"Take him to my quarters," said Vidac. "And stay with him. I'm going to
organize a searching party and find those cadets."

"Right," said Winters.

As Vidac walked away, Winters picked up the paralyzed body of the Solar
Guard officer and carried him awkwardly to the slidestairs. Though under
the effects of the paralo-ray, Strong's mind still continued to
function. Even as Winters carried him across his shoulder like a stick
of wood, Strong was planning his escape. He figured Winters would
release him from the ray charge once inside Vidac's quarters and he was
ready to go into action.

Winters opened the panel to Vidac's spacious office and carried Strong
through to the other side where the lieutenant governor's sleeping
quarters were located. He put the helpless man down on the bed, and
stepping back to the panel, flipped on the neutralizer of the ray gun.
He fired, releasing Strong from the frozen suspension.

Strong felt the jolts of the neutralizer charge but he clamped his teeth
together to keep them from chattering and stayed rigid. He had to remain
still, as if the neutralizer charge had not released him, in order to
make his plan work. Winters waited for Strong to move, and when he
didn't, stepped closer, prodding him with the barrel of the gun. In a
flash Strong leaped up and grabbed the ray gun. Twisting it out of the
surprised man's hand, he brought the weapon down on the man's neck.
Winters dropped to the floor like a stone.

Then Strong scrambled to his feet and cold-bloodedly turned the ray on
Winters, blasting him into immobility. He turned grimly toward the panel