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He shoved the boxes into the wide grenade pockets of his tunic。 He took the tattered book from under his arm。 〃I know；〃 he said； opening the book； 〃that you are just dying to find what must have happened。〃 I hadn't slept trying to figure it out。 But I wouldn't give him that satisfaction。 If I gave him a slice…blow on the back of the neck while putting out my foot； I could probably spin him off the rampart and into the depths。
〃After I left last night；〃 said Snelz cheerfully； 〃I went all over Camp Kill looking for a specialist in crooked dice。 I finally found one。 Unfortunately I had to pay him some of your cut of Heller's purchases today to find out。 I knew you would be dying to know。 He gave me this book。〃 You're going to die telling me； I thought。 Just as soon as I find enough energy in this heat to deliver the slice…blow and put out my foot。
〃It says here；〃 said Snelz； 〃that those are known as 'thudder dice。' Because if you shake them real hard and listen real close you can hear the lead pellets in them thud。〃 He took the dice out of his pocket and shook them near my ear。 〃Hear the thud？〃 Like the thud you are going to make when you hit bottom down there； I thought。
〃My friend told me that a lot of people have been killed trying to use thudder dice。 So we were lucky！〃 Five…thousand…credits…owed lucky； I thought。 I might as well hear him out。 Then kill him。
〃It seems they have a goo in them that momentarily positions the lead pellet。 But it says here in this paragraph； Warning： Do not use these dice more than a few throws。 It seems that the goo in them warms up and melts when you blow on the dice too much。 And when they are shaken very vigorously for a prolonged period； the lead pellet in them also develops friction heat in moving rapidly。 The insides of the dice get quite hot and the lead pellet won't stick in one place anymore。 So they just behave like regular dice all the time。〃 He put the book up so I could see the reference。 I didn't bother to read it。 〃So Heller；〃 continued Snelz； 〃just thought it was a regular dice game and he didn't have any suspicions。 So he won't be after our hides。 Isn't that nice？ He's just a good dice player and kind of lucky。 So he won't be pestering me and I won't have to tell him whose dice they are or how you tried to set him up。〃 You won't tell anybody anything after you hit the bottom down there； I thought。 I tensed to make my move。
Something was flashing in front of my eyes。 Snelz was flipping some gold…colored credit notes in front of my face。 I steadied his hand。
That morning I had drawn the hundred and fifty…five credits I still had left in a year's pay advance。 I had given it to Crobe。 He had snarled that I was still ten credits short and he would now go to Lombar anyway if I didn't e through by nightfall。 But there was another hitch。 I had gotten sick down there again and I couldn't stand to go near him even once more。
And here were ten credits！
〃Heller sent a man out to buy a lot of things this morning；〃 said Snelz。 〃It was Timyjo that went and he is a great thief。 He stole most of it； so your cut is big。 It was eleven credits but this book cost one credit。 Hey； what's the matter？〃 I had sat down weakly on a ledge。 After a little； I said； 〃Snelz； I happen to owe Crobe ten credits。 Take it down and give it to him。〃
〃Oh？ Right！〃
〃Wait；〃 I said； reviving a bit。 〃Give me those dice。〃
〃Indeed； yes！ I wouldn't use them again for anything！〃 I took the six dice； gave them a blasphemous funeral prayer and threw them off the rampart and into the depths below。 Let the ghosts of the ancients and the executed Apparatus offenders get in trouble with them way down there in their black chasm and let the living live！
PART FIVE
Chapter 1
A half an hour later； I was in the training hall； sitting by the desk。 I was about to get one of the worst shocks in my life。 At the moment my worries consisted only of a dull nausea in my stomach and the realization that if I were taken off the mission； I would find myself hopelessly overdrawn on pay； bankrupt and cashiered。 I was sitting there； hoping to get some idea of how to pry Heller out of Spiteos； observing the scene before me to find any inspiration。
The vast hall was a patchwork of independent projects。 Four assistant trainers； in four different places； were trying to get four different acts into shape。 One was a wrestling act； one was a juggler and the other two were in such early stages I could not make them out； consisting as they were of just some minor exercises。
The Countess Krak was far back on the right side of the room； quite distant。 She was instructing one of her trainers to teach a juggler： the objects were six medium sized lizards； the kind with razor…sharp spines； it would be a good act when perfected but the juggler was afraid of cutting his hands and the assistant trainer needed coaching on how to get his student to overe this fear with confidence。 I couldn't hear what the Countess was saying to him but now and then she would herself flip a couple of lizards into the air and grasp them correctly and then pass them to the assistant so he could show the juggler。 I didn't envy the assistant： you could lose a finger on a spiny lizard； but the Countess was being very patient and reassuring。 She seemed to have on new clothes and I hoped she wouldn't be fool enough to wear them on a trained act parade： Lombar would be investigating like a swooping bird of prey。
I hadn't paid much attention to Heller when I came in beyond making sure he was there as stated by the guards at the door。 But now my attention shifted to him。
Heller was through with his studies for the day。 Clear over at the opposite corner of the hall from Krak； he was simply going through some ring exercises to keep in shape。
He was doing what is called a 〃startler〃…so labelled because it always brings a shock of indrawn breath from an audience which； of course； supposes the gymnast has lost his grip and is falling。
Performed with a single； hanging ring about ten feet from the floor； the gymnast does a single handstand on the ring； his body rising upward； parallel to the rope。 It is difficult enough to do one of those handstands on a ring…I never could。 But the rest of the stunt is why it is called a startler。
Heller's hand would slip off the bottom of the ring and his body would start to plummet downward vertically。 But his heels would flick forward and； tight together； would catch the rounded top of the ring； one on either side of the rope； and abruptly stop the fall。 It is difficult to make heels hold on the rounded top of an iron ring but； even after a drop； he was having no trouble with it。 Then he'd reach up for the ring with the other hand and do the startler using that one。
He was having no trouble at all。 He was very graceful。 To him it was just casual exercise。 He was doing it over and over； right hand； then left hand。 It really looked like he was thinking of something else…and probably he was： the evening and night with the Countess Krak。
My attention shifted to the wrestling act。 It was going on a short distance to the side of Heller's ring。 The assistant trainer there apparently had his h