"No!" Vanning's response was instinctive. "Damned if I'll go out that way. Or let—" He stopped, glancing at Lysla. Her blue eyes were curiously calm.
"The cliffs?" she suggested.
Vanning scanned them. "No use. They can't be climbed. No wonder the Swamja left this door unguarded!"
"Wonder why they had it in the first place?" Hobbs asked.
"Maybe there was a way out here once. Then the lava burst through ... I've seen lava pits like this on Venus," Sanderson grunted. "They're pure hell. This isn't an exit—except for a salamander."
"Then there's no way?" Lysla asked.
Vanning's jaw set. "There's a way. A crazy way—but I can't see any other, unless we can get out by the south gate."
"Impossible," Hobbs said flatly.
"Yeah. They'll have plenty of guards there now ... I mean the space-ship."
There was a momentary silence. Zeeth shook his head.