Something—incredible!
The trembling hand of Kel Aran touched the Earth girl's shoulder. She pulled her dread-distended eyes from the thing upon the screen, and read the question on his face, and shook her head mutely.
The thing was like a ray of blackness. But I knew that it was—palpable! It did not spread with increasing distance from its source. And it was not straight. It writhed and twisted like something living.
It was an inconceivable tentacle of solid darkness, reaching out of the planet, groping for our ship!
"Power!" Jeron gasped a frantic appeal into the engine room phone. "For man's sake, Rogo—power!"
The Barihorn spun fleetly aside—but all her speed was as nothing. For that Midgard Serpent recoiled. It paused, and arched its ebon coils. Its blind head seemed to watch our frantic flight. Then—it struck!
It paused and arched its ebon coils—then, it struck!