# XII explained — The Time Traders

> Chapter companion for The Time Traders by Andre Norton.

## What happens

Ross is interrogated by Red agents after being captured, but an explosion interrupts. He later escapes to the control cabin of an alien ship, where he attempts to use the controls to defend himself, only to be recaptured and taken back to the Red post.

## Themes in this chapter

### Survival and Resilience

Ross endures interrogation and captivity, using verbal fencing and delaying tactics to survive.

### Cold War Espionage

Ross is interrogated by Red agents who suspect him of being an agent, reflecting Cold War spy dynamics.

### Alien Contact and Ancient Civilizations

Ross encounters a bald alien on a screen and explores the alien ship's controls.

## Character check-ins

### Ross Murdock

Captured and interrogated, then escapes to the alien ship's control cabin, where he tries to use the controls.

### Ashe

Mentioned as having a double among the Reds who interrogates Ross.

### Gurdi

Ross claims to be 'Rossa, son of Gurdi' during interrogation.

### Major Kelgarries

Ross compares his interrogator's confidence to Kelgarries's demeanor.

## Key lines

> He would volunteer nothing… Let it be pulled from him reluctant word by word! He would spin it out as long as he could and hope that time might fight for him.

Ross decides to withhold information and only reveal it slowly, hoping to buy time.

_Ross's strategy during interrogation._

> There was a distant boom, hollow and thunderous. Underneath and around them the floor, walls, and ceiling of the room moved as if they had been pried from their setting of ice and were being rolled about by the exploring thumb and forefinger of some impatient giant.

An explosion shakes the room violently, interrupting the interrogation.

_The explosion that saves Ross from further questioning._

> He found himself breathing hard and glaring back with an intensity which he hoped would get across and prove to Baldy that he would not have everything his own way if he proposed to tangle with Ross.

Ross glares defiantly at the bald alien on the screen, refusing to be intimidated.

_Ross's defiance toward the alien._

> Since the symbols meant nothing, Ross concentrated on the shapes of the various devices and chose one which vaguely resembled the type of light switch he had always known.

Ross guesses at the alien controls based on their shape, hoping to activate something useful.

_Ross's attempt to use the alien ship's controls._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_time_traders_se/chapters/xii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_time_traders_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_time_traders_se/chapters