Other footsteps sounded at the door. Barry's heat ray came up again. This time its beam sprang across the room, bathed the figure that came through the door with blazing heat.
"No good, Williams," came a sneering voice, metallic through a space suit communicator. "Don't you know impervium when you see it?"
"Yes, I know it," said Barry. His eyes had noted the thin, fragile-looking garment over the space suit that Craig Grey wore. Impervium, fabulous, incredibly expensive, proof against any heat ray. "There's about a dozen suits in the System, and you have to have one!"
Craig Grey's little black eyes snapped with triumph. "A man who fights savages needs one, Williams," he mocked. His glance flickered to Deisanocta, lingered a a long minute. "I see now why you went over to the Martians."
Barry took a step toward him, fingers itching. "You—"
Grey brought up his heat ray. "Careful, Williams. You have little enough time to live as it is."
Barry stopped, bafflement stamped on his face. A rash move would leave Deisanocta at the mercy of this man. Craig Grey laughed.
"I figured you could solve the mystery about this place, that's why I told my guards to let you past. I knew you'd come here instead of trying to run to Earth—after I told them of your activities on Mars."
"Grey, you can't get away with this," gritted Barry. He took another step—not toward Grey, but in the direction of Deisanocta.
"Stand still!" snapped the ore-king. The weapon in his hand was very steady. "I want to look around."