Izlokrox talked freely to Alda, who was chained and helpless.

"It is your Nick Cosmos who is the brains of that combination," he said.  "I'll get him out of the way by buying him off with your life."

And so, at Xuuok's base, his radio message was brought to me.

"He says Alda's life depends on my surrendering myself to him," I cried in despair.  "What shall I do?"

"We have a gas that knocks out Asternoids but doesn't affect earthlings," said Xuuok.  "And we can make you armor against the blue fire."

Soon I was prepared to start out.

But Izlokrox was suspicious and was guarding against any trickery.

He sent scout ships to intercept me.  Hundreds of miles out from Easter Island, a swarm of them met me in midair.

"You have come to surrender to Izlokrox," they said.  "Do so now, for Izlokrox does not trust you."

They never dreamed that I would attack single handed, nor that my armor would resist their blue fire.  I blazed away with my guns, and in a moment the battle was raging!

I blasted my way through the swarm of ships.  I knew they would radio a warning to Izlokrox.

"But there's no stopping now," I said to myself.  Easter Island flashed into view.  I began a power dive.

Izlokrox's ground batteries cut loose at me.

My armor protected me perfectly.  I had scattered them with my rockets and was able to land.  My rocket guns were now empty and I cut loose with my non-recoil energy tube.

"Bon," I thought, "if I can't blast 'em down, I'll push 'em over!"

It was desperate work, and I was being borne down by sheer numbers.  

"There's Izlokrox over there," I said to myself, as I noticed the Asternoid leader.  "I'd better get him before he gets me."

I summoned all my strength for one mighty effort.  He had a desintegrador  pointed at me.  My armor would not save me.

I threw myself headlong as the deadly beam ripped and burned the air above me.  My gas bomb exploded.  In an instant I was on my feet again---but in the midst of a strange silence.

"Caramba----" I stammered.  "The gas bomb laid them all low.  Now to find Alda."

From somewhere in the murky gloom, a wild shriek rang out.

"Alda!  That's her voice," I said, aloud, and then, "Alda!  Where are you?"   I called at the top of my voice.  

Natives had set upon Alda.  They were in despair at the defeat, for they had regarded these tiny men as gods, and had worshipped them, forgetting their own religion.

"The tiny Asternoid gods have failed!" they said. "We must sacrifice this black girl to the ancient demons!"

I just barely glimpsed them as they melted into the jungle.

"Rocket pistol empty---paralysis gun out of order---force ray-tube exhausted---heat-ray tube run down," I muttered.  "Might as well chuck 'em."

I tossed them into the forest and went on alone.