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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 hands full…full of trouble。 The assistant was a tall； muscular fellow in the usual loincloth。 The two he was trying to train were not cooperating： one was a primate； a shaggy beast covered with hair； captured in the jungle of some wild planet； the other was a yellow…man； probably from the Deepst Mountains； one of the race you often see in circuses doing 〃strong acts〃…you know； the kind with no body hair； huge muscles； given to a lot of roaring and posturing。 Both primate and yellow…man were about six foot eight inches tall and weighed maybe three hundred pounds。 Big。
I got interested in the act。 Apparently the primate and the yellow…man were supposed to be having a fight over a big； red； piece of fake fruit。 It was really a edy…acrobatic wrestling act； all rehearsed and precisely timed。 But to an audience it would look like a funny fight。 It was supposed to begin with the primate hunched down eating the fruit。 Then the yellow…man was supposed to jump on the primate to take the fruit away and they would leap and spin and so on for a time and finally the primate would solve it by splitting the fruit in half and they'd both sit down to eat it； the funniest part being that it was the primate； an ape； really； that solved it。
The assistant trainer wasn't having any trouble with the primate。 Like any big ape； it could spin and somersault with great agility。 The trouble was with the yellow…man。 And I must say that I would not have liked to meet him in an alley。 He was so motivated by brute force that he was really punishing the primate and it was making the ape a bit sullen to be side…punched and kicked when it wasn't part of the scenario。
At one point of the act； the yellow…man was supposed to get a strangle armlock on the primate。 The ape was then supposed to front somersault out of it。 Apparently the yellow…man wouldn't let go enough so the primate could flip。 The yellow…man； hate in his eyes； was trying to finish the grip and really strangle the ape。
I heard the assistant trainer's voice dimly in the din and clatter of the hall。 He said to the yellow…man； 〃Look。 I'll take the place of the ape and you put the grip on me and I will show you exactly where to clamp so the ape can get out of it and do his somersault。〃 I thought； trainer； I wouldn't do that if I were you； that yellow…man is kill…crazy。
The primate had turned a bit sullen and； rubbing its throat； shuffled off to one side out of the way。 The assistant trainer stood in its place and indicated that the yellow…man should begin。
Well； I've seen some looks of savage anticipation in my time but the look that came over that yellow…man beat them all。 They had probably found him in some Domestic Police cell charged with murder or he wouldn't be here at Spiteos。 He had probably suffered what he thought was injustice and bad treatment…rightly so at Spiteos。 And here was his chance！
He sprang on that assistant trainer like a ferocious beast！
With an animal snarl he slammed his arm around the trainer's neck。 Gripping his own wrist with his other hand； he began to apply the pressure！
There was murder in the yellow…man's eyes； hate in the roars which went past his bared teeth。 I expected at any instant to hear the trainer's neck snap。 He could not cry out。
The racket in the place was such that no one else seemed to be paying any attention。 Maybe this sort of thing was too usual in these acts。 I was certain the yellow…man was going to chalk up a new murder right that instant。 My eye caught a movement to the side of them。
Heller had not caught the ring with his heels。 He front…flipped to land on his feet。
In a flash of motion； Heller was close by the fight！
He reached down； almost unconcerned； and with a thumb and forefinger put a clamp on the giant's elbow！ It is an ordinary release defense action； it produces considerable pain and paralysis； though how Heller knew what points to touch on a yellow…man…who is made differently…I do not know。
The roar of the giant turned to a screech！
He let go of the trainer like the trainer had gone red hot。 He whirled to rear up against Heller！
Heller quietly kicked the giant in the back of the head with his toe。 It was not a lethal kick。 The yellow…man flopped forward； out cold。
The trainer was struggling up。 Heller gave him a hand。 The fellow couldn't talk yet but thanks was on his face。
I couldn't hear what Heller was saying but he was being solicitous about the trainer's neck and was rubbing it for him。 The primate then got up and came over to them and…it made both the trainer and Heller laugh…solemnly shook Heller's hand。 Actually it was very funny for one doesn't expect apes to know much。 I laughed myself…and it was the last laugh I had that day！
The trainer went over and got an electric whip。 The giant was still out cold。 Heller saw that it was under control and apparently decided that was all the exercise he was going to do today。 He picked up his exercise suit top and slipped into it。 Then he trotted across the room； threw a kiss to the Countess Krak and left the hall。
Knowing the guards outside would be hard on Heller's heels and that he was just going up to bathe and dress anyway； I lingered on a bit； my eyes on the Countess。 There was my enemy； there was the one stalling this mission。
She had had some minor success training the trainer but it was almost as if she had been waiting for Heller to leave。 And； if I had been about to follow； I would have stopped because here she came； walking through the noisy hall toward me。
Well； I must say the guard Timyjo exercised good taste in his stealing。 Or maybe Heller had specified it。 But the Countess Krak was certainly gorgeous in her new turnout。
She was wearing brand…new； hip…length shimmering boots； black with gleaming brass heels。 She had on flesh…colored tights and wore a tight； waist…length jacket of black leather and spangles。 On her head； as a crown to her neck…length yellow hair； she wore a little visored hat； smaller at the top than around her head： it was glittering with black discs and it had a little plume upright at the center front。 It was a costume patterned on the clothes she used to wear but oh what a new and expensive difference！
And she was beautiful。 There is no arguing with that。 She was fabulously； magnificently beautiful。 My enemy。 She sat down in a big chair across from me； her back to the room。 She turned her perfectly formed face toward me。
〃Soltan；〃 she said； 〃you've got to help me！〃 And there were tears trembling in her eyes！
A little alarm bell started going off in my head。 Was this the cold； emotionless Countess Krak？ What new ploy was this？ I have never trusted women and I certainly tripled that for the Countess Krak。
〃Soltan；〃 she continued； 〃Jettero has done the English。 He has the New England and Virginia accents down perfectly。 I even went off into slang and mannerisms and he has those。 I have gotten him through Earth geography and geology。 He has a grasp of political structures and demography for the planet。 He has reviewed the peculiarit