He felt his blood spurt. "Not yet," he said.
He waited.
Then: "Think you can handle him mentally?"
Parr glanced at the mirror, saw how taut his reflection was.
"I'm not very sure," he said.
"Well, physically, then?"
Parr let out his breath slowly. "I don't know."
"Try. Either way. Get rid of him. An Oholo could cause the invasion trouble."
Parr plucked nervously at his leg. "If I'm not able to?"
The comset was silent for a moment. Then the impersonal voice said, "If you are killed in the attempt, we will replace you." It paused for a reply. Receiving none it continued: "Get what information you can, even at the risk of exposure. It's too late now for them to mount a defense, and they probably have no way to alert the natives. We want to know what he's doing there, and if there are any more on the planet."