The green weapon stopped half raised.
For a moment the man stood still with his face suddenly expressionless, then he began to slant forward.

His knees bent.

Man and darkness fell together.

At the sound of his fall Graham rose up and ran for his life until a step down to the gangway tripped him.

He scrambled to his feet, turned up the gangway and ran on.
When the sixth star glared he was already close to the yawning throat of a passage.