"Stay put!" he commanded, as he loosed another stream from his own weapon.

"Well, answer me!" she said, grabbing his arm. "Why do those men want me?"

"They want to take you...and sell you."

"But why?"

"Because of who you are. You will fetch a handsome price on the...black market, as you call

it."

"Because of who I am?" Casina said, puzzled, recalling the alien woman"s words earlier, of her desire for vengeance. "But I"m...nobody. Just someone you stole from Earth. Why do they consider me valuable?" She paused, terrified, growing pale. "They don"t want me...for...food...or experimentation...do they?"

But another round of flaming blasts aimed their way brought more answering...