eyed, barrel-chested Malya. He leaped back, cat-fast, whipping up his ray-gun.
But Haral dived in beneath its shaft. His shoulder drove deep into the Malya's midriff, hammering the dark raider down. Clutching for the ray-gun, he tore it out of the other's hand.
In the same instant, he heard Namboina cry out in panic.
By instinct, pure and simple, he dropped flat on his belly. By instinct, too, he fired the ray-gun—straight into the face of the second raider, free now and charging down upon him.
The raider dropped dead in his tracks.
Haral pivoted, just as the door to the kabat-dive jerked open. Again he triggered the weapon.
The charge caught the Martian in charge of the party square in the belly. The others, behind him, sprang back inside, out of the way.