The alien was pawing his arm now, examining the trinket, exclaiming little wordless cries of pleasure over it. Reese felt his body breaking out in heavy sweat. If only Tersen wouldn't notice—!
Kuhli began to slip the bracelet off.
And Tersen detected it. His sudden, urgent thought came to Reese: Stop him! Don't let him remove the bracelet, Reese!
Unable to resist, Reese started to draw his hand back, to bring his other fist down on the alien's skull. But halfway through the action he felt a shock like a heavy-voltage current ripping through him and knew that he was free. The alien had removed the bracelet!
Quickly Reese seized it, grabbing it from the alien's paws. Despite Kuhli's protests, Reese hurled the bracelet as far into the underbrush as he could.
He grinned and patted the blubbering alien on one scaly shoulder. "That's all right, Kuhli. Good boy, Kuhli. When this thing is over remind me to get you a new bracelet."
He began to run, moving with grim determination now. He was free again—and now he knew where Tersen and his generator were located. He didn't intend to fail a third time.
Tersen had set up his headquarters in one of the small domes near the stream that ran past the colony. Blaster in hand, Reese ran to the dome.
Someone stood in the door. Not Tersen.