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e never was。 This female was as beautiful as a Goddess on the altar of a church； but every bit as cold as that carved stone。 More so。 I held my breath。 I didn't know what she would do to handle this violation of her area。 I suspected the worst。
I really don't think Heller had seen her e to the platform by the door。 The light was bad in the place and he seemed fascinated with the machines。 Strung out along the walls； they were a brutal display。 He went to the next one； a thing of twisted arms and bulky gears： it was a tendon stretcher and； while one might have said it could be used for acrobats or contortionists； it really was a product of torture chambers。 He pulled his finger along the seat and gazed at the grime on his hand。 He pulled out one of those star…shaped red cloths engineers are always using as cleaning rags and wiped his finger。
The next machine had small fluid tanks all around it and was a tangle of tubes and holding straps。 Its purpose was to alternately freeze and roast a body； to deliver temperature shocks and rid it of excess fat； but it too belonged in torture chambers。 He opened one of the tanks and looked in。 He shook his head and moved on。
Countess Krak's head was turning to follow his progress and； from where I stood； I could no longer see her eyes。 I had no faintest idea of what she would do。 It had been violently proven three times in the past two years that she could and would kill。
Heller was looking over the next machine。 It was a maze of electrodes that could be applied to different parts of a strapped…down body。 There was a sort of projector screen。 The hapless being strapped to it could be shocked with high voltage and shown pictures at the same time。 Heller popped open the cover of the transformers and peered into the circuits。 He got out a little pinpoint light and looked deeper。 He didn't even bother to replace the cover and walked on。
The Countess Krak stood there； turning slowly； watching。
The next device had huge ear cups that clamped down upon a victim's head。 It delivered blasting waves of sound when it was turned on。 The sound would go on and off。 I knew of it and these other machines because of their counterparts in interrogation rooms。 They might be called 〃training machines〃 but the agony they could deliver was acute。 Heller fiddled with a couple of its switches； shrugged； and then passed on。
There were more machines； one that stabbed with light； another that bathed a whole body in raw electricity； others I did not know。 But Heller had lost interest。
The Countess Krak hadn't。 She had pivoted until I could only see her back。 There was a chair on the platform beside her and she placed her hand on it's tall back。 I thought maybe she was going to throw it but she just stood there。
Heller； oblivious of any audience or threat； idled over to the raised exercise platform at the extreme end of the room。 His attention had gone off machines but was now on athletics。 A big； hundred…pound bag； used by acrobats to practice hefting bodies； lay in his path。 He idly picked it up and made it spin rapidly； holding it up on top of one fingertip。 He let it drop and looked about。
There were some rings suspended on long ropes that met in the center of the vast hall。 One of the rings had been hung on a peg at the extreme end of the room。 Heller jumped up and disengaged it and； in the same motion； holding to it； swung from there toward us in a long； graceful arc。 He obviously thought it easier than just walking back。
When he was about thirty feet from us； ing fast； he did a body flip； a full spin by one arm。 It was perfectly timed。
Ten feet away he let go。 He landed gracefully on his toes and halted standing； three feet in front of Countess Krak。
He saw her。 He stood up very erect。 It was as if somebody had turned on a light inside him。
〃HelLO！〃 he said。 〃Hello； hello； HELLO！ What is a beautiful creature like you doing in a place like this？〃 I almost died。 Every spacer in every nightclub on every one of a thousand planets has said just that to every prostitute for thousands of years。 It is the corniest cliche in any tongue。 It is an outright sexual pass！ And she had killed men for even reaching toward her。 I said to myself； good…bye Heller； good…bye mission！ I gripped the blastick。
For seconds she did not move。 Then； abruptly； like her legs had given way； she sat down in the chair； turned half away from him。
She just sat there。 Her eyes were fixed on a spot a yard in front of her feet。 In a low； strained voice； not looking at him； just looking at that spot； she said； 〃You should not talk to me。〃 There was a silence。 She seemed to sink lower in the chair； tense； indrawn。 〃I am not worthy of you。〃 It was just a monotonous mutter。 〃I am rotten。 I am vile。 I am not fit for you to talk to。〃 She took a long painful breath。 She sat there rigid and then she said in a kind of wail； 〃That is the first friendly thing anyone has said to me in three years！〃 And then she began to cry！ Heller was plainly very distressed。 He knelt down beside her and reached for her hand。 I thought； oh； no； no； no； don't touch her！ She has killed for less。
But she didn't move。 She just sat there； chin sunk on her chest； crying！
Heller just knelt there； holding her hand。
I waited for something else to happen。 Nothing did。 After a while I wandered over to the hypnohelmets rack and fiddled around。 These helmets produce a field that throws the subject into a hypnotic trance； recorded slides are fed through a slot and the hypnotized person can be speed…trained in various scholastic subjects。 I had learned English； Italian and Turkish in one。
Heller was still kneeling beside her on the platform。 The tears were making her breast pretty wet； so still holding onto her hand； he used his right to get out his redstar engineer's rag and put it into her free hand。 But she didn't wipe away any tears with it。 She just pushed it against her mouth to muffle the shuddering sobs which were tearing her apart。
This was getting nowhere； I thought。 The day was burning up and we were getting nothing done。 But I didn't dare go near them。
I got out a munications disc and whispered into it； ordering a couple guards to be posted outside the door。 I eased myself out into the passageway and when the guards arrived I told them not to let Heller escape and then took myself down to the cellular labs。 I didn't see Crobe around but I didn't want him anyway。 I got one of the assistants to handle my face： he bathed the various contusions； put some of the skin cell culture on them from my private bottle…cultures have to be matched to the individual…and then put on new skin patches。 I looked better now。 With all the sweating I was doing； I hoped this lot would last。
I went back to the training rooms。
Heller was still kneeling beside her on the platform and she was still dabbing her mouth with the redstar engineer's rag。 She was still crying！
What a ruined day！ Nothing acplished at all！ I knew where the language files were。 After all； my old section itself had made the Earth ones。 For some reason there are lots of recorded language courses on Blito…P3： they sell them mercially there； all one has to do is duplicat