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depended on their whims for the success of his plan.
    Wheels within wheels , he thought wryly. Pawns in one game dictate the moves in a smaller one. He stepped up his pace; night was approaching rapidly. The forest grew cold.
    The village became visible at last, a huddled gray clump half-seen through the heavy fronds of the forest. Harkins slowed to a walk as he drew near.
    It was still early; the villagers had not yet eaten their community supper. Harkins paused at the edge of the forest, standing by a deadly-looking tree whose leaves were foot-long spikes of golden horn, and wondered what was the safest way of approaching the village.
    Suddenly, a twig crackled behind him. He turned.
    â€œI thought I told you never to come back here, Harkins. What are you doing here, now?”
    â€œI came back to talk to you, Jorn.”
    The big man was wearing only a loincloth, and his long-limbed body, covered by a thick black mat of hair, looked poised for combat. A muscle twitched uncontrollably in Jorn’s cheek.
    â€œWhat do you want to talk about?”
    â€œThe Tunnel City,” Harkins said.
    â€œI don’t want to hear about it,” Jorn snapped. “I said I’d kill you if you came back here, and I meant it. I don’t want you playing with Katha.”
    â€œI wasn’t playing with Katha. She threw herself on me.”
    â€œSame thing,” Jorn said. “In the eyes of the tribe, I’m being betrayed. I can’t have that, Harkins.” The rumbling voice sounded almost desperate. Harkins saw suddenly how close to insanity the power-drive was, when it cropped out as nakedly as in this pure dictatorship.
    â€œWould you really need Katha,” Harkins asked, “if I made you lord of the world?”
    â€œWhat do you mean by that?” Jorn sounded suspicious, but interested despite himself.
    â€œI spoke to the Watcher.” Harkins said. The name provoked an immediate reaction. Jorn paled, licked his lips nervously, darted his eyes from side to side.
    â€œYou—spoke to the Watcher?”
    Harkins nodded. “He told me how to win Tunnel City. You can conquer the world, Jorn, if you listen to me!”
    â€œExplain.” It was a flat command.
    â€œYou know what’s underneath Tunnel City?”
    Again Jorn paled. “Yes.” he said hoarsely. “We don’t go there. It’s bad.”
    â€œI can go there. I’m not afraid of it.” Harkins grinned triumphantly. “Jorn, I can go down there and make the robots work for me. With them on our side, we can conquer the world. We—”
    Instantly, he saw he had made a mistake. One word had done it— we . Jorn had stiffened, and was beginning to arch his back with deadly intent.
    â€œWe won’t do anything of the kind,” Jorn said coldly.
    Harkins tried to cover. “I mean—I’ll make the robots work and you can control them! You’ll be the leader; I’ll just—”
    â€œWho are you fooling, Harkins? You’ll try to take power away from me, once you have the robots. Don’t deny it.”
    â€œI’m not denying it. Dammit, wouldn’t you rather rule half the world than all of this little mudhole here?”
    It was another mistake—and a worse one than the last. This mistake was fatal, because it struck Jorn precisely where he was most brittle.
    â€œI’ll kill you! ” Jorn screamed, and charged forward.
    Harkins stepped back and readied himself for the big man’s frenzied assault. Jorn struck him squarely, knocked him backward, and leaped on him.
    Harkins felt powerful hands reaching for his throat. Desperately, he seized Jorn’s wrists and pulled them away. The big man moved with almost cat-like grace, rolling over and over with Harkins while the birds squalled in delight overhead.
    Harkins felt fists pummeling his stomach. Jorn was sitting astride him now, unable to get at this throat for the fatal throttling but