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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Voodoo Planet + +Author: Andre Norton + +Release Date: July 16, 2006 [EBook #18846] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOODOO PLANET *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, LN Yaddanapudi and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="400" height="576" alt="(Cover page): +DUEL OF THE COSMIC MAGICIANS +VOODOO PLANET +ANDRE NORTON +Complete Novel" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<div class="blurb"><h2><a name="CHALLENGE_ME_WITH_MONSTERS" id="CHALLENGE_ME_WITH_MONSTERS"></a>CHALLENGE ME WITH MONSTERS!</h2> + + +<p>"From between the two shuffling dancers padded something +on four feet. The canine-feline creature was more +than just a head; it was a loose-limbed, graceful body +fully eight feet in length, and the red eyes in the prick-eared +head were those of a killer.... Words issued +from between those curved fangs, words which Dane +might not understand....</p> + +<p>"Dane slid his blade out surreptitiously, setting its +point against the palm of his hand and jabbing painfully; +but the terrible creature continued to advance.... +There was no blurring of its lines...."</p> + +<p>Dane Thorson of the space-ship <i>Solar Queen</i> knew +there was only one way to win out over this hideous +thing—a battle to the end between his rational mind and +the hypnotic witchcraft of Lumbrilo, the mental wizard +of the planet Khatka.</p></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CAST_OF_CHARACTERS" id="CAST_OF_CHARACTERS"></a>CAST OF CHARACTERS</h2> + + +<p class="center mt"><b>Dane Thorson</b></p> + +<p class="center">He wanted to spend a short vacation on Khatka, not +the rest of his life.</p> + + +<p class="center mt"><b>Medic Tau</b></p> + +<p class="center">Was he physician or magician—or a little bit of both?</p> + + +<p class="center mt"><b>Chief Ranger Asaki</b></p> + +<p class="center">Tracking the forests had taught him that mad animals—whether +real or imaginary—were to be feared.</p> + + +<p class="center mt"><b>Captain Jellico</b></p> + +<p class="center">Would his knowledge of alien life-forms help him in +his fight against alien ghosts?</p> + + +<p class="center mt"><b>Nymani</b></p> + +<p class="center">Not even this pilot's most scientific skill could overcome +a voodoo charm's ground-drag.</p> + + +<p class="center mt"><b>Lumbrilo</b></p> + +<p class="center">On his own planet he was a witch doctor; on Earth +he'd have been a master politician.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> + +<h1>VOODOO PLANET</h1> + +<h3>by</h3> + +<h2>ANDRE NORTON</h2> + + +<p class="center">ACE BOOKS, INC.<br /> + +23 West 47th Street, New York 36, N. Y.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center">VOODOO PLANET</p> + +<p class="center">Copyright ©, 1959, by Ace Books, Inc.</p> + +<p class="center">All Rights Reserved</p> + + +<p class="center">Printed in U. S. A.</p> + +<div class="bbox"> +<h3>Transcriber's Note</h3> +<p class="center">There is no evidence that the copyright on this publication was renewed.</p> +</div> +<hr /> + +<h2>Table of Contents</h2> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CAST_OF_CHARACTERS"><b>Cast of Characters</b></a></td><td> </td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_2">2</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#I"><b>I</b></a></td><td></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#II"><b>II</b></a></td><td></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#III"><b>III</b></a></td><td></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#IV"><b>IV</b></a></td><td></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#V"><b>V</b></a></td><td></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#VI"><b>VI</b></a></td><td></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#VII"><b>VII</b></a></td><td></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#VIII"><b>VIII</b></a></td><td></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="I" id="I"></a>I</h2> + + +<p>Talk of heat—or better not—on Xecho. This water-logged +world combined all the most unattractive features of a steam +bath and one could only dream of coolness, greenness—more +land than a stingy string of islands.</p> + +<p>The young man on the promontory above the crash of the +waves wore the winged cap of a spaceman with the insignia +of a cargo-master and not much else, save a pair of very +short shorts. He wiped one hand absently across his bare +chest and brought it away damp as he studied, through +protective sun goggles, the treacherous promise of the bright +sea. One <i>could</i> swim—if he wanted to lose most of his skin. +There were minute organisms in that liquid that smacked +their lips—if they had lips—every time they thought of a +Terran.</p> + +<p>Dane Thorson licked his own lips, tasting salt, and plodded +back through the sand of the spaceport to the berth of the +<i>Solar Queen</i>. This had been a long day, and one with more +snarl-ups than he cared to count, keeping him on a constant, +dogged trot between the ship and the fitting yard where +riggers labored with the slowest motions possible to the +human body—or so it seemed to the exasperated acting-Cargo-Master +of the Free Trader. Captain Jellico had long +ago taken refuge in his cabin to preserve the remnants of his +temper. Dane had been allowed no such escape.</p> + +<p>The <i>Queen</i> had a schedule for refitting to serve as a mail +ship, and that time allowance did not allow for humidity +playing the devil with the innards of robot fitters. She <i>had</i> +to be ready to lift when the Combine ship now plying that +run set down and formally signed off in her favor. Luckily, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>most of the work was done and Dane had given a last +searching inspection before signing the rigger's book and +reporting to his captain.</p> + +<p>The air-conditioned interior of the <i>Queen</i> comforted him +as he climbed to his quarters. Ship air was flat, chemically +pure but unappetizing stuff. Today it was a relief to <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'breath'.">breathe</ins>. +Dane went on to the bather. At least there was no lack of +water—with the local skinners filtered out. It was chill but +relaxing on his gaunt young body.</p> + +<p>He was sealing on his lightest tunic when the ramp buzzer +sounded. A visitor—oh, not the supervisor-rigger again! Dane +went to answer with dragging feet. For the crew of the <i>Queen</i> +at the moment numbered exactly four, with himself for +general errand boy. Captain Jellico was in his quarters two +levels above, Medic Tau was presumably overhauling his +supplies, and Sindbad, ship's cat, asleep in some empty cabin.</p> + +<p>Dane jerked his tunic into place, very much <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'an'.">on</ins> his guard +as he came to the head of the ramp. But it was not the +supervisor-rigger. Dane, thoroughly used to unusual-appearing +strangers, both human and alien, was impressed by this +visitor.</p> + +<p>He was tall, this quiet man, his great height accented by +a fit leanness, a narrowness of waist and hip, a length of leg +and arm. His main article of clothing was the universal +shorts of the Xecho settler. But, being fashioned of saffron +yellow, they were the more brilliant because of his darkness +of skin. For he was not the warm brown of the Terran Negroes +Dane had served beside, though he shared their general features. +His flesh was really black, black with an almost bluish +sheen. Instead of shirt or tunic, his deep chest was crossed by +two wide straps, the big medallion marking their intersection +giving forth flashes of gem fire when he breathed. He wore +at his belt not the standard stun gun of a spaceman, but a +weapon which resembled the more deadly Patrol blaster, as +well as a long knife housed in a jeweled and fringed sheath. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>To the eye he was an example of barbaric force tamed and +trimmed to civilized efficiency.</p> + +<p>He saluted, palm out, and spoke Galactic Basic with only +a suggestion of accent.</p> + +<p>"I am Kort Asaki. I believe Captain Jellico expects me."</p> + +<p>"<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'Yes.'">Yes,</ins> sir!" Dane snapped to attention. So this was the +Chief Ranger from fabulous Khatka, Xecho's sister planet.</p> + +<p>The other ascended the cat ladder easily, missing no detail +of the ship's interior as he passed. His expression was still one +of polite interest as his guide rapped on the panel door of +Jellico's cabin. And a horrible screech from Queex, the captain's +pet hoobat, drowned out any immediate answer. Then +followed that automatic thump on the floor of the blue-feathered, +crab-parrot-toad's cage, announcing that its master +was in residence.</p> + +<p>Since the captain's cordial welcome extended only to his +guest, Dane regretfully descended to the mess cabin to make +unskilled preparations for supper—though there was not much +you could do to foul up concentrates in an automatic cooker.</p> + +<p>"Company?" Tau sat beyond the cooking unit nursing a +mug of Terran coffee. "And do you <i>have</i> to serve music with +the meals, especially that particular selection?"</p> + +<p>Dane flushed, stopped whistling in mid-note. "<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'Terran'.">Terra</ins> +Bound" <i>was</i> old and pretty well worn out; he didn't know +why he always unconsciously sounded off with that.</p> + +<p>"A Chief Ranger from Khatka just came on board," he +reported, carefully offhand, as he busied himself reading +labels. He knew better than to serve fish or any of its derivatives +in disguise again.</p> + +<p>"Khatka!" Tau sat up straighter. "Now there's a planet +worth <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'visiting;'">visiting.</ins>"</p> + +<p>"Not on a Free Trader's pay," commented Dane.</p> + +<p>"You can always hope to make a big strike, boy. But what +I wouldn't give to lift ship for there!"</p> + +<p>"Why? You're no hunter. How come you want to heat jets +for that port?"</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> +<p>"Oh, I don't care about the game preserves, though they're +worth seeing, too. It's the people themselves—"</p> + +<p>"But they're Terran settlers, or at least from Terran stock, +aren't they?"</p> + +<p>"Sure," Tau sipped his coffee slowly. "But there are settlers +and settlers, son. And a lot depends upon when they left +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original read 'Terran'.">Terra</ins> and why, and who they were—also what happened to +them after they landed out here."</p> + +<p>"And Khatkans are really special?"</p> + +<p>"Well, they have an amazing history. The colony was +founded by escaped prisoners—and just one racial stock. They +took off from Earth close to the end of the Second Atomic +War. That was a race war, remember? Which made it +doubly ugly." Tau's mouth twisted in disgust. "As if the +color of a man's skin makes any difference in what lies under +it! One side in that line-up tried to take over Africa—herded +most of the natives into a giant concentration camp and +practiced genocide on a grand scale. Then they were cracked +themselves, hard and heavy. During the confusion some +survivors in the camp staged a revolt, helped by the enemy. +They captured an experimental station hidden in the center +of the camp and made a break into space in two ships which +had been built there. That voyage must have been a nightmare, +but they were desperate. Somehow they made it out +here to the rim and set down on Khatka without power +enough to take off again—and by then most of them were +dead.</p> + +<p>"But we humans, no matter what our race, are a tough +breed. The refugees discovered that climatically their new +world was not too different from Africa, a lucky chance which +might happen only once in a thousand times. So they thrived, +the handful who survived. But the white technicians they +had kidnaped to run the ships didn't. For they set up a +color bar in reverse. The lighter your skin, the lower you +were in the social scale. By that kind of selective breeding +the present Khatkans are very dark indeed.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> +<p>"They reverted to the primitive for survival. Then, about +two hundred years ago, long before the first Survey Scout +discovered them, something happened. Either the parent +race mutated, or, as sometimes occurs, a line of people of +superior gifts emerged—not in a few isolated births, but with +surprising regularity in five family clans. There was a short +period of power struggle until they realized the foolishness of +civil war and formed an oligarchy, heading a loose tribal +organization. With the Five Families to push and lead, a +new civilization developed, and when Survey came to call +they were no longer savages. Combine bought the trade rights +about seventy-five years ago. Then the Company and the +Five Families got together and marketed a luxury item to the +galaxy. You know how every super-jet big shot on twenty-five +planets wants to say he's hunted on Khatka. And if he +can point out a <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'qraz'.">graz</ins> head on his wall, or wear a tail bracelet, +he's able to strut with the best. To holiday on Khatka is both +fabulous and fashionable—and very, very profitable for the +natives and for Combine who sells transportation to the +travelers."</p> + +<p>"I hear they have poachers, too," Dane remarked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that naturally follows. You know what a glam skin +brings on the market. Wherever you have a rigidly controlled +export you're going to have poachers and smugglers. But the +Patrol doesn't go to Khatka. The natives handle their own +criminals. Personally, I'd cheerfully take a ninety-nine-year +sentence in the Lunar mines in place of what the Khatkans +dish out to a poacher they net!"</p> + +<p>"So that rumor has spread satisfactorily!"</p> + +<p>Coffee slopped over the brim of Tau's mug and Dane +dropped the packet of steak concentrate he was about to +feed into the cooker. Chief Ranger Asaki loomed in the doorway +of the mess as suddenly as if he had been <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'telaported'.">teleported</ins> to +that point.</p> + +<p>The medic arose to his feet and smiled politely at the +visitor.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> +<p>"Do I detect in that observation, sir, the suggestion that +the tales I have heard were deliberately set to blast where +they would do the most good as deterrents?"</p> + +<p>A fleeting grin broke the impassive somberness of the +black face.</p> + +<p>"I was informed you are a man skilled in 'magic,' Medic. +You certainly display the traditional sorcerer's quickness of +wit. But this rumor is also truth." The quirk of good humor +had gone again, and there was an edge in the Chief Ranger's +voice which cut. "Poachers on Khatka would welcome the +Patrol in place of the attention they now receive."</p> + +<p>He came into the mess cabin, Jellico behind him, and +Dane pulled down two of the snap seats. He was holding +a mug under the spout of the coffee dispenser as the captain +made introductions.</p> + +<p>"Thorson—our acting-cargo-master."</p> + +<p>"Thorson," the Khatkan acknowledged with a grave nod +of his head, and then glanced down to floor level with a +look of surprise. Weaving a pattern about his legs, purring +loudly, Sindbad was offering an unusually fervent welcome of +his own. The Ranger went down on one knee, his hand out +for Sindbad's inquiring sniff. Then the cat butted that dark +palm, batted at it playfully with claw-sheathed paw.</p> + +<p>"A Terran cat! It is of the lion family?"</p> + +<p>"Far removed," Jellico supplied. "You'd have to add a +lot of bulk to <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'Sinbad'.">Sindbad</ins> to promote him to the lion class."</p> + +<p>"We have only the old tales." Asaki sounded almost wistful +as the cat jumped to his knee and clawed for a hold on +his chest belts. "But I do not believe that lions were ever so +friendly toward my ancestors."</p> + +<p>Dane would have removed the cat, but the Khatkan arose +with Sindbad, still purring loudly, resting in the crook of his +arm. The Ranger was smiling with a gentleness which +changed the whole arrogant cast of his countenance.</p> + +<p>"Do not bring this one to Khatka with you, Captain, or +you will never take him away again. Those who dwell in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>inner courts would not let him vanish from their sight. Ah, +so this pleases you, small lion?" He rubbed Sindbad gently +under the throat and the cat stretched his neck, his yellow +eyes half closed in bliss.</p> + +<p>"Thorson," the Captain turned to Dane, "that arrival report +on my desk was the final one from Combine?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. There's no hope of the <i>Rover</i> setting down here +before that date."</p> + +<p>Asaki sat down, still holding the cat. "So you see, Captain, +fortune has arranged it all. You have two tens of days. Four +days to go in my cruiser, four days for your return here, +and the rest to explore the preserve. We could not ask for +better luck, for I do not know when our paths may cross +again. In the normal course of events I will not have another +mission to Xecho for a year, perhaps longer. Also—" He +hesitated and then spoke to Tau. "Medic, Captain Jellico +has informed me that you have made a study of magic on +many worlds."</p> + +<p>"That is so, sir."</p> + +<p>"Do you then believe that it is real force, or that it is +only a <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'supersition'.">superstition</ins> for child-people who set up demons to +howl petitions to when some darkness falls upon them?"</p> + +<p>"Some of the magic I have seen is trickery, some of it +founded upon an inner knowledge of men and their ways +which a shrewd witch doctor can use to his advantage. +There always remains"—Tau put down his mug, "—there +always remains a small residue of happenings and results +for which we have not yet found any logical explanations—"</p> + +<p>"And I believe," Asaki interrupted, "it is also true that a +race can be conditioned from birth to be sensitive to forms +of magic so that men of that blood are particularly susceptible." +That was more of a statement than a question, but +Tau answered it.</p> + +<p>"That is very true. A Lamorian, for example, can be 'sung' +to death. I have witnessed such a case. But upon a Terran +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>or another off-world man the same suggestion would have no +effect."</p> + +<p>"Those who settled Khatka brought such magic with them." +The Chief Ranger's fingers still moved about Sindbad's jaw +and throat soothingly, but his tone was chill, the coldest +thing in the cramped space of the mess cabin.</p> + +<p>"Yes, a highly developed form of it," Tau agreed.</p> + +<p>"More highly developed perhaps than even you can believe, +Medic!" That came in a hiss of cold rage. "I think that its +present manifestation—death by a beast that is not a beast—could +be worth your detailed study."</p> + +<p>"Why?" Tau came bluntly to the point.</p> + +<p>"Because it is a killing magic and it is being carefully +used to rid my world of key men, men we need badly. If +there is a weak point in this cloudy attack shaping against +us, we must learn it, and soon!"</p> + +<p>It was Jellico who added the rest. "We are invited to visit +Khatka and survey a new hunting range as Chief Ranger +Asaki's personal term guests."</p> + +<p>Dane drew a deep breath of wonder. Guest rights on +Khatka were jealously guarded—they were too valuable to +their owners to waste. Whole families lived on the income +from the yearly rental of even half a one. But the Rangers, +by right of office, had several which they could grant to +visiting scientists or men from other worlds holding positions +similar to their own. To have such an opportunity offered to +an ordinary Trader was almost incredible.</p> + +<p>His wonder was matched by Tau's and must have been +plain to read for the Chief Ranger smiled.</p> + +<p>"For a long time Captain Jellico and I have exchanged +biological data on alien life-forms—his skill in photographing +such, his knowledge as an xenobiologist are widely recognized. +And so I have permission for him to visit the new Zoboru +preserve, not yet officially opened. And you, Medic Tau, +your help, or at least your diagnosis, we need in another +direction. So, one expert comes openly, another not so +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>openly. Though, Medic, your task is approved by my superiors. +And"—he glanced at Dane—"perhaps to muddle the +trail for the suspicious, shall we not ask this young man also?"</p> + +<p>Dane's eyes went to the captain. Jellico was always fair +and his crew would have snapped into action on his word +alone—even if they were fronting a rain of Thorkian death +darts and that order was to advance. But, on the other hand, +Dane would never have asked a favor, and the best he hoped +for was to be able to perform his duties without unfavorable +comment upon their commission. He had no reason to believe +Jellico was willing to agree to this.</p> + +<p>"You have two weeks' planet-side leave coming, Thorson. +If you want to spend it on Khatka...." Jellico actually +grinned then. "I take it that you do. When do we up-ship, +sir?"</p> + +<p>"You said that you must wait for the return of your other +crew members—shall we say mid-afternoon tomorrow?" The +Chief Ranger stood up and put Sindbad down though the +cat protested with several sharp meows.</p> + +<p>"Small lion," the tall Khatkan spoke to the cat as to an +equal, "this is your jungle, and mine lies elsewhere. But +should you ever grow tired of traveling the stars, there is +always a home for you in my courts."</p> + +<p>When the Chief Ranger went out the door, Sindbad did not +try to follow, but he uttered one mournful little cry of protest +and loss.</p> + +<p>"So he wants a trouble shooter, does he?" Tau asked. "All +right, I'll try to hunt out his goblins for him; it'll be worth +that to visit Khatka!"</p> + +<p>Dane, remembering the hot glare of the Xecho spaceport, +the sea one could not swim in, contrasted that with the tri-dees +he had seen of the green hunters' paradise on the next +planet of the system. "Yes, sir!" he echoed and made a haphazard +choice for the cooker.</p> + +<p>"Don't be too lighthearted," Tau warned. "I'll say that any +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>stew which was too hot for that Ranger to handle might give +us burned fingers—and quick. When we land on Khatka, walk +softly and look over your shoulder, and be prepared for the +worst."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="II" id="II"></a>II</h2> + + +<p>Lightning played along the black ridges above them, and +below was a sheer drop to a river which was only a silver +thread. Under their boots, man-made and yet dominating the +wildness of jungle and mountain, was a platform of rock +slabs, fused to support a palace of towering yellow-white +walls and curved cups of domes, a palace which was also +half fortress, half frontier post.</p> + +<p>Dane set his hands on the parapet of the river drop, blinked +as a lightning bolt crackled in a sky-splitting glare of violet +fire. This was about as far from the steaming islands of Xecho +as a man could imagine.</p> + +<p>"The demon graz prepare for battle." Asaki nodded toward +the distant crackling.</p> + +<p>Captain Jellico laughed. "Supposed to be whetting their +tusks, eh? I wouldn't care to meet a graz that could produce +such a display by mere tusk whetting."</p> + +<p>"No? But think of the reward for the tracker who discovers +where such go to die. To find the graveyard of the graz +herds would make any man wealthy beyond dreams."</p> + +<p>"How much truth is there in that legend?" Tau asked.</p> + +<p>The Chief Ranger shrugged. "Who can say? This much <i>is</i> +true: I have served my life in the forests since I could walk. +I have listened to the talk of Trackers, Hunters, Rangers in +my father's courtyards and field camps since I could understand +their words. Yet never has any man reported the +finding of a body of a graz that died a natural death. The +scavengers might well account for the bulk of flesh, but the +tusks and the bones should be visible for years. And this, too, +I have seen with my own eyes: a graz close to death, supported +by two of its kind and being urged along to the big +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>swamps. Perhaps it is only that the suffering animal longs +for water at its end, or perhaps in the heart of that morass +there does lie the graz graveyard. But no man has found a +naturally dead graz, nor has any returned from exploring the +big swamps...."</p> + +<p>Lightning on peaks which were like polished jet—bare +rock above, the lush overgrowth of jungle below. And +between, this fortress held by men who dared both the +heights and the depths. The wildly burgeoning life of Khatka +had surrounded the off-worlders since they had come here. +There was something untameable about Khatka; the lush +planet lured and yet repelled at the same time.</p> + +<p>"Zoboru far from here?"</p> + +<p>The Chief Ranger pointed north in answer to the captain's +question.</p> + +<p>"About a hundred leagues. It is the first new preserve we +have prepared in ten years. And it is our desire to make it +the best for tri-dee hunters. That is why we are now operating +taming teams—"</p> + +<p>"Taming teams?" Dane had to ask.</p> + +<p>The Chief Ranger was ready enough to discuss his project.</p> + +<p>"Zoboru is a no-kill preserve. The animals, they come to +learn that after a while. But we cannot wait several years +until they do. So we make them gifts." He laughed, evidently +recalling some incident. "Sometimes, perhaps, we are too +eager. Most of our visitors who wish to make tri-dees want +to picture big game—graz, amplet, rock apes, lions—"</p> + +<p>"Lions?" echoed Dane.</p> + +<p>"Not Terran lions, no. But my people, when they landed on +Khatka, found a few animals that reminded them of those +they had always known. So they gave those the same names. +A Khatkan lion is furred, it is a hunter and a great fighter, +but it is not the cat of Terra. However, it is in great demand +as a tri-dee actor. So we summon it out of lurking by providing +free meals. One shoots a poli, a water rat, or a landeer +and drags the carcass behind a low-flying flitter. The +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>lion springs upon the moving meat, which it can also scent, +and the rope is cut, leaving a free dinner.</p> + +<p>"The lions are not stupid. In a very short time they connect +the sound of a flitter cutting the air with food. So they +come to the banquet and those on the flitter can take their tri-dee +shots at ease. Only there must also be care taken in +such training. One forest guard on the Komog preserve became +too enterprising. He dragged his kill at first. Then, to +see if he could get the lions to forget man's presence entirely, +he hung the training carcasses on the flitter, encouraging +them to jump for their food.</p> + +<p>"For the guard that was safe enough, but it worked too +too well. A month or so later a Hunter was escorting a client +through Komog and they swung low to get a good picture +of a water rat emerging from the river. Suddenly there was +a snarl behind them and they found themselves sharing the +flitter with a lioness annoyed at finding no meat waiting on +board.</p> + +<p>"Luckily, they both wore stass belts; but they had to land +the flitter and leave until the lioness wandered off, and she +seriously damaged the machine in her irritation. So now our +guards play no more fancy tricks while on taming runs. +Tomorrow—no," he corrected himself, "the day after tomorrow +I will be able to show you how the process works."</p> + +<p>"And tomorrow?" inquired the captain.</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow my men make hunting magic." Asaki's voice +was expressionless.</p> + +<p>"Your chief witch doctor being?" questioned Tau.</p> + +<p>"Lumbrilo." The Chief Ranger did not appear disposed to +add to that but Tau pursued the subject.</p> + +<p>"His office is hereditary?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Does that make any difference?" For the first time +there was a current of repressed eagerness in the other's +tone.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps a vast amount of difference," Tau replied. "A +hereditary office may carry with it two forms of conditioning, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>one to influence its holder, one to affect the public-at-large. +Your Lumbrilo may have come to believe deeply in his own +powers; he would be a very <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'remarkble'.">remarkable</ins> man if he did not. +It is almost certain that your people unquestionably accept +him as a worker of wonders?"</p> + +<p>"They do so accept." Once more Asaki's voice was drained +of life.</p> + +<p>"And Lumbrilo does not accept something you believe +necessary?"</p> + +<p>"Again the truth, Medic. Lumbrilo does not accept his +proper place in the scheme of things!"</p> + +<p>"He is a member of one of your Five Families?"</p> + +<p>"No, his clan is small, always set apart. From the beginning +here, those who spoke for gods and demons did not +also order men."</p> + +<p>"Separation of church and state," commented Tau thoughtfully. +"Yet in our Terran past there have been times when +church and state were one. Does Lumbrilo desire that?"</p> + +<p>Asaki raised his eyes to the mountain peaks, to the +northward where lay his beloved work.</p> + +<p>"I do not know what Lumbrilo wants, save that it makes +mischief—or worse! This I tell you: hunting magic is part of +our lives and it has at its core some of those unexplainable +happenings which you have acknowledged do exist. I have +used powers I can neither explain nor understand as part +of my work. In the jungle and on the grasslands an off-worlder +must guard his life with a stass belt if he goes +unarmed. But I—any of my men—can walk unharmed if we +obey the rules of our magic. Only Lumbrilo does other +things which his forefathers did not. And he boasts that he +can do more. So he has a growing following of those who +believe—and those who fear."</p> + +<p>"You want me to face him?"</p> + +<p>The Chief Ranger's big hands closed upon the rim of the +parapet as if they could exert enough pressure to crumble +the hard stone. "I want you to see whether there is trickery +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>in this. Trickery I can fight, for that there are weapons. But +if Lumbrilo truly controls forces for which there is no name, +then perhaps we must patch up an uneasy peace—or go +down in defeat. And, off-worlder, I come from a line of +warriors—we do not drink defeat easily!"</p> + +<p>"That I also believe," Tau returned quietly. "Be sure, sir, +if there is trickery in this man's magic and I can detect it, +the secret shall be yours."</p> + +<p>"Let us hope that so it shall be."</p> + +<p>Subconsciously, Dane had always associated the practice +of magic with darkness and the night. But the next morning +the sun was high and hot when he made one of the party +coming down to a second and larger walled terrace where +the Hunters, Trackers, Guards and other followers of the +Chief Ranger <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'was'.">were</ins> assembled in irregular rows.</p> + +<p>There was a low sound which was more a throb in the +clear air about them, getting into a man's blood and pumping +in rhythm there. Dane tracked the sound to its source: +four large drums standing waist high before the men who +tapped them delicately with the tips of all ten fingers.</p> + +<p>The necklaces of claws and teeth about those dusky +throats, the kilts of fringed hide, the crossed belts of brilliantly +spotted or striped fur were in contrast to the very +efficient and modern side arms each man wore, to the rest +of the equipment sheathed and strapped at their belts.</p> + +<p>There was a carved stool for the Chief Ranger, another +for Captain Jellico. Dane and Tau settled themselves on the +less comfortable seats of the terrace steps. Those tapping +fingers increased their rate of beat, and the notes of the +drums rose from the low murmur of hived bees to the +mutter of mountain thunder still half a range away. A bird +called from those inner courts of the palace from which the +women never ventured.</p> + +<p>Da—da—da—da.... Voices took up the thud-thud of the +drums, the heads of the squatting men moved in a slow swing +from side to side. Tau's hand closed about Dane's wrist and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>the younger man looked around, startled, to see that the +medic's eyes were alight, that he was watching the assembly +with the alertness of Sindbad approaching prey.</p> + +<p>"Calculate the stowage space in Number One hold!"</p> + +<p>That amazing order, delivered in a whisper, shocked Dane +into obeying it. Number One hold ... there were three +divisions now and the stowage was—He became aware that +for a small space of time he had escaped the net being woven +by the beat of the drum, the drone of voices, the nodding +of heads. He moistened his lips. So that was how it worked! +He had heard Tau speak often enough about self-hypnotism +under such conditions, but this was the first time the meaning +of it had been clear.</p> + +<p>Two men were shuffling out of nowhere, wearing nothing +on their dark bodies but calf-length kilts of tails, black tails +with fluffy white tips, which swayed uniformly in time to +their pacing feet. Their heads and shoulders were masked +by beautifully cured and semi-mounted animal heads displaying +half-open jaws with double pairs of curved fangs. +The black-and-white striped fur, the sharply pointed ears, +were neither canine nor feline, but a weird combination of +the two.</p> + +<p>Dane gabbled two trading formulas under his breath and +tried to think of the relation of Samantine rock coinage to +galactic credits. Only this time his defenses did not work. +From between the two shuffling dancers padded something +on four feet. The canine-feline creature was more than just +a head; it was a loose-limbed, graceful body fully eight feet +in length, and the red eyes in the prick-eared head were +those of a confident killer. It walked without restraint, +lazily, with arrogance, its white-tufted tail swinging. And +when it reached the mid-point of the terrace, it flung up its +head as if to challenge. But words issued from between +those curved fangs, words which Dane might not understand +but which undoubtedly held meaning for the men nodding +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>in time to the hypnotic cadence of that da—da—da....</p> + +<p>"Beautiful!" Tau spoke in honest admiration, his own eyes +almost as feral as those of the talking beast as he leaned +forward, his fists on his knees.</p> + +<p>Now the animal was dancing also, its paws following +the pace set by the masked attendants. It must be a man in +an animal skin. But Dane could hardly believe that. The +illusion was too perfect. His own hands went to the knife +sheath at his belt. Out of deference to local custom they +had left their stun rods in the palace, but a belt knife was an +accepted article of apparel. Dane slid the blade out surreptitiously, +setting its point against the palm of his hand and +jabbing painfully. This was another of Tau's answers for +breaking a spell. But the white and black creature continued +to dance; there was no blurring of its body lines into those +of a human being.</p> + +<p>It sang on in a high-pitched voice, and Dane noted that +those of the audience nearest the stools where Asaki and the +captain were seated now watched the Chief Ranger and the +space officer. He felt Tau tense beside him.</p> + +<p>"Trouble coming...." The warning from Tau was the +merest thread of sound. Dane forced himself to look away +from the swaying cat-dog, to watch instead the singers who +were now furtively eying their lord and his guest. The +Terran knew that there were feudal bonds between the +Ranger and his men. But suppose this was a showdown +between Lumbrilo and Asaki—whose side would these men +take?</p> + +<p>He watched Captain Jellico's hand slide across his knee, +his fingers drop in touching distance of knife hilt. And the +hand of the Chief Ranger, hanging lax at his side, suddenly +balled into a fist.</p> + +<p>"So!" Tau expelled the word as a hiss. He moved with sure-footed +speed. Now he passed between the stools to confront +the dancing cat-dog. Yet he did not look at that weird creature +and its attendants. Instead his arms were flung high as +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>if to ward off—or perhaps welcome—something on the mountain +side as he shouted:</p> + +<p>"<i>Hodi, eldama! Hodi!</i>"</p> + +<p>As one, those on the terrace turned, looked up toward the +slope. Dane was on his feet, holding his knife as he might a +sword. Though of what use its puny length would be against +that huge bulk moving in slow majesty toward them, he did +not try to think.</p> + +<p>Gray-dark trunk curled upward between great ivory tusks, +ears went wide as ponderous feet crunched volcanic soil. Tau +moved forward, his hands still upraised, clearly in greeting. +That trunk touched skyward as if in salute to the man who +could be crushed under one foot.</p> + +<p>"<i>Hodi, eldama!</i>" For the second time Tau hailed the monster +elephant and the trunk raised in silent greeting from one +lord of an earth to another he recognized as an equal. Perhaps +it had been a thousand years since man and elephant had +stood so, and then there had been only war and death between +them. Now there was peace and a current of power flowing +from one to the other. Dane sensed this, saw the men on the +terrace likewise drawing back from the unseen tie between +the medic and the bull he had so clearly summoned.</p> + +<p>Then Tau's upheld hands came together in a sharp clap +and men held their breath in wonder. Where the great bull +had stood there was nothing—except rocks in the sun.</p> + +<p>As Tau swung around to face the cat-dog, that creature +had no substance either. For he fronted no animal but a man, +a small, lean man whose lips wrinkled back from his teeth in +a snarl. His attendant priests fell back, leaving the spaceman +and the witch doctor alone.</p> + +<p>"Lumbrilo's magic is great," Tau said evenly. "I hail Lumbrilo +of Khatka." His hand made the open-palmed salute of +peace.</p> + +<p>The snarl faded as the man brought his face under control. +He stood naked, but he was clothed in inherit dignity. And +there was power with that dignity, power and a pride before +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span>which even the more physically impressive Chief Ranger +might have to give place.</p> + +<p>"You have magic also, outlander," he replied. "Where +walks this long-toothed shadow of yours now?"</p> + +<p>"Where once the men of Khatka walked, Lumbrilo. For +it was men of your blood who long, long past hunted this +shadow of mine and made its body their prey."</p> + +<p>"So that it now might have a blood debt to settle with us, +outlander?"</p> + +<p>"That you said, not I, man of power. You have shown us +one beast, I have shown another. Who can say which of them +is stronger when it issues forth from the shadows?"</p> + +<p>Lumbrilo pattered forward, his bare feet making little +sound on the stones of the terrace. Now he was only an +arm's-length away from the medic.</p> + +<p>"You have challenged me, off-world man." Was that a +question or a statement? Dane wondered.</p> + +<p>"Why should I challenge you, Lumbrilo? To each race its +own magic. I come not to offer battle." His eyes held steady +with the Khatkan's.</p> + +<p>"You have challenged me." Lumbrilo turned away and +then looked back over his shoulder. "The strength you depend +upon may become a broken staff, off-worlder. Remember my +words in the time when shadows become substance, and substance +the thinnest of shadows!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="III" id="III"></a>III</h2> + + +<p>"You are truly a man of power!"</p> + +<p>Tau shook his head in answer to that outburst from Asaki.</p> + +<p>"Not so, sir. Your Lumbrilo is a man of power. I drew upon +his power and you saw the results."</p> + +<p>"Deny it not! What we saw never walked this world."</p> + +<p>Tau slung the strap of a trail bag over his shoulder. "Sir, +once men of your blood, men who bred your race, hunted +the elephant. They took his tusks for their treasure, feasted +upon his flesh—yes, and died beneath the trampling of his +feet when they were unlucky or unwary. So there is that +within you which can even now be awakened to remember +<i>eldama</i> in his might when he was king of the herd and need +fear nothing save the spears and cunning of small, weak men. +Lumbrilo had already awakened your minds to see what he +willed you to see."</p> + +<p>"How does he do this?" asked the other simply. "Is it +magic that we see not Lumbrilo but a lion before us?"</p> + +<p>"He <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'waves'.">weaves</ins> his spell with the drums, with the chant, by +the suggestion his mind imposes upon yours. And, having +woven his spell, he cannot limit it to just the picture he suggests +if ancient racial memories raise another. I merely used +the tools of Lumbrilo to show you yet another picture your +people once knew well."</p> + +<p>"And in so doing made an enemy." Asaki stood before a +rack of very modern weapons. Now he made his selection, a +silver tube with a stock curved to fit a man's shoulder. "Lumbrilo +will not forget."</p> + +<p>Tau laughed shortly. "No, but then I have merely done as +you wished, have I not, sir? I have focused on myself the +enmity of a dangerous man, and now you hope I shall be +forced, in self-defense, to remove him from your path."</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p> +<p>The Khatkan turned slowly, resting the weapon across his +forearm. "I do not deny that, spaceman."</p> + +<p>"Then matters here are indeed serious—"</p> + +<p>"They are so serious," Asaki interrupted, speaking not only +to Tau but to the other off-worlders as well, "that what happens +now may mean the end of the Khatka that I know. +Lumbrilo is the most dangerous game I have faced in a lifetime +as a hunter. He goes, or we draw his fangs—or else all +that I am, all I have labored here to build, will be swept +away. To preserve this I will use any weapon."</p> + +<p>"And I am now your weapon, which you hope will be as +successful as that needler you are carrying." Tau laughed +again, without much humor. "Let us hope I shall prove as +effective."</p> + +<p>Jellico moved out of the shadows. It was just after dawn, +and the grayness of the vanishing night still held in the corners +of the armory. Deliberately he took his own stand before +the arms racks and chose a short-barreled blaster. Only when +its butt was cupped in his hand did he glance at his host.</p> + +<p>"We came guesting, Asaki. We have eaten salt and bread +under this roof."</p> + +<p>"On my body and my blood it is," returned the Khatkan +grimly. "I shall go down to the blackness of Sabra before you +do, if the flames of death are against us." From his belt he +flipped loose his knife and offered the hilt to Jellico. "My +body for a wall between you and the dark, Captain. But also +understand this: to me, what I do now is greater than the +life of any one man. Lumbrilo and the evil behind him must +be rooted out. There was no trickery in my invitation!"</p> + +<p>They stood eye to eye, equal in height, in authority of person, +and that indefinable something which made them both +masters in their own different worlds. Then Jellico's hand +went out, his fingertip flicked the hilt of the bared blade.</p> + +<p>"There was no trickery," he conceded. "I knew that your +need was great when you came to the <i>Queen</i>."</p> + +<p>Since both the captain and Tau appeared to accept the +situation, Dane, not quite understanding it all, was prepared +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>to follow their lead. And for the moment they had nothing +more in plan than to visit the Zoboru preserve.</p> + +<p>They went by flitter—Asaki, one of his Hunter pilots, and +the three from the <i>Queen</i>—lifting over the rim of mountains +behind the fortress-palace and speeding north with the rising +sun a flaming ball to the east. Below, the country was stark—rocks +and peaks, deep purple shadows marking the veins of +crevices. But that was swiftly behind and they were over a +sea of greens, many shades of green, with yellow, blue, even +red cutting into the general verdant carpet of treetops. +Another chain of heights and then open land, swales of tall +grass already burnt yellow by the steady sun. There was a +river here, a crazy, twisted stream coiling nearly back upon +itself at times.</p> + +<p>Once more broken land, land so ravished by prehistoric +volcanic action that it was a grotesque nightmare of erosion-whittled +outcrops and mesas. Asaki pointed to the east. +There was a dark patch widening out into a vast wedge.</p> + +<p>"The swamp of Mygra. It has not yet been explored."</p> + +<p>"You could air map it," Tau began.</p> + +<p>The Chief Ranger was frowning. "Four flitters have been +lost trying that. Com reports fail when they cross that last +mountain ridge eastward. There is some sort of interference +which we do not yet understand. Mygra is a place of death; +later we may be able to travel along its fringe and then you +shall see. Now—" He spoke to the pilot in his own tongue +and the flitter pointed up-nose at an angle as they climbed +over the highest peak they had yet seen in this mountainous +land, to reach at last a country of open grass dotted with +small forest stands. Jellico nodded approvingly.</p> + +<p>"Zoboru?"</p> + +<p>"Zoboru," Asaki assented. "We shall go up to the northern +end of the preserve. I wish to show you the roosts of the +fastals. This is their nesting season and the sight is one you +will long remember. But we shall take an eastern course; I +have two Ranger stations to check on the way."</p> + +<p>It was after they left the second station that the flitter +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>swung farther out eastward, again climbing over the chain +of heights to sight one of the newly discovered wonders the +staff at the last station had reported—a crater lake.</p> + +<p>And the flitter skimmed down across water which was a +rich emerald in hue, filling the crater from one rock wall to +the other with no beach at the foot of those precipitant cliffs. +As the machine arose to clear the far wall, Dane tensed. One +of his duties aboard the <i>Queen</i> was flitter pilot for planetwise +trips. And ever since they had taken off that morning +he had unconsciously flown with the Khatkan pilot, anticipating +each change or adjustment of the controls. Now he felt +that sluggish response to the other's lift signal, and instinctively +his own hand went out to adjust a power feed lever.</p> + +<p>They made the rise, were well above the danger of the +cliff wall. But the machine was not responding properly. +Dane did not need to watch the pilot's swiftly moving hands +to guess that they were in trouble. And his slight concern +deepened into something else as the flitter began to drop nose +again. In front of him, Captain Jellico shifted uneasily, and +Dane knew that he, too, was alerted.</p> + +<p>Now the pilot had plunged the power adjuster to the head +against the control board. But the nose of the flitter acted as +if it were overweighted or magnetically attracted by the rocks +below. The best efforts of the man flying it could not keep it +level. They were being drawn earthward, and all the pilot +could do only delayed the inevitable crack-up. The Khatkan +was turning the machine north to avoid what lay below, for +here a long arm of the Mygra swamp clasped about the foot +of the mountain.</p> + +<p>The Chief Ranger spoke into the mike of the com unit +while the pilot continued to fight against the pull which was +bringing them down. Now the small machine was below the +level of the volcanic peak which cradled the lake, and the +mountain lay between them and the preserve.</p> + +<p>Asaki gave a muffled exclamation, slapped the com box, +spoke more sharply into the mike. It was apparent he was +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>not getting the results he wanted. Then with a quick glance +about he snapped an order:</p> + +<p>"Strap in!"</p> + +<p>His Terran companions had already buckled the wide webbing +belts intended to save them from crash shock. Dane saw +the pilot push the button to release fend cushions. In spite +of his pounding heart, a small fraction of his brain recognized +the other's skill as the Khatkan took a course to bring them +down on a relatively level patch of sand and gravel.</p> + +<p>Dane raised his head from the shelter of his folded arms. +The Chief Ranger was busy with the pilot, who lay limply +against the controls. Captain Jellico and Tau were already +pulling at the buckles of their protective crash belts. But one +look at the front of the flitter told Dane that it would not +take to the air again without extensive repairs. Its nose was +bent up and back, obscuring the forward view completely. +However, the pilot had made a miraculously safe landing +considering the terrain.</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later, the pilot restored to consciousness and +the gash in his head bandaged, they held a council of war.</p> + +<p>"The com was off, too. I did not have a chance to report +before the crash," Asaki put the situation straightly. "And +our exploring parties have not yet mapped this side of the +range; it has a bad reputation because of the swamp."</p> + +<p>Jellico measured the heights now to their west with resigned +eyes. "Looks as if we climb."</p> + +<p>"Not here," the Chief Ranger corrected him. "There is no +passing through the crater lake region on foot. We must +travel south along the edge of the mountain area until we +do find a scalable way into the preserve region."</p> + +<p>"You seem very certain we are not going to be rescued if +we stay right here," Tau observed. "Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because I'm inclined to believe that any flitter that tries +to reach us may run into the same trouble. Also, they have +no com fix on us. It will be at least a day or more before +they will even begin to count us missing, and then they will +have the whole northern portion of the preserve to comb; +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>there are not enough men here—I can give you a multitude +of reasons, Medic."</p> + +<p>"One of which might be sabotage?" demanded Jellico.</p> + +<p>Asaki shrugged. "Perhaps. I am not loved in some quarters. +But there may also be something fatal to flitters here as +there is over Mygra. We thought the crater lake district safely +beyond the swamp influence, but it may not be so."</p> + +<p>But you took the chance of traveling over it, Dane +thought, though he did not comment aloud. Was this another +of the Chief Ranger's attempts to involve them in some private +trouble of his own? Though to deliberately smash up a +flitter and set them all afoot in this wilderness was a pretty +drastic move.</p> + +<p>Asaki had started to unload emergency supplies from the +flitter. They each had a trail bag for a pack. But when the +pilot staggered over to pull out a set of stass belts and Jellico +began to uncoil them, the Chief Ranger shook his head.</p> + +<p>"With the feeder beam shut off by the mountains, I fear +those will no longer work."</p> + +<p>Jellico tossed one on the crumpled nose of the flitter and +punched its button with the tip of the needler barrel. Then +he threw a rock at the dangling belt. The stone landed, taking +the wide protective band with it to the ground. That +force field which should have warded off the <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'missive'.">missile</ins> was not +working.</p> + +<p>"Oh, fine!" Tau opened his trail bag to pack concentrates. +Then he smiled crookedly. "We aren't signed in for killing +licenses, sir. Do you pay our fines if we are forced to shoot a +hole through something that disputes the right of way?"</p> + +<p>To Dane's surprise, the Chief Ranger laughed. "You are +off preserve now, Medic Tau. The rules do not cover wild +land. But I would suggest we now hunt a cave before nightfall."</p> + +<p>"Lions?" asked Jellico.</p> + +<p>Dane, remembering the black and white beast Lumbrilo +had presented, did not enjoy that thought. They had—his +gaze went from man to man checking weapons—the needler +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>Asaki carried, and another the pilot had slung by its carrying +strap over his shoulder. Tau and the captain both were armed +with blasters and he had a fire ray and a force blade, both +considered small arms but deadly enough perhaps even to +dampen a lion's enthusiasm for the chase.</p> + +<p>"Lions, graz, rock apes," Asaki fastened the mouth of his +trail bag. "All are hunters or killers. The graz send out +scouts, and they are big and formidable enough to have no +enemies. Lions hunt with intelligence and skill. Rock apes +are dangerous, but luckily they cannot keep silent when they +scent their prey and so give one warning."</p> + +<p>As they climbed up-slope from the flitter, Dane, looking +back, saw that perhaps Asaki was right in his belief that +they had better try to help themselves rather than wait for +rescue. Putting aside the excuse of fearing another crack-up, +the wrecked flitter made no outstanding mark on the ground. +The higher they climbed, the less it could be distinguished +from the tumble of rocks about it.</p> + +<p>He had lagged a little behind and, when he hurried to +catch up, found Jellico standing with his distance vision +lenses to his eyes, directing them toward that shadow marking +the swamp. As the younger spaceman reached him, the +captain lowered the glasses and spoke:</p> + +<p>"Take your knife, Thorson, and hold it close to that rock—over +there." He pointed to a rounded black knob protruding +from the soil a little off their path.</p> + +<p>Dane obeyed, only to have the blade jerk in his hand. And +when he loosened his hold in amazement, the steel slapped +tight against the stone.</p> + +<p>"Magnetic!"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Which might explain our crash. Also this." Jellico +held out a field compass to demonstrate that its needle had +gone completely mad.</p> + +<p>"We can use the mountain range itself for a guide," Dane +said with more confidence than he felt.</p> + +<p>"True enough. But we may have trouble when we head +west again." Jellico let the lenses swing free on their cord +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>about his neck. "If we were wrecked on purpose"—his mouth +tightened and the old blaster burn on his cheek stretched as +did his jaw set—"then someone is going to answer a lot of +questions—and fast!"</p> + +<p>"The Chief Ranger, sir?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I just don't know!" The captain grunted as +he adjusted his pack and started on.</p> + +<p>If fortune had failed them earlier, she smiled on them +now. Asaki discovered a cave before sundown, located not +too far from a mountain stream. The Ranger sniffed the air +before that dark opening as the Hunter pilot shed his equipment +and crept forward on his hands and knees, his head up +and his nostrils expanding as he, too, tested the scent from +the cave mouth.</p> + +<p>Scent? It was closer to a stench, and one ripe enough to +turn the stomach of an off-worlder. But the Hunter glanced +back over his shoulder and nodded reassuringly.</p> + +<p>"Lion. But old. Not here within five days at least."</p> + +<p>"Well enough. And even old lion scent will keep away rock +apes. We'll clean some and then we can rest undisturbed," +was his superior's comment.</p> + +<p>The cleaning was easy for the brittle bedding of dried +bracken and grass the beast had left burned quickly, cleansing +with both fire and smoke. When they raked the ashes +out with branches, Asaki and Nymani brought in handfuls +of leaves which they crumpled and threw on the floor, spreading +an aromatic odor which banished most of the foulness.</p> + +<p>Dane, at the stream with the canteens to fill, chanced upon +a small pool where there was a spread of smooth yellow sand. +Knowing well the many weird booby traps one might stumble +into on a strange world, the Terran prospected carefully, +stirring up the stand with a stick. Sighting not so much as a +water insect or a curious fish, he pulled off his boots, rolled +up his breeches and waded in. The water was cool and +refreshing, though he dared not drink it until the purifier +was added. Then, with the filled canteens knotted together +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>by their straps, he put on his boots and climbed to the cave +where Tau waited with water tablets.</p> + +<p>Half an hour later Dane sat cross-legged by the fire, turning +a spit strung with three small birds Asaki had brought +in. One foot closer to the heat began to tingle and he eased +off his boot; his cramped toes suddenly seeming to have +doubled in size. He was staring wide-eyed at these same +toes, puffed, red, and increasingly painful to the touch, when +Nymani squatted beside him, inspected his foot closely, and +ordered him to take off his other boot.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" Dane found that shedding the other boot was +a minor torture in itself.</p> + +<p>Nymani was cutting tiny splinters, hardly thicker than a +needle, from a stick.</p> + +<p>"Sand worm—lays eggs in flesh. We burn them out or you +have bad foot."</p> + +<p>"Burn them out!" Dane echoed, and then swallowed as he +watched Nymani advance a splinter to the fire.</p> + +<p>"Burn them," the Khatkan repeated firmly. "Burn tonight, +hurt some tomorrow; all well soon. No burn—very bad."</p> + +<p>Dane ruefully prepared to pay the consequences of his +first brush with the unpleasant surprises Khatka had to offer.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="IV" id="IV"></a>IV</h2> + + +<p>Dane regarded his throbbing feet morosely. Nymani's operations +with burning splinters had been hard to take, but he +had endured them without disgracing himself before the +Khatkans, who appeared to regard such a mishap as just +another travel incident. Now, with Tau's salve soothing the +worst of the after affects, the Terran was given time to reflect +upon his own stupidity and the fact that he might now prove +a drag on the whole party the next morning.</p> + +<p>"That's queer...."</p> + +<p>Dane was startled out of the contemplation of his misery +to see the medic on his knees before their row of canteens, +the vial of water purifier held to the firelight for a closer +inspection.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?"</p> + +<p>"We must have hit with a pretty hard thump back there. +Some of these pills are powder! Have to guess about the +portion to add." With the tip of his knife blade Tau scraped +a tiny amount of pill fragments into each waiting canteen. +"That should do it. But if the water tastes a little bitter, don't +let it bother you."</p> + +<p>Bitter water, Dane thought, trying to flex his still swollen +toes, was going to be the least of his worries in the morning. +But he determined that his boots should go on at daybreak, +and he would keep on his feet as long as the others did, no +matter how much it cost him.</p> + +<p>And when they set out shortly after daybreak, wanting to +move as far as they could before the heat hours when they +must rest, the going was not too bad. Dane's feet were tender +to the touch, but he could shuffle along at the tail of the +procession with only Nymani playing rear guard behind him.</p> + +<p>Jungle lay before them and bush knives began to swing, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>clearing their path. Dane took his turn with the rest at that +chore, thankful that the business of cutting their way through +that mass of greenery slowed them to a pace he could match—if +not in comfort, then by willpower.</p> + +<p>But the sand worms were not the only troubles one could +encounter on Khatka. Within an hour Captain Jellico stood +sweating and speaking his mind freely in the native tongues +of five different planets while Tau and Nymani worked as a +team with skinning knives. They were not flaying the spaceman, +but they came near to that in places as they worried a +choice selection of tree thorns out of his arm and shoulder. +The captain had been unfortunate enough to trip and fall +into the embrace of a very unfriendly bush.</p> + +<p>Dane inspected a fallen tree for evidence of inimical wild +life, and then rested his blanket between him and it as a +protecting cushion before he sat down. These trees were not +the towering giants of the true forests, but rather oversized +bushes which had been made into walls by twined vines. +Brilliant bursts of flowers were splotches of vivid color, and +the attendant insect life was altogether too abundant. Dane +tried to tally his immunity shots and hoped for the best. At +the moment he wondered why anyone would want to visit +Khatka, let alone pay some astronomical sum for the privilege. +Though he could also guess that the plush safari arranged +for a paying client might be run on quite different +lines from their own present trek.</p> + +<p>How <i>could</i> a tracker find his way through this? With the +compasses playing crazy tricks into the bargain! Jellico knew +that the compasses were off, yet the captain had followed +Asaki's lead without question, so he must trust the Ranger's +forest craft. But Dane wished they were clear on the mountain +side again.</p> + +<p>Time had little meaning in that green gloom. But when +they worked through to meet rock walls again, the sun said it +was well into the after part of the day. They sheltered for a +breather under the drooping limbs of one of the last trees.</p> + +<p>"Amazing!" Jellico, his torn arm in a sling across his chest, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>came down-slope from the higher point where he had been +using the distance lenses. "We struck straight across and cut +off about ten miles by that jungle jog. Now I believe all that +I've heard of your people's ability to cross wilderness and not +lose their built in 'riding beams,' sir. With the compasses out, +I'll admit I've been nourishing a healthy set of doubts."</p> + +<p>Asaki laughed. "Captain, I do not question your ability to +flit from world to world, or how you have learned to set up +trade with strange humans and non-humans alike. To each +his own mystery. On Khatka every boy before he becomes a +man must learn to navigate the jungle, and with no instruments +to help him, only what lies in here." He touched his +thumb to his forehead. "So through generations we have +developed our homing instincts. Those who did not, also did +not live to father others who might have had the same lack. +We are hounds who can run on a scent, and we are migrators +who have better than a compass within our own bodies."</p> + +<p>"Now we take to climbing again?" Tau surveyed the way +before them critically.</p> + +<p>"Not at this hour. That sun on the upward slopes can cook +a man's skin were he to touch any rock. We wait...."</p> + +<p>Waiting for the Khatkans was a chance to sleep. They +curled up on their light blankets. But the three spacemen +were restless. Dane would have liked to have taken off his +boots, but feared he could not replace them; and he could +tell from the way the captain shifted his position that Jellico +was in pain too. Tau sat quietly, staring at nothing Dane +could see, unless it was a tall rock thrust out of the slope like +a finger pointing skyward.</p> + +<p>"What color is that rock?"</p> + +<p>Surprised, Dane gave the stony finger closer attention. To +him it was the same color as most of the other rocks, a weathered +black which in certain lights appeared to carry a brownish +film.</p> + +<p>"Black, or maybe dark brown?"</p> + +<p>Tau looked past him to Jellico. The captain nodded.</p> + +<p>"I'd agree with that."</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p> +<p>Tau cupped his hands over his eyes for a moment and his +lips moved as if he were counting. Then he took his hands +away and stared up-slope. Dane watched the medic's eyelids +blink slowly. "Nothing but black or brown?" Tau pressed.</p> + +<p>"No." Jellico supported his injured arm upon his knees, +leaning forward, as intent upon the designated rock as if he +expected it to assume some far more startling appearance.</p> + +<p>"Queer," Tau said to himself, and then added briskly, +"You're right, of course. That sun can play tricks with one's +eyes."</p> + +<p>Dane continued to watch the finger rock. Maybe strong +sunlight could play tricks, but he could see nothing odd about +that rough lump. And since the captain asked no questions +of Tau, he did not quite want to either.</p> + +<p>It was perhaps a half-hour later, and the medic and Jellico +had both succumbed to the quiet, the heat, and their own +fatigue, when Dane did sight a movement up-slope. The +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'throbbling'.">throbbing</ins> in his feet was worse now that he had nothing to +occupy his mind but his own troubles, and he was sitting +facing the finger rock.</p> + +<p>Was that what Tau had seen earlier? That quick movement +around the side of the rough pillar? But if so, why the +question of color? There it was again! And now, centering +all his attention on that one point, the Terran picked out the +outline of a head—a head grotesque enough to be something +conjured out of Lumbrilo's sorcerer's imagination. Had Dane +not seen its like among the tri-dee prints in Captain Jellico's +collection, he would have believed that his eyes were playing +tricks.</p> + +<p>It was a bullet-shaped head, embellished by two out-sized +prick ears, the hair-tufted pointed tips of which projected +well above the top of the skull. Round eyes were set deeply +in sunken pits. The mouth was a swinish snout from which +lolled a purple tongue, though the rest of that gargoyle head +was very close in color to the rock against which it half +rested.</p> + +<p>Dane had no doubts that the rock ape was spying upon the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>small camp. Having heard tales of those semi-intelligent animals—the +most intelligent native creatures of Khatka—most +of which were concerned with their more malignant characteristics, +Dane was alarmed. That lurker could be an advance +scout of some pack. And a pack of rock apes, if able to surprise +their prey, were formidable opponents.</p> + +<p>Asaki stirred, sat up. And that round head above turned to +follow the Chief Ranger's every move.</p> + +<p>"Above ... by the finger rock ... to the right...." Dane +kept his voice close to a whisper. When he saw the sudden +constriction of muscle across the Khatkan's bare shoulders, he +knew that the other had heard and understood.</p> + +<p>Only, if Asaki had spotted the rock ape, he did not betray +his knowledge. The Khatkan got lithely to his feet. Then one +of those feet stirred Nymani into the instant wakefulness of +the wilderness-trained man.</p> + +<p>Dane slid his hand about the bole of the tree and touched +Jellico, watched the captain's gray eyes open with a similar +awareness. Asaki picked up his needler. Weapon in hand, he +whirled and fired almost in one connected movement. It was +the fastest shot Dane had ever seen.</p> + +<p>The gargoyle head lifted away from the rock, and then +turned to one side as its body, somehow vaguely obscene in +its resemblance to the human form, fell away, to sprawl limply +down-slope.</p> + +<p>Though the dead rock ape had not had a chance to give +tongue, there came a cry from above, a coughing, deep-throated +hawking. Down the steep incline bumped a round +white ball, bouncing past the tumbled carcass of the ape, +sailing up into the air, to strike and burst open a few feet +away.</p> + +<p>"Back!" With one arm Asaki sent Jellico, his nearest neighbor, +tumbling back into the jungle. Then the Chief Ranger +pumped a stream of needle rays into the remains of the ball. +A shrill, sweet humming arose as red motes, vivid as molten +copper in the sunlight, climbed on wings beating too fast to +be seen.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span></p> +<p>The debris of the nest smoked into nothing. But no needle +ray could hope to stop all the poisonous army issuing forth +from it, fighting mad, to seek any warm-blooded creature +within scenting distance. The men threw themselves into the +brush, rolling in the thick mold of the vegetable decay on the +ground, rubbing its moist plaster over their bodies in frantic +haste.</p> + +<p>Red-hot fire, far worse than any of the splinter torment +Dane had undergone the night before, pierced between his +shoulders. He rolled on his back, shoving himself along, both +to kill the fire-wasp and coat the sting with cooling mold. +Cries of pain told him that he was not the only sufferer, as +all dug hands into the slimy stuff under them and slapped it +over their faces and heads.</p> + +<p>"Apes...." That half shout got through to alert the men +on the jungle floor. True to their nature, the rock apes, now +streaming downhill, were coughing their challenges, advertising +their attack. And it was only that peculiarity of their +species which saved their intended victims.</p> + +<p>The apes came forward, partially erect, at a shambling +run. The first two, bulls close to six feet, went down under +fire from Asaki's needler. A third somehow escaped, swerving +to the left, and came bounding at an angle toward Dane. The +Terran jerked free his force blade as that swine snout split +wide to show greenish tusks and the horrible stench of the +creature's body made him gasp.</p> + +<p>A taloned paw clawed at him eagerly, slipped from his +slime-covered body just as he brought the force blade up. +Foul breath coughed in his face and he stumbled back as the +heavy body of the ape crashed against him, cut in half by the +weapon. To Dane's sickened horror the paws still clawed for +him, the fangs still gnashed as he rolled free of the mangled +body and somehow got to his feet.</p> + +<p>The roar of a blaster, of two blasters, drowned out the +clamor of the apes as Dane drew his fire ray, set his shoulders +against a tree bole and prepared to fight it out. He fired, saw +a smaller and more nimble enemy go down screeching. Then +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span>there were none left on their shaggy feet, though some on the +ground dragged themselves forward, still striving to reach the +men.</p> + +<p>Dane slapped a fire-wasp from his leg. He was glad of the +support of the tree at his back as the smell of the ape's blood +drenching him from chest level down, and the mess on the +ground, made his stomach churn.</p> + +<p>When he could control his retching, he straightened. To +his relief he saw that all the others were on their feet, apparently +unharmed. But Tau, catching sight of the younger +spaceman, gasped and started for him.</p> + +<p>"Dane! What did they do?"</p> + +<p>His junior laughed a little hysterically. "Not mine...." He +swabbed with a handful of grass at his bloodied breeches and +blundered on into the sunlight.</p> + +<p>Nymani found them a foam-flecked stream below a miniature +falls where the swift current prevented the lurking of +sand worms. They stripped eagerly, cleaning first themselves +and then their fouled clothing while Tau tended the wealth +of fire-wasp stings. There was little he could do to relieve the +swelling and pain, until Asaki produced a reed-like plant +which, chopped in sections, yielded a sticky purple liquid +that dried on the skin as a tar gum—the native remedy. So, +glued and plastered, they climbed away from the water and +prepared to spend the night in a hollow between two leaning +rocks, certainly not as snug as the cave but a fortress of sorts.</p> + +<p>"And credit-happy space hoppers pay a fortune for an +outing like this!" Tau commented bitterly, hunching well forward +so that a certain stung portion of his anatomy would +not come in contact with the rock beneath him.</p> + +<p>"Hardly for this," Jellico replied, and Dane saw Nymani +grin one-sidedly, his other cheek puffed and painted sticky +purple.</p> + +<p>"We do not always encounter apes and fire-wasps in the +same day," supplied the Chief Ranger. "Also, guests at the +preserves wear stass belts."</p> + +<p>Jellico snorted. "I don't think you'd get any repeats from +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>your clients otherwise! What do we meet tomorrow? A herd +of graz on stampede, or something even more subtle and +deadly?"</p> + +<p>Nymani got up and walked a little way from their rock +shelter. He turned down-slope and Dane saw his nostrils +expand as they had when he had investigated the cave.</p> + +<p>"Something is dead," he said slowly. "A very large something. +Or else—"</p> + +<p>Asaki strode down to join his men. He gave a curt nod and +Nymani skidded on down the mountain side.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" Jellico asked.</p> + +<p>"It might be many things. There is one I hope it is not," +was the Chief Ranger's somewhat evasive reply. "I will hunt +a labbla—there was fresh spoor at the stream." He set off +along their back trail to return a half hour later, the body of +his kill slung across one shoulder. He was skinning it when +Nymani trotted back.</p> + +<p>"Well?"</p> + +<p>"Death pit," supplied the Hunter.</p> + +<p>"Poachers?" Jellico inquired.</p> + +<p>Nymani nodded. Asaki continued his task, but there was a +glint in his dark eyes as he butchered with sure and expert +strokes. Then he glanced at the shadow extending beyond +the rocks.</p> + +<p>"I, too, would see," he told Nymani.</p> + +<p>Jellico arose, and Dane, interested, followed. Some five +minutes later none of them needed the native keenness of +smell to detect the presence of some foulness ahead. The odor +of corruption was almost tangible in the sultry air. And it grew +worse until they stood on the edge of a pit. Dane retreated +hurriedly. This was as bad as the battlefield of the rock apes. +But the captain and the two Khatkans stood calmly assessing +the slaughter left by the hide poachers.</p> + +<p>"Glam, graz, hoodra," Jellico commented. "Tusks and hides—the +full line of trade stuff."</p> + +<p>Asaki, his expression bleak, stepped back from the pit. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>"Day old calves, old ones, females—all together. They kill +wantonly and leave those they do not choose to pelt."</p> + +<p>"Trail—" Nymani pointed eastward. "Leads to Mygra +swamp."</p> + +<p>"The swamps!" Asaki was shaken. "They must be mad!"</p> + +<p>"Or know more about this country than your men do," +Jellico corrected.</p> + +<p>"If poachers can enter Mygra, then we can follow!"</p> + +<p>But not now, Dane protested silently. Certainly Asaki did +not mean that <i>they</i> were to track outlaws into swamps the +Khatkan had already labeled unexplored death traps!</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="V" id="V"></a>V</h2> + + +<p>Sitting up, Dane stared wide-eyed into the dark. A handful +of glowing coals, guarded by rocks, was the center of their +camp. He hunched up to that hardly knowing why he moved. +His hands were shaking, his skin damp with sweat no heat +produced. Yet, now that he was conscious of the night, the +Terran could not remember the nightmare from which he +had just awakened, though he was left with a growing apprehension +which he could not define. What prowled out there +in that dark? Walked the mountain side? Listened, spied and +waited?</p> + +<p>Dane half started to his feet as a form did move into the +dim light of the fire. Tau stood there, regarding him with +sober intensity.</p> + +<p>"Bad dream?"</p> + +<p>The younger man admitted to that with a nod, partly +against his will.</p> + +<p>"Well, you aren't the only one. Remember any of it?"</p> + +<p>With an effort, Dane looked away from the encircling dark. +It was as if the fear which had shaken him awake, now embodied, +lurked right there.</p> + +<p>"No." He rubbed sleep-smarting eyes.</p> + +<p>"Neither did I," Tau remarked. "But both of 'em must have +been jet-powered."</p> + +<p>"I suppose one could expect to have nightmares after yesterday." +Dane advanced the logical explanation, yet at the +same time something deep inside him denied every word of +it. He had known nightmares before; none of them had left +this aftertaste. And he wanted no return of sleep tonight. +Reaching to the pile of wood he fed the fire as Tau settled +down beside him.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p><p>"There is something else...." the medic began, and then +fell silent. Dane did not press him. The younger man was too +busy fighting a growing desire to whirl and aim the fire ray +into that darkness, to catch in its withering blast that lurking +thing he could <i>feel</i> padded there, biding its time.</p> + +<p>Despite his efforts Dane did drowse again before morning, +waking unrefreshed, and, to his secret dismay, with no lessening +of his odd dislike for the country about them.</p> + +<p>Asaki did not suggest that they trail the poachers into the +morass of Mygra. Instead the Chief Ranger was eager to +press on in the opposite direction, find a way over the range +to the preserve where he could assemble a punitive force to +deal with the outlaws. So they began an upward climb which +took them away from the dank heat of the lowlands, into the +parched blaze of the sunbaked ledges above.</p> + +<p>The sun was bright, far too bright, and there were few +shadows left. Yet Dane, stopping to drink sparingly from his +canteen, could not lose that sense of eyes upon him, of being +tracked. Rock apes? Cunning as those beasts were, it was +against their nature to trail in utter silence, to be able to +carry through a long-term project. Lion, perhaps?</p> + +<p>He noted that Nymani and Asaki took turns at rear guard +today, and that each was alert. Yet, oddly enough, none of +them mentioned the uneasiness they must all share.</p> + +<p>They had a dry climb, finding no mountain stream to renew +their water supply. All being experienced in wilderness travel, +they made a mouthful of liquid go a long way. When the +party halted slightly before midday, canteens were still half +full.</p> + +<p><ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original lacked the closing quote mark.">"<i>Haugh!</i>"</ins></p> + +<p>They jerked up, hands on weapons. A rock ape, its hideous +body clearly seen here, capered, coughed, spat. Asaki fired +from the hip and the thing screeched, clawed at its chest +where the dark blood spewed out, and raced for them. +Nymani cut the beast down and they waited tensely for the +attack of the thing's tribe, which should have followed the +abortive lunge on the part of their scout. But there was nothing—neither +sound nor movement.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p> +<p>What did follow froze them all momentarily. That mangled +body began to move again, drew itself together, crawled +toward them. Dane knew that it was impossible that the +creature could live with such wounds. Yet the beast advanced, +its head lolling on its hunched shoulders so that the eyes were +turned blindly up to the full glare of the sun, while it crawled +to reach the man it could not see.</p> + +<p>"Demon!" Nymani dropped his needler, shrank back against +the rocks.</p> + +<p>As the thing advanced, before their eyes the impossible +happened. Those gaping wounds closed, the head straightened +on the almost invisible neck, the eyes glared once more +with life, and slaver dripped from the swine snout.</p> + +<p>Jellico caught up the needler Nymani had dropped. With a +coolness Dane envied, the captain shot. And for the second +time the rock ape collapsed, torn to ribbons.</p> + +<p>Nymani screamed, and Dane tried to choke back his own +cry of horrified protest. The dead thing put on life for the +second time, crawled, got somehow to its feet, healed itself, +and came on. Asaki, his face greenish-pale, stepped out stiffly +as if each step he took was forced by torture. He had +dropped his needler. Now he caught up a rock as large as his +own head, raised it high with arms on which the muscles +stood out like ropes. He hurled the stone, and Dane heard as +well as saw the missile go home. The rock ape fell for the +third time.</p> + +<p>When one of those taloned paws began to move again, +Nymani broke. He ran, his screams echoing thinly in the air, +as the thing lurched up, the gory mess of its head weaving +about. If his feet would have obeyed him, Dane might have +followed the Khatkan. As it was, he drew his ray and aimed +it at that shambling thing. Tau struck up the barrel.</p> + +<p>The medic's face was livid; there was the same horror in +his eyes. But he moved out to front that monster.</p> + +<p>A spot of shadow coalesced on the ground, deepened in +hue, took on substance. Crouched low facing the rock ape, its +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>haunches quivering for a deadly spring, narrowed green eyes +holding on its prey, was a black leopard.</p> + +<p>The tiny forward and backward movements of its body +steadied, and it arched through the air, brought down the +ape. A pitting, snarling tangle rolled across the slope—and +was gone!</p> + +<p>Asaki's hands shook as he drew them down his sweating +face. Jellico readied a second clip in the needler mechanically. +But Tau was swaying so that Dane leaped to take the +shock of the other's weight as he collapsed. Only for a +moment did the medic hang so, then he struggled to stand +erect.</p> + +<p>"Magic?" Jellico's voice, as controlled as ever, broke the +silence.</p> + +<p>"Mass hallucination," Tau corrected him. "Very strong."</p> + +<p>"How!" Asaki swallowed and began again. "How was it +done?"</p> + +<p>The medic shook his head. "Not by the usual methods, +that is certain. And it worked on us—on me—when we +weren't conditioned. I don't understand that!"</p> + +<p>Dane could hardly believe it yet. He watched Jellico stride +to where the tangle of struggling beasts had rolled, saw him +examine bare ground on which no trace of the fight remained. +They must accept Tau's explanation; it was the only sane one.</p> + +<p>Asaki's features were suddenly convulsed with a rage so +stark that Dane realized how much a veneer was the painfully +built civilization of Khatka.</p> + +<p>"<i>Lumbrilo!</i>" The Chief Ranger made of that name a curse. +Then with a visible effort he controlled his emotions and +came to Tau, looming over the slighter medic almost menacingly.</p> + +<p>"How?" he demanded for the second time.</p> + +<p>"I don't know."</p> + +<p>"He will try again?"</p> + +<p>"Not the same perhaps—"</p> + +<p>But Asaki had already grasped the situation, was looking +ahead.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p> +<p>"We shall not know," he breathed, "what is real, what is +not."</p> + +<p>"There is also this," Tau warned. "The unreal can kill the +believer just as quickly as the real!"</p> + +<p>"That I know also. It has happened too many times lately. +If we could only find out how! Here are no drums, no singing—none +of the tricks to tangle a man's mind that he usually +uses to summon his demons. So without Lumbrilo, without +his witch tools, how does he make us see what is not?"</p> + +<p>"That we must discover and speedily, sir. Or else we shall +be lost among the unreal and the real."</p> + +<p>"You also have the power. You can save us!" Asaki +protested.</p> + +<p>Tau drew his arm across his face. Very little of the normal +color had returned to his thin, mobile features. He still +leaned against Dane's supporting arm.</p> + +<p>"A man can do only so much, sir. To battle Lumbrilo on +his own ground is exhausting and I can not fight so very +often."</p> + +<p>"But will he not also be exhausted?"</p> + +<p>"I wonder...." Tau gazed beyond the Khatkan to the +barren ground where leopard and rock ape had ceased to be. +"This magic is a tricky thing, sir. It builds and feeds upon a +man's own imagination and inner fears. Lumbrilo, having +triggered ours, need not strive at all, but let us ourselves +raise that which will attack us."</p> + +<p>"Drugs?" demanded Jellico.</p> + +<p>Tau gave a start sufficient to take him out of Dane's loose +hold. His hand went to the packet of aid supplies which was +his own care, his eyes round with wonder and then shrewdly +alert.</p> + +<p>"Captain, we disinfected those thorn punctures of yours. +Thorson, your foot salve.... But, no, I didn't use anything—"</p> + +<p>"You forget, Craig, we all had scratches after that fight +with the apes."</p> + +<p>Tau sat down on the ground. With feverish haste he +unsealed his medical supplies, laid out some containers. Then +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>delicately he opened each, examined its contents closely by +eye, by smell, and two by taste. When he was done he shook +his head.</p> + +<p>"If these have been in any way meddled with, I would +need laboratory analysis to detect it. And I don't believe that +Lumbrilo could hide traces of his work so cleverly. Or has he +been off-planet? Had much to do with off-worlders?" he +asked the Chief Ranger.</p> + +<p>"By the nature of his position he is forbidden to space voyage, +to have any close relationship with any off-worlder. I do +not think, medic, he would choose your healing substances +for his mischief. There would only be chance to aid him then +in producing the effects he wants. Though there is often call +for first aid in travel, he could not be <i>certain</i> you would use +any of your drugs on this trip to the preserve."</p> + +<p>"And Lumbrilo <i>was</i> certain. He threatened something such +as this," Jellico reminded them.</p> + +<p>"So it would be something which we would all use, which +we had to depend upon...."</p> + +<p>"The water!" Dane had been holding his own canteen +ready to drink. But as that possible explanation dawned in +his mind, he smelled instead of tasted the liquid sloshing +inside. There was no odor he could detect. But he remembered +Tau commenting on the powdered purifier pills at +their first camp.</p> + +<p>"That's it!" Tau dug further into his kit, brought out the +vial of white powder with its grainy lumps. Pouring a little +into the palm of his hand he smelled it, touched it with the +tip of his tongue. "Purifier and something else," he reported. +"It could be one of half a dozen drugs, or some native stuff +from here which we've never classified."</p> + +<p>"True. There are drugs we have found here." Asaki scowled +down at the green mat of jungle. "So our water is poisoned?"</p> + +<p>"Do you always purify it?" Tau asked the Chief Ranger. +"Surely during the centuries since your ancestors landed on +Khatka you must have adapted to native water. You couldn't +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>have lived otherwise. We must use the purifier, but must +you?"</p> + +<p>"There is water and water." Asaki shook his own canteen, +his scowl growing fiercer as the gurgle from its depths was +heard. "From springs on the other side of the mountains we +drink—yes. But over here, this close to the Mygra swamps, +we have not done so. We may have to chance it."</p> + +<p>"Do you think we are literally poisoned?" Jellico bored +directly to the heart of their private fears.</p> + +<p>"None of us have been drinking too heavily," Tau observed +thoughtfully. "And I don't believe Lumbrilo had outright +killing in mind. How long the effect will last I have no way +of telling."</p> + +<p>"If we saw one rock ape," Dane wondered, "why didn't +we see others? And why here and now?"</p> + +<p>"That!" Tau pointed ahead on the trail Asaki had picked +for their ascent. For a long moment Dane could see nothing +of any interest there and then he located it—a finger of rock. +It did not point directly skyward this time, in fact it slanted +so that its tip indicated their back trail. Yet in outline the +spire was very similar to that outcrop from which the real +rock ape had charged them the day before.</p> + +<p>Asaki exclaimed in his own tongue and slapped his hand +hard against the stock of the needler.</p> + +<p>"We saw that and so again we saw an ape also! Had earlier +we been charged by graz or jumped by a lion in such a +place, then again we would have been faced by graz or lion +here!"</p> + +<p>Captain Jellico gave a bark of laughter colored only by the +most sardonic humor. "Clever enough. He merely leaves it to +us to select our own ghost and then repeat the performance +in the next proper setting. I wonder how many rocks shaped +like that one there are in these mountains? And how long +will a rock ape continue to pop out from behind each one we +do find?"</p> + +<p>"Who knows? But as long as we drink this water we're +going to continue to have trouble; I feel safe in promising +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>that," Tau replied. He put the vial of doctored purifier into a +separate pocket of his medical kit. "It may be a problem of +how long we can go without water."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps," Asaki said softly. "Only not all the water on +Khatka comes running in streams."</p> + +<p>"Fruit?" Tau asked.</p> + +<p>"No, trees. Lumbrilo is not a hunter, nor could he be certain +when and where his magic would go to work. Unless the +flitter was deliberately sabotaged, he was planning for us to +use our canteens in the preserve. That is lion country and +there are long distances between springs. This is jungle below +us and there is a source there I think we can safely tap. But +first I must find Nymani and prove to him that this is truly +deviltry of a sort, but not demon inspired."</p> + +<p>He was gone, running lightly down-slope in the direction +his hunter had taken, and Dane spoke to Captain Jellico.</p> + +<p>"What's this about water in trees, sir?"</p> + +<p>"There is a species of tree here, not too common, with a +thickened trunk. It stores water during the rainy season to +live on in the hot months. Since we are in the transition +period between rains, we could tap it—if we locate one of +the trees. How about that, Tau? Dare we drink that without +a purifier?"</p> + +<p>"Probably a choice of two evils, sir. But we have had our +preventive shots. Personally, I'd rather battle disease than +take a chance on a mind-twisting drug. You can go without +water just so long...."</p> + +<p>"I'd like to have a little talk with Lumbrilo," remarked Jellico, +the mildness in his voice very deceptive.</p> + +<p>"I'm <i>going</i> to have a little talk with Lumbrilo, if and when +we see him again!" promised Tau.</p> + +<p>"What are our chances, sir?" Dane asked. He screwed the +cap back on his canteen, his mouth feeling twice as dry since +he knew he dared not drink.</p> + +<p>"Well, we've faced gambles before." Tau sealed the medical +kit. "I'd like to see one of those trees before sundown. +And I don't want to face another pointed rock today!"</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> +<p>"Why the leopard?" asked Jellico reflectively. "Another +case of using flame to fight fire? But Lumbrilo wasn't among +those present to be impressed."</p> + +<p>Tau rubbed his hand across his forehead. "I don't really +know, sir. Maybe I could have made the ape vanish without +a counter projection, but I don't think so. With these hallucinations +it is better to battle one vision against another for +the benefit of those involved. And I can't even tell you why I +selected a leopard—it just flashed into mind as about the +fastest and most deadly animal fighter I could recall at that +moment."</p> + +<p>"You'd better work out a good list of such fighters." Jellico's +grim humor showed again. "I can supply a few if you +need them. Not that I don't share your hope we won't see +any more trigger rocks. Here comes Asaki with his wandering +boy."</p> + +<p>The Chief Ranger was half-leading, half-supporting his +hunter, and Nymani seemed only half-conscious. Tau got to +his feet and hurried to meet them. It would appear that their +search for the water tree would be delayed.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="VI" id="VI"></a>VI</h2> + + +<p>They withdrew to a spot hacked from the edge of the jungle, +leaving a screen of green between them and the traitorous +up-slope. But within the few hours of daylight left them, it +was proven that Asaki had been overly optimistic in his hopes +of discovering a water tree. They were now in a narrow +tongue of land between the range and the swamps, and this +territory was limited. Nymani, still shaken, was of little help, +and the spacemen did not dare to strike out into unexplored +land alone.</p> + +<p>So they mouthed dry concentrates and dared not drink. +Dane was tempted to pour out the liquid in his canteen. +Water so close to hand was a continual torment. And, now +that they were away from the heights and the possibility of +more finger-shaped rocks, surely the threat in that moisture +was small in comparison to the needs of his body. Only that +caution which was drilled into every Free Trader supplied a +brake to his thirst.</p> + +<p>Jellico drew the back of his hand across cracked lips. +"Suppose we should draw lots—some of us drink, one or two +not. Could we manage that way until we were over the +mountains?"</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't want to chance it, unless we are left with no +other choice. There is no way of telling how long the drug +works. Frankly, right now I'm not even sure I could detect a +hallucination for very long under these conditions," was Tau's +discouraging verdict.</p> + +<p>If any of them slept that night, they did so only in snatches. +The apprehension which had come with the previous night +was back, intensified, and that lurking, indefinable fear rode +them hard.</p> + +<p>They were shaken out of their private terrors shortly after +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>dawn. There were always sounds to be heard in the jungle: +the cries of unseen birds, the crash of some tree eaten alive +by parasitic sapping. But what broke now was no bird call, +no isolated tree falling. A trumpeting roar, the crackling +smash of vegetation, heralded a real menace. Asaki spun to +face northward, though there was nothing to be seen there +except the unshaken wall of the jungle.</p> + +<p>"Graz! Graz on stampede!" Nymani joined his superior.</p> + +<p>Jellico arose swiftly and Dane read on the captain's face +the seriousness of this. The off-worlder turned to his own men +with a sharp order. "On your feet! We may have to move on +the double. Up-mountain?" he demanded of the Chief +Ranger.</p> + +<p>The other was still listening, not only with his ears but +with the whole of his tense body. Three of the deer-like +creatures they had hunted for food broke out of the green +wall, fled past the men as if the latter was invisible. And +behind them, the hunted now and not the hunter, came a +lion, its strikingly marked black-and-white hide dramatic in +the light of the morning. It showed fangs in a snarl and then +was gone in one huge bound. More deer things, scurrying of +other small creatures, moving too fast for clear identification, +and behind them the fury of destruction which marked the +headlong advance of Khatka's largest mammals slamming +through the jungle.</p> + +<p>They had started up-slope when Nymani cried out. A white +bulk, hard to distinguish in that light against the gray of the +earth, headed after them. Dane had a fleeting glimpse of +curled tusks, of an open mouth, raw-red and wide enough to +engulf his whole head, of shaggy legs driving at an unbelievable +pace. Asaki snapped a beam from the needler. The white +monster roared and came on. They dived for the scant cover +offered as the graz bull died, not two yards away from the +Chief Ranger, its heavy body skidding along the earth with +the force of its speed as it went down.</p> + +<p>"That did it!" Jellico sighted coolly with his blaster as a +second bull, fighting mad, tore from the jungle and pounded +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>at them. Behind it a third tusked head thrust out of the +brush, large eyes searched for an enemy. Dane studied the +dead bull, but the animal did not come to life this time. +These were not hallucinations. And the malignancy of the +rock apes, the cunning of the native Khatkan lion, were pallid +things compared to a graz herd on the rampage.</p> + +<p>The second bull yelped with an almost canine complaint as +Jellico's blaster caught it head-on. Blinded, the beast blundered +ahead, climbing the mountain side. The third met a ray +from Nymani's needler. But the Chief Ranger leaped from +behind his sheltering rock to the one where the captain had +taken refuge and pulled him into the open.</p> + +<p>"They must not corner us here!"</p> + +<p>Jellico agreed to that. "Come on!" he barked to Tau and +Dane.</p> + +<p>They fled along a rough way, trying to gain altitude, but +finding a rising cliff wall which could not be easily climbed. +Two more graz went down, one badly wounded, one safely +dead. Behind them more white heads came from the brush. +What original cause had started the stampede the fugitives +could not guess, but now the fear and anger of the animals +were centering upon them.</p> + +<p>And, in spite of their efforts, the party was being herded +into a pocket between the jungle below, where the main body +of graz crashed along, and a steep wall. Given time to find +the necessary finger and toe holds, a man might climb that +wall, but they could not attempt it now. The portion of ledge +on which they ran, stopped to fire, and then ran on again, +angled to the southeast. And so they came to its end quickly, +a drop ending in a plain of yellow-gray mud studded with +clumps of bleached vegetation which led, like steppingstones, +toward a tangle of matted, sickly looking plants and reeds.</p> + +<p>"All right," Tau faced around, "what do we do now? +Space lift? And using what for wings or jets?"</p> + +<p>As if the graz could sense that they now had their victims +safely cornered, what must have been a goodly segment of +the herd hooked their way from the jungle and started up. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>Puffing, digging in those sturdy legs which had to take the +massive weight of their barrel-shaped bodies, they made their +way determinedly up-grade. One might almost believe that +they had intelligently planned this end for their drive.</p> + +<p>"We go down!" Asaki yelled, and used his needler on the +leader of that climbing platoon.</p> + +<p>"The brush islands," Nymani amended. "I show you!" He +thrust his needler at Jellico and was over the edge of the +ledge, hanging by his hands and swinging his weight back +and forth like a pendulum. At the up-swing of his body to the +right, he let go and plunged out, landing half across one of +the reed islets. The Khatkan clawed his way to his knees, +gained his feet, and leaped for the next bit of solid ground.</p> + +<p>"You, Thorson!" Jellico jerked his head at Dane and the +younger spaceman holstered his fire ray, slipped gingerly +over the drop and prepared to repeat Nymani's feat as best +he could.</p> + +<p>He was not quite as <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'succesful'.">successful</ins> with his sidewise swing, +landing with only his forearms across the islet, the rest of his +body being swiftly embedded in what was ooze covered only +with a thin crust of dried matter. The stench of the stuff was +sickening, but the fear of being entrapped in it gave him the +necessary impetus to push forward, though what was meant +to be a swift half-dive was more of a worm's progress. He +grabbed frantically at brittle stems, at coarse grass which cut +like knives at his hands. But some of the material held and he +lay face down on a lump which did not give under his weight.</p> + +<p>There was no time to linger; he had to get to the next +patch, to free this dubious landing place for the men embattled +on the rise above. Stumbling up, Dane judged the +distance with a space-trained eye and jumped to a knob +Nymani had already quitted. The Khatkan was more than +halfway along toward that promise of solid ground which the +tangled mass of leprous vegetation led to, zigzagging expertly +from islet to islet.</p> + +<p>There was a crash and a roar behind. Dane balanced on +the third of the minute islands to look back. He saw the lash +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span>of blaster fire on the top of the cliff, Tau on his knees on the +first of their chain of steppingstones, and a graz sprawled head +and forequarters in the sucking muck where it had dived +past the two defenders above. Needler and blaster fired +together again, and then Jellico swung over the cliff rim. Tau +waved vigorously and Dane took off for the next islet, just +making it by lucky chance.</p> + +<p>The rest of the journey he took in a rush, trying not to +think of anything but the necessity of landing on some spot +of firm ground. His last leap of all was too short, so that he +went knee deep in a particularly evil-smelling pool where +yellow scum spattered his breeches and he experienced the +insidious pull of the bottomless stuff. A stout branch whipped +across his shoulder and he caught it. With Nymani's wiry +strength on the other end, Dane worked free and sat, white-faced +and shivering, on a mat of brush, while the Khatkan +hunter turned his attention to the safety of Tau, the next +arrival.</p> + +<p>More fortunate, or more skillful than Dane, the medic +made the hop from the last tuft without mishap. But he was +blowing heavily as he collapsed beside the other spaceman. +Together they watched the progress of their captain.</p> + +<p>Safe on the second tussock from the shore, Jellico halted, +edged carefully around and used the needler Nymani had +left with him. A shaggy head tossed and the bull fronting +Asaki on the cliff went down. The Chief Ranger dodged +quickly to the right and a second beast rushed out and over, +to join its mired comrade in the swamp below. As Jellico +shot again, the Khatkan slung his needler and went over to +gain the first islet.</p> + +<p>One more graz was wounded but luckily it hunched about, +turning its formidable tusks on those that followed, thus +keeping the path clear for its enemies. Jellico was making +the journey, sure-footedly, with the Chief Ranger only one +hillock behind. Tau sighed.</p> + +<p>"Someday maybe this will be just another tall tale and +we'll all be thought liars when we spout it," he observed. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>"That is if we survive to tell it. So now which way do we go? +If I had my choice it would be up!"</p> + +<p>When Dane pulled himself to his feet and surveyed their +small refuge, he was ready to agree to that. For the space, +packed with dead and dying vegetable matter until one sank +calf deep, was a triangle with a narrow point running east +into the swamp.</p> + +<p>"They don't give up easily, do they?" Jellico looked back +to the shore and the cliff. Though the wounded graz bull still +held the heights against its fellows, there were others breaking +from the jungle on the lower level, wandering back and +forth to paw the earth, rip up soil with their tusks, and otherwise +threaten anyone who would try to return to the strip +they patrolled.</p> + +<p>"They will not," Asaki answered bleakly. "Arouse a graz +and it will trail you for days; kill any of the herd and you +have little hope of escaping them on foot."</p> + +<p>It would seem now that the swamp was a deterrent to +pursuit. The two beasts that had fallen in the mire moaned +in a pitiful rising note. They had ceased to struggle and +several of their kind clustered on the shore near them, calling +entreatingly. Asaki took careful aim with the needler and +put one animal after another out of its misery. But the flash +of those shots angered those on shore to a higher pitch of +rage.</p> + +<p>"No going back," he said. "At least not for several days."</p> + +<p>Tau slapped a black, four-winged insect which had settled +on his arm, its jaws wide open for a sampling bite. "We can't +very well perch here until they forget all about us," he +pointed out. "Not without water we can trust, and with the +local wild life ready to test us for tasty eating."</p> + +<p>Nymani had prowled along the swampward point of their +island, and now he made his report.</p> + +<p>"There is more high land to the east. Perhaps it will give +us a bridge across."</p> + +<p>At that moment Dane doubted his ability to make any +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>more leaps from island to island. And it would seem Tau +shared his discouragement.</p> + +<p>"I don't suppose you could discourage our friends on shore +there with a few more shots?"</p> + +<p>Asaki shook his head. "We do not have clips enough to +settle a whole herd. These might retreat from sight but they +would be waiting for us in the bush, and that would mean +certain death. We shall have to take the swamp road."</p> + +<p>If Dane had considered their earlier march misery, this +was sheer torture. Since footing was never secure, falls were +frequent, and within a quarter-hour they were all plastered +with evil-smelling slime and mud which hardened to rock +consistency when exposed to the air. Painful as this was, it +did protect a portion of their bodies from the insects with +which the swamp was well stocked.</p> + +<p>And, in spite of their efforts to find a way out, the only +possible paths led them deeper into the center of the unexplored +morass. At last Asaki called a halt and a council to +consider retreat. To locate an island from which they could +at least watch the shore appealed very strongly indeed.</p> + +<p>"We have to have water." Tau's voice was a harsh croak, +issuing out of a mask of green mud festooned with trailing +weeds.</p> + +<p>"This ground is rising." Asaki smacked the stock of his +needler against the surface on which he crouched. "I think +perhaps there may be clean land soon to come."</p> + +<p>Jellico hitched his way up a sapling, now bending under +his weight. Through the vision lenses he studied the route +ahead.</p> + +<p>"You're right about that," he called to the Chief Ranger. +"There's a showing of the right sort of green to the left, about +half a mile on. And," he glanced about at the westering sun, +"we have about an hour yet of good light in which to make +it. I wouldn't try such a run after dark."</p> + +<p>That promise of green bolstered their weary spirits for a +last exhausting effort. Once again they were faced with a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>series of islet leaps, and now they carried with them brush +culled from the bigger tussocks to aid in times of need.</p> + +<p>When Dane scrambled up the last pull, staggered, and +went down to his knees again, he knew he was done. He did +not even move at an excited cry from Nymani, echoed a +moment later by Asaki. It was not until the latter leaned +over him, a canteen open in his hand, that Dane aroused a +little.</p> + +<p>"Drink!" the Khatkan urged. "We have found a water tree. +This is fresh."</p> + +<p>The liquid might have been fresh, but it also had a peculiar +taste, which Dane did not note until he had gulped down a +generous swallow. At that moment he was past caring about +anything but the fact that he did have a portion of drinkable +stuff in hand.</p> + +<p>Here the stunted, unnatural growth of the swamplands +had given away to the more normal vegetation of the jungle-clad +lowlands. Had they come clear across the swamp, Dane +wondered dully, or was this only a large island in the midst +of the stinking boglands?</p> + +<p>He drank again and regained strength enough to crawl to +where his shipmates lay. It was some time before he was +interested in much besides the fact that he could drink when +he wished. Then he watched Jellico waver to his feet, his +head turned eastward. Tau, too, sat up as if alerted by the +<i>Queen's</i> alarm buzzer.</p> + +<p>The Khatkans were gone, perhaps back to the water tree. +But all three of the spacemen heard that sound, a far off +throbbing rhythm which was a vibration as well. Jellico +looked to Tau.</p> + +<p>"Drums?"</p> + +<p>"Could be." The medic screwed the cap back on his canteen. +"I'd say we have company—only I'd like to know what +kind!"</p> + +<p>They might have been mistaken about the drums, but none +of them could have been mistaken about the bolt which came +out of nowhere to slice through a tree trunk as a knife might +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span>slash wet clay. Blaster—and a particular type of blaster!</p> + +<p>"Patrol issue!" Tau lay flat, squeezing himself against the +earth as if he wished he could ooze into it.</p> + +<p>Jellico wriggled toward the bush in answer to a low call +from Asaki, and the others made a worm's progress in his +wake. Under cover they found the Chief Ranger <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'reading'.">readying</ins> his +needler.</p> + +<p>"Poacher camp here," he explained bleakly. "And they +know about us."</p> + +<p>"A perfect end to a stinking day," remarked Tau dispassionately. +"We might have guessed something of this sort +was waiting." He tried to rub away some of the dried clay +coating his chin. "But do poachers use drums?"</p> + +<p>The Chief Ranger scowled. "That is what Nymani has gone +to find out."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="VII" id="VII"></a>VII</h2> + + +<p>Darkness closed in while they waited for Nymani's return. +There had been no further attack from the blaster wielder; +perhaps he was only trying to pin them down where they +were. Out over the swamp, weird patches of phosphorescence +moved in small ghostly clouds, and bright dots of insects +with their own built-in lighting systems flashed spark-fashion +or sailed serenely on regular flight plans. At night the wonder +of the place was far removed from the squalid reality of the +day. They chewed on their rations, drank sparingly of the +water, and tried to keep alert to any sight or sound.</p> + +<p>That monotonous undertone, which might or might not be +drums, continued as a basic hum to the noises of the night, +drowned out at intervals by a splash, a mutter or cry from +some swamp creature. Beside Dane, Jellico stiffened, moved +his blaster, as someone wriggled through the brush, trilling +softly.</p> + +<p>"Off-worlders," Nymani reported in gasps to Asaki, "and +outlaws, too. They make a hunting sing—tomorrow they +march for a killing."</p> + +<p>Asaki rested his chin on his broad forearm. "Outlaws?"</p> + +<p>"They show no lord's badge. But each I saw wears a +bracelet of three, five, or ten tails. They are Trackers indeed, +and Hunters of the best!"</p> + +<p>"They have huts?"</p> + +<p>"Not so. There are no dwellers in the inners courts here." +Out of habit Nymani used the polite term for the women of +his race. "I would say they tarry only for the space of a hunt. +And on the boots of one I saw salt crust."</p> + +<p>"Salt crust!" Asaki snapped and half arose. "So that is the +type of lure they use. There must be a saline mire near here +to pull game—"</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p> +<p>"How many off-worlders?" Jellico broke in.</p> + +<p>"Three who are Hunters, one who is different."</p> + +<p>"How different?" questioned Asaki.</p> + +<p>"He wears upon his body garments which are strange; on +his head a round covering such as we see upon the off-worlders +of the ships—"</p> + +<p>"A spaceman!"</p> + +<p>Asaki laughed harshly. "Why not? They must have some +method of transporting their hides."</p> + +<p>"You can't tell me," Jellico returned, "that anyone is able +to set a ship down in this muck. It would simply be buried +for all time."</p> + +<p>"But, Captain, what type of a spaceport does a Free Trader +need? Do you not planet your own ship on worlds where +there are no waiting cradles, no fitter shops, none of the +conveniences such as mark the field Combine maintains on +Xecho?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I do. But one does need a reasonably smooth +stretch of territory, open enough so the tail flames won't start +a forest fire. You don't ever ride a tail push down in a +swamp!"</p> + +<p>"Which testifies to a trail out of here, fairly well-traveled, +and some kind of a usable landing space not too far away," +Asaki replied. "And that could very well serve us."</p> + +<p>"But they know we are here," Tau pointed out.</p> + +<p>It was Nymani's turn to laugh. "Man from the stars, there +is no trail so well-hidden that a Ranger of the preserves +cannot nose it out, nor any Hunter—be he a two or five +bracelet veteran—who can keep pinned down a determined +man of the forest service!"</p> + +<p>Dane lost interest in the argument at that moment. He was +at the edge of their line, the nearest to the swamp, and he +had been watching patches of ghostly light flitting above the +rank water-weeds. For the past few moments those wisps of +faded radiance had been gathering into a growing anthropomorphic +blot hanging over the morass several yards away. +And the misty outlines were now assuming more concrete +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span>shape. He watched, unable to believe in what he was seeing. +At first the general outline, non-defined as it was, made him +think of a rock ape. But there were no pointed ears above +the round skull, no snout on the visage turned in profile +toward him.</p> + +<p>More and more patches of swamp luminescence were +drawn to that glowing figure. What balanced there now, as +if walking the treacherous surface of the swampland, was no +animal. It was a man, or the semblance of one, a small, thin +man—a man he had seen once before, on the terrace of +Asaki's mountain fortress.</p> + +<p>The thing stood almost complete, its head cocked in what +was an attitude of listening.</p> + +<p>"Lumbrilo!" Dane identified it, still knowing that the witch +doctor could not be standing there listening for them. But, +to shake him still farther, the head turned at his cry. Only +there were no eyes, no features on the white expanse which +should have been a face. And somehow that made the monster +more menacing, convincing Dane against sane logic that +the thing <i>was</i> spying on them.</p> + +<p>"Demon!" That was Nymani; and over his sudden quaver, +robbed of all the confidence which had been there only +moments earlier, came Asaki's demand:</p> + +<p>"What stands there, Medic? Tell us that!"</p> + +<p>"A whip to drive us out of hiding, sir. As you know as well +as I. If Nymani spied upon them, then they have spied upon +us in turn. And this, I think, also answers another question. +If there is a canker of trouble on Khatka, then Lumbrilo is +close to its root."</p> + +<p>"Nymani!" The Chief Ranger's voice was the crack of a +lash. "Will you forget again that you are a man, and run +crying for shelter against a shaft of light? As this off-world +Medic says, Lumbrilo fashions such as that to drive us into +our enemies' hands!"</p> + +<p>The shadow thing in the swamp moved, putting its foot +forward on surface which would not bear the weight of a +human body, taking a deliberate step and then another, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span>heading for the concealing brush where the fugitives lay.</p> + +<p>"Can you get rid of it, Tau?" Jellico asked in his usual +crisp voice. He might have been inquiring about some problem +aboard the <i>Queen</i>.</p> + +<p>"I'd rather get at the source." There was a grim note in +the Medic's reply. "And to do that I want to look at their +camp."</p> + +<p>"Well enough!" Asaki crept back in the brush.</p> + +<p>The ghost of that which was not a man had reached the +shore of the island, stood there, its blank head turned toward +them. Weird as it was, now that the first shock of sighting it +was over, the spacemen could accept and dismiss it as they +had not been so able to dismiss the phantom rock ape.</p> + +<p>"If that thing was sent to drive us," Dane ventured, +"wouldn't we be playing their game by going inland now?"</p> + +<p>The Chief Ranger did not pause in his crawl to the left. +"I think not. They do not expect us to arrive with our wits +about us. Panic-stricken men are easy to pull down. This time +Lumbrilo has overreached himself. Had he not played that +game with the rock ape, he might have been able to stampede +us now."</p> + +<p>Though the white thing continued to move inland, it did +not change course to fall in behind them on the new route. +Whatever it was, it did not possess a mind.</p> + +<p>There was a rustling, faint but distinguishable. Then Dane +caught Nymani's whisper.</p> + +<p>"The one left to watch the inland trail does so no longer. +We need not fear an alarm from <i>him</i>. Also, here is another +blaster for our use."</p> + +<p>Away from the open by the swamp, the gloom was deeper. +Dane was guided only by the noises of the less-experienced +Jellico and Tau made in their progress.</p> + +<p>They edged down into a small cut, floored with reeds and +mud, where some of the moisture from the soggy land about +them gathered into a half pool. Straight through this swale +the Khatkans set course.</p> + +<p>The drum beat grew louder. Now there was a glow against +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>the dark—fire ahead? Dane squirmed forward and at last +gained a vantage point from which to survey the poachers' +camp.</p> + +<p>There were shelters erected there, three of them, but they +were mainly roofs of leaves and branches. In two of them +were stored bales of hides sewn into plastic cloth, ready to +ship. Before the third hut lounged four off-worlders. And +Nymani was very right; one of them wore ship's uniform.</p> + +<p>To the right of the fire was a ring of natives and another +man, slightly apart, who beat the drum. But of the witch +doctor there was no sign. And Dane, thinking of that mist-born +thing at the swamp's edge, shivered. He could believe +Tau's explanation of the drug which produced hallucinations +back on the mountain side. But how that likeness fashioned +of phosphorescence had been sent by an absent man to hunt +his enemies was a eerie puzzle.</p> + +<p>"Lumbrilo is not here." Nymani's thoughts must have +been moving along the same path.</p> + +<p>Dane could hear movements in the dark beside him.</p> + +<p>"There's a long-distance com unit in that third hut," Tau +observed.</p> + +<p>"So I see," Jellico snapped. "Could you reach your men +over the mountain with that, sir?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know. But if Lumbrilo is not here, how can he +make his image walk the night?" the Chief Ranger demanded +impatiently.</p> + +<p>"We shall see. If Lumbrilo is not here—he shall come." +And the promise in Tau's tone was sure. "Those off-worlders +will have to be out of action first. And with that walking +thing sent to drive us in, they must be waiting for us."</p> + +<p>"If they have sentries out, I will silence them!" promised +Nymani.</p> + +<p>"You have a plan?" Asaki's wide shoulders and upheld +head showed for an instant against the light from the camp.</p> + +<p>"You want Lumbrilo," Tau replied. "Very well, sir, I +believe I can give him to you, and in the doing discredit him +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>with your Khatkans. But not with the off-worlders free to +move."</p> + +<p>The program was not going to be easy, Dane decided. +Every one of the poachers was armed with a Patrol blaster +of the latest type, and a small part of his mind speculated as +to what would be the result of that information conveyed to +official quarters. Free Traders and Patrolmen did not always +see eye-to-eye over the proper action to be taken on the +galactic frontier. The <i>Queen's</i> crew had had one such brush +with authority in the immediate past. But each realized that +the other had an important role in the general scheme of +things, and if it came to a clash between the law and outlaws, +Free Traders fought beside the Patrol.</p> + +<p>"Why not give them what they expect—with reservations?" +inquired Jellico. "They've set us up to be stampeded into +camp, flying ahead of that tame ghost of theirs. Suppose we +do stampede—after Nymani has removed any sentries—stampede +so well we sweep right over them? I want to get at that +com unit."</p> + +<p>"You don't think they'll just mow us down as we come in?"</p> + +<p>"You delivered a blow to Lumbrilo's pride; he won't be +satisfied with just your burning," the captain answered Tau, +"not if I'm any judge of character. And we'd furnish hostages +of a sort—especially the Chief Ranger. No, if they had wanted +to kill us they would have shot us off those islands when we +came here. There would have been no playing around with +ghosts and goblins."</p> + +<p>"There is reason in your words. And it is true they would +like to have me, those outlaws down there," Asaki commented. +"I am of the Magawaya and we have pressed always +for stronger security methods to be used against such as they. +But I do not see how we can take the camp."</p> + +<p>"We won't go in from the front—as they expect us to do. +But a try from the north, getting at the off-worlders first.... +Three men causing enough disturbance to cover operations +of the other two...."</p> + +<p>"So?" There was a moment of silence as the Chief Ranger +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>evaluated that. Then he added a few comments of his own.</p> + +<p>"That off-worlder who wears spaceman's clothing, his +weapon is not drawn, though the others are ready. But I +believe that you are right in thinking they expect to be +warned by sentries. Those we can see to. Suppose then, +Captain, you and I play the fear-crazed men running from +demons. Nymani will cover us from the dark and your two +men—"</p> + +<p>Tau spoke up, "Give me leave to flush out our other quarry, +sir. I believe I can keep him occupied. Dane, you'll take the +drum."</p> + +<p>"Drum?" With his mind on blasters, it was startling to be +offered a noise-maker.</p> + +<p>"It's your business to get that drum. And when you get it +I want you to beat out 'Terra Bound.' You certainly can play +that, can't you?"</p> + +<p>"I don't understand," Dane began and then swallowed +the rest of his protest, knowing that Tau was not going to +explain why he needed to have the hackneyed popular song +of the spaceways played in a Khatkan swamp. As a Free +Trader he had had quite a few odd jobs handed him during +the past couple of years, but this was the first time he had +been ordered to serve as a musician.</p> + +<p>They waited for Nymani through dragging minutes. Surely +those in the camp would expect their arrival soon now? +Dane's fire ray was in his hand as he measured the distance +to the drummer's stand.</p> + +<p>"It is done," Nymani whispered from the darkness behind +them. Jellico and the Chief Ranger moved to the left; Tau +crept to the right and Dane pushed level with the medic.</p> + +<p>"When they move," Tau's lips were beside his ear, "jump +for that drum. I don't care how you get it, but get it and keep +it!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir!"</p> + +<p>There was a wailing cry from the north, a howl of witless +fear. The singers stopped in mid-note, the drummer paused, +his hand uplifted. Dane darted forward in a plunge which +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span>carried him to that man. The Khatkan did not have time to +rise from his knees as the barrel of the fire rod struck his +head, sending him spinning. Then the drum was cradled in +the spaceman's arm, close to his chest, his weapon aimed +across it at the startled natives.</p> + +<p>The crackle of blaster fire, the shrill whine of needlers in +action, raised a bedlam from the other end of the camp. +Backing up a little, Dane went down on one knee, his weapon +ready to sweep over the bewildered natives, the drum resting +on the earth against his body. Keeping the fire rod steady, +his left hand went to work, not in the muted cadence the +Khatkan drummer had chosen, but in hard and vigorous +thumps which rolled across the clamor of the fight. There +was no forgetting the beat of "Terra Bound" and he delivered +it with force, so that the familiar da-dah-da-da droned loud +enough to awaken the whole camp.</p> + +<p>Dane's move appeared to completely baffle the Khatkan +outlaws. They stared at him, the whites of their eyes doubly +noticeable in their dark faces, their mouths a little agape. As +usual the unexpected had driven them off guard. He dared +not look away from that gathering to see how the fight at +the other end of the camp was progressing. But he did see +Tau's advance.</p> + +<p>The medic came into the light of the fire, not with his +ordinary loose-limbed spaceman's stride, but mincingly, with +a dancing step, and he was singing to the drum beat of +"Terra Bound." Dane could not understand the words, but he +knew that they patterned in and out of the drum beats, +weaving a net between singer and listeners as Lumbrilo had +woven his net on the mountain terrace.</p> + +<p>Tau had them! Had every one of the native outlaws +ensnared, so that Dane rested his weapon across his knee +and took up the lower beat with the fingers of his right hand +as well.</p> + +<p><i>Da-dah-da-da</i>.... The innocuous repetitive refrain of the +original song which had been repeating itself in his mind +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>faded, and somehow he caught the menace in the new words +Tau was mouthing.</p> + +<p>Twice the medic shuffled about a circle of his own making. +Then he stooped, took a hunting knife from the belt of the +nearest Khatkan and held it point out toward the dark east. +Dane would not have believed the medic knew the drill he +now displayed, for with no opponent save the dancing firelight +he fought a knife duel, feinting, striking, twisting, +retreating, attacking, all in time to the beat of the drum Dane +was no longer conscious of playing. And as he strove it was +very easy to picture another fighting against him. So that +when the knife came up in a vicious thrust which was the +finish of his last attack, Dane stared stupidly at the ground, +half expecting to see a body lying there.</p> + +<p>Once more Tau ceremoniously saluted with his blade to +the east. Then he laid it on the ground and stood astride its +gleaming length.</p> + +<p>"Lumbrilo!" His confident voice arose above the call of the +drum. "Lumbrilo—I am waiting."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="VIII" id="VIII"></a>VIII</h2> + + +<p>Vaguely aware that the clamor at the other end of the +camp had died away, Dane muted the sound of his drum. +Over its round top he could watch the Khatkan outlaws; +their heads bobbed and swayed in time to the beat of his +fingers. He, too, could feel the pull of Tau's voice. But what +would come in answer? That shadowy thing which had been +loosed to drive them here? Or the man himself?</p> + +<p>To Dane, the ruddy light of the fire dimmed, yet there was +no actual dying of those flames which coiled and thrust +around the wood. And the acrid scent of burning was thick. +How much of what followed was real, how much the product +of his tense nerves, Dane was never afterwards able to +tell. In fact, whether all the witnesses there saw the same +sights could be questioned. Did each man, Khatkan and off-worlder, +see only what his particular set of emotions and +memories dictated?</p> + +<p>Something swept in from the east, something which was +not as tangible as the creature born of swamp mist. Rather it +came as an unseen menace to the fire, and all that fire signifies +to human kind—security, comradeship, a weapon against +the age-old forces of the dangerous night. Was that threat, +too, only in their minds? Or had Lumbrilo some power to so +shape his hatred?</p> + +<p>The unseen was cold; it sapped a man's strength, bit at his +brain, weighted his hands and feet, weakened him. It strove +to soften him into clay another could remold. <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'Nohingness'.">Nothingness</ins>, +darkness, all that was opposed to life and warmth and reality, +arose in the night, gathered together against them.</p> + +<p>Yet still Tau fronted that invisible wave, his head high. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>And between his sturdily planted feet the knife gleamed +bright with a radiance of its own.</p> + +<p>"Ahhh—" Tau's voice curled out, to pierce that creeping +menace. Then he was singing again, the cadence of his +unknown words rising a little above the pattern wrought by +the drum.</p> + +<p>Dane forced his heavy hands to continue the beat, his +wrists to rise and fall in defiance of that which crept to eat +their strength and make them less then men.</p> + +<p>"Lumbrilo! I, Tau, of another star, another sky, another +world, bid you come forth and range your power against +mine!" Now there was a sharper note in that demand, the +snap of an order.</p> + +<p>He was answered by another wave of the black negation—stronger, +rolling up to smash them down, as a wave in the +heavy surf of a wild ocean pounds its force against the beach. +This time Dane thought he could see that dark mass. He tore +his eyes away before it took on substance, concentrating on +the movements of his hands against the drum head, refusing +to believe that hammer of power was rising to flatten them +all. He had heard Tau describe such things in the past. But +told in familiar quarters on board the <i>Queen</i>, such experiences +were only stories. Here was danger unleashed. Yet the +medic stood unbowed as the wave broke upon him in full.</p> + +<p>And, advancing under the crest of that lick of destruction, +came its controller. This was no ghost drawn from the materials +of the swamp; this was a man, walking quietly, his hands +as empty as Tau's, yet grasping weapons none of them could +see.</p> + +<p>In the firelight, as the wave receded sullenly, men moaned, +lay face down upon the ground, beat their hands feebly +against the earth. But, as Lumbrilo came on from the shadows, +one of them got to his hands and knees, moving with +small tortured jerks. He crawled toward Tau, his head lolling +on his shoulders as the head of the dead rock ape had done. +Dane patted the drum with one hand while, with the other, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span>he groped for his fire ray. He tried to shout in warning and +found that he could not utter a sound.</p> + +<p>Tau's arm moved, raised from his side, made a circling +motion.</p> + +<p>The creeping man, his eyes rolled up in his head until only +the whites gleamed blindly in the limited light, followed that +gesture. He drew level with the medic, passed beyond toward +Lumbrilo, whining as a hound prevented from obeying his +master might lament.</p> + +<p>"So be it, Lumbrilo," Tau said. "This is between you and +me. Or do you not dare to risk your power against mine? Is +Lumbrilo so weak a one that he must send another to do his +will?"</p> + +<p>Raising both hands again the medic brought them down, +curling inward, until he stooped and touched them to the +ground. When he straightened once again the knife was in +his grasp and he tossed it behind him.</p> + +<p>The smoke from the fire swirled out in a long tongue, +coiled about Lumbrilo and was gone. A black and white beast +stood where the man had been, its tufted tail lashing, its +muzzle a mask of snarling hate and blood lust.</p> + +<p>But Tau met that transformation with laughter which was +like the lash of a whip.</p> + +<p>"We both be men, you and I, Lumbrilo. Meet me as a +man and keep those trickeries for those who have not the +clear sight. A child plays as a child, so—" Tau's voice came in +a rumble, but Tau was gone. The huge, hairy thing which +swayed in his place turned a gorilla's beast visage to his +enemy. For a breathless moment Terran ape confronted +Khatkan lion. Then the spaceman was himself again. "The +time for games is over, man of Khatka. You have tried to hunt +us to our deaths, have you not? Therefore death shall be the +portion of the loser now."</p> + +<p>Lion vanished, man stood watching, alertly, as swordsman +might face swordsman with a blood feud lying on their blades. +To Dane's eyes the Khatkan made no move. Yet the fire +leaped high, as if freshly fed, and flames burst from the wood, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>flew into the air, red and perilous birds, darting at Tau until +they outlined him from the ground under his boots to an +arch over his head. They united and spun faster until Dane, +watching with dazzled eyes, saw the wheel become a blur of +light, hiding Tau within its fiery core. His own wrists ached +with the strain of his drumming as he lifted one hand and +tried to shield his sight from the glare of that pillar of fire.</p> + +<p>Lumbrilo was chanting—a heavy <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'blatt'.">blast</ins> of words. Dane +stiffened; his traitorous hands were falling into the rhythm +of that other song! Straightaway he raised both from the +drum head, brought them down in a discordinate series of +thumps which bore no relation to either the song Tau wanted +or that which Lumbrilo was now crooning. <i>Thump—thump—thump</i>—Dane +beat it out frantically, belaboring the drum +head as he wanted to sink his fists home on the body of the +Khatkan witch doctor.</p> + +<p>The pillar of fire swayed, fluttered as if a wind drove it—and +was gone. Tau, unmarked, smiled.</p> + +<p>"Fire!" He pointed his fingers at Lumbrilo. "Would you +try earth, and water, and air also, wizard? Call hither your +whirlwind, up your flood, summon the land to quake. None +of those shall bring me down!"</p> + +<p>Shapes came flooding out of the night, some monstrous, +some human, streaming past Lumbrilo to crowd into the circle +of firelight. Some Dane thought he knew, some were +strangers. Men wearing space uniforms, or the dress of other +worlds, women—they strode, wept, mingled with the monsters +to laugh, curse, threaten.</p> + +<p>Dane guessed that Lumbrilo sent now against the Terran +the harvest of the medic's own memories. He shut his eyes +against this enforced intrusion upon another's past, but not +before he saw Tau's face, strained, fined to the well-shaped +bones beneath the thin flesh, holding still a twisted smile as +he met each memory, accepted the pain it held for him, and +set it aside unshaken.</p> + +<p>"This, too, has no power any longer, man who walks in +the dark."</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> +<p>Dane opened his eyes. Those crowding wraiths were fading, +losing substance. Lumbrilo crouched, his lips drawn back +from his teeth, his hatred plain to read.</p> + +<p>"I am not clay to be molded by your hands, Lumbrilo. +And now I say that the time has come to call an end—"</p> + +<p>Tau raised his hands slowly once again, holding them away +from his body, palms pointing earthward. And beneath them, +on either side of the spaceman, two black shadows gathered +on the surface of the ground.</p> + +<p>"You have fettered yourself with your own bounds. As you +have been the hunter, so shall you now be the hunted."</p> + +<p>Those shadows were growing as plants might issue from +the packed soil of the camping ground. When his hands were +shoulder high, Tau held them steady. Now on either side of +his tautly held body crouched one of the black-and-white +lions with which Lumbrilo had identified his own brand of +magic throughout the year.</p> + +<p>Lumbrilo's "lion" had been larger than life, more intelligent, +more dangerous, subtly different from the normal animal +it counterfeited. So now were these. And both of them +raised their heads to gaze intently into the medic's face.</p> + +<p>"Hunt well, brothers in fur," he said slowly, almost caressingly. +"Him whom you hunt shall grant you sport in the +going."</p> + +<p>"Stop it!" A man leaped from the shadows behind the +witch doctor. Firelight made plain his off-world dress, and he +swung up a blaster, aiming at the nearest of the waiting +beasts. That flash struck true, but it neither killed nor even +singed the fine fur of the animal's pelt.</p> + +<p>As the blaster's aim was swung from beast to man, Dane +fired first. His ray brought a scream from the other, who +dropped his weapon from a badly seared hand to reel back, +cursing.</p> + +<p>Tau waved his hands gently. The great animal heads +turned obediently, until the red eyes were set on Lumbrilo. +Facing them, the witch doctor straightened, spat out his +hate at the medic:</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p><p>"I do not run to be hunted, devil man!"</p> + +<p>"I think you do, Lumbrilo. For you must taste fear now as +you have made other men drink of it, so that it fills your +blood and races through your body, clouds your mind to make +of you less than a man. You have hunted out those who +doubted your power, who stood in your chosen path, whom +you wanted removed from the earth of Khatka. Do you doubt +that they wait in the last dark for you now, ready to greet +you, witch doctor? What they have known, you shall also +know. This night you have shown me all that lies in my past +that is weak, that was evil, that I may regret or find sorrow +for. So shall you also remember through the few hours left +you. Aye, you <i>shall</i> run, Lumbrilo!"</p> + +<p>As he spoke, Tau approached the other, the two black-and-white +hunters pacing beside him. Now he stooped and +caught up a pinch of soil and spat upon it three times. Then +he threw the tiny clod of earth at the witch doctor. It struck +Lumbrilo just above the heart and the man reeled under +what might have been a murderous blow.</p> + +<p>The Khatkan broke then, completely. With a wailing cry +he whirled and ran, crashing into the brush as one who runs +blindly and without hope. Behind him the two beasts leaped +noiselessly together and all three were gone.</p> + +<p>Tau swayed, put his hand to his head. Dane kicked away +the drum, arose from his cramped position stiffly to go to +him. But the medic was not yet done. He returned to stand +over the prostrate native hunters and he clapped his hands +sharply.</p> + +<p>"You are men, and you shall act as men henceforth. That +which was, is no longer. Stand free, for the dark power follows +him who misused it, and fear no longer eats from your +basins, drinks from your cups, or lies beside you on the sleep +mats."</p> + +<p>"Tau!" Jellico's shout reached them over the cries of the +rousing Khatkans. But Dane was there first, catching the +medic before he slumped to the ground; but he was dragged +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>with that dead weight until he sat with the medic's head on +his shoulder, the other's body resting heavily against him. +For one horror-filled moment Dane feared that he did indeed +hold a dead man, that one of the outlaw Hunters must have +struck a last blow for his discredited leader. Then Tau sighed +and began to breathe deeply. Dane glanced up, amazed, at +the captain.</p> + +<p>"He's asleep!"</p> + +<p>Jellico knelt and his hand went to test heart beat, then to +touch the medic's worn and dirty face. "Best thing for him," +he said briskly. "He's had it."</p> + +<p>It took some time to get the facts of their triumph sorted +out. Two of the off-worlder poachers were dead. The other +and the spaceman were prisoners, while Nymani rounded up +in addition the man Dane had burned to save Tau. When +the younger spaceman returned from making the medic comfortable +in the shelter, he found Asaki and Jellico holding an +impromptu court of inquiry.</p> + +<p>The dazed native Hunters had been expertly looped +together by Nymani and, a little apart from them, the off-worlders +were under examination.</p> + +<p>"An I-C man, eh?" Jellico, smoothing a mud-spattered +chin with a grimed hand, regarded the latest arrival measuringly. +"Trying to run in and break a Combine charter, were +you? You'd better spill the facts; your own head office will +disown you, you ought to know that. They never back any +failures in these undercover deals."</p> + +<p>"I want medical attention," snapped the other, cradling +his seared hand to his chest. "Or do you plan to turn me over +to these savages?"</p> + +<p>"Seeing as how you tried to blast our medic," replied the +captain with a grin which was close to shark-like, "he may +not feel much like patching up those fingers of yours. Stick +'em in where they have no business, and they're apt to get +burned. At any rate he's not going to look at 'em until he's +had a chance to rest. I'll give you first aid. And while I'm +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>working we'll talk. I-C going into the poaching trade now? +That news is going to <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'pleace'.">please</ins> Combine; they have no use for +you boys anyway."</p> + +<p>His answer was lurid and uninformative. But the uniform +tunic the other wore could not be so easily explained away. +Dane, worn out, stretched his aching length on a pile of +mats and lost all interest in the argument.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Two days later they stood once more on the same terrace +where Lumbrilo had wrought his magic and met his first +defeat. This time no lightning played along the mountain +ridges and the blaze of the sun was so bright and clear that +one could hardly believe in the fantastic happenings of that +swamp clearing where men had fought with weapons not +made by hands. The three from the <i>Queen</i> moved away from +the parapet to meet the Chief Ranger as he came down the +stairs.</p> + +<p>"A messenger has just arrived. The hunter was hunted +indeed, and his going was witnessed by many—though they +did not see those which hunted him. Lumbrilo is dead; he +came to his end by the Great River."</p> + +<p>Jellico started. "But that is almost fifty miles from the +swamp, on this side of the mountain!"</p> + +<p>"He was hunted and he fled—as you promised," Asaki said +to Tau. "You made strong magic, off-world man."</p> + +<p>The medic shook his head slowly. "I but turned his own +methods against him. Because he believed in his power, that +same power, reflected back, broke him. Had I been facing +one who did not believe...." He shrugged. "Our first meeting +set the pattern. From that moment he feared a little that I +could match him, and his uncertainty pierced a hole in his +armor."</p> + +<p>"Why on earth did you want 'Terra Bound?'" burst out +Dane, still seeking an explanation for that one small mystery +among the others.</p> + +<p>Tau chuckled. "In the first place, that blasted tune has +haunted us all for so long that I knew its rhythm was probably +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span>the one you could keep to without hardly knowing that +you were beating it out. And, in the second place, its alien +pattern was a part of our particular background, to counteract +Lumbrilo's native Khatkan music, which was certainly a +big factor in <i>his</i> stage setting. He must have believed that we +would not find out about the drugged water and so would be +prepared for any fantasy he cared to produce. When they +saw us coming out over the swamp they counted us easy +takings. His practice had always been with Khatkans, and +he judged us by their reactions to stimuli he knew well how +to use. So he failed...."</p> + +<p>Asaki smiled. "Which was good for Khatka but ill for +Lumbrilo and those using him to make mischief here. The +poacher and the outlaw Hunters will meet with our justice, +which I do not believe they will relish. But the other two, +the spaceman and the company agent, are to be sent to +Xecho to face Combine authorities. It is my thought that +those will not accept kindly the meddling of another company +in their territory."</p> + +<p>Jellico grunted. "Kindness and Combine are widely separated +in such matters. <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'Bu'.">But</ins> we can now take passage on the +same ship as your prisoners—"</p> + +<p>"But, my friend, you have not yet seen the preserve. I +assure you that <i>this</i> time there shall be no trouble. We have +several days yet before you must return to your ship—"</p> + +<p>The captain of the <i>Queen</i> held up his hand. "Nothing +would give me greater pleasure than to inspect the Zoboru +preserve, sir—next year. As it is, my holiday is over and the +<i>Queen</i> is waiting for us on Xecho. Also, permit me to send +you some tapes dealing with the newest types of flitters—guaranteed +against flight failures."</p> + +<p>"Yes, guaranteed," Tau added guilelessly, "not to break +down, lose course, or otherwise disrupt a pleasant excursion."</p> + +<p>The Chief Ranger threw back his head and his deep-chested +laughter was echoed from the heights above them. +"Very well, Captain. Your mail run will bring you back to +Xecho at intervals. Meanwhile I shall study your sales tapes +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span>concerning the non-expendable flitters. But you <i>shall</i> visit +Zoboru—and pleasantly, very pleasantly, I assure you, Medic +Tau!"</p> + +<p>"I wonder," Tau muttered and Dane heard. "Just now the +quiet of deep space is a far, far more entrancing proposition!"</p> + +<hr /> +<h3>Transcriber's Notes</h3> +<p class="center">A table of contents with hyperlinks to the chapters has been added. The repetition "too too" and the writing of the word "steppingstones" without hyphen is as in the original.</p> + +<p class="center">The following typos have been corrected.</p> +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align='left'><b>Page</b></td><td align='left'><b>Typo</b></td><td align='left'><b>Correction</b></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>6</td><td align='left'>an</td><td align='left'>on</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>6</td><td align='left'>breath</td><td align='left'>breathe</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>7</td><td align='left'>Yes. sir!</td><td align='left'>Yes, sir!</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>7</td><td align='left'>Terran</td><td align='left'>Terra</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>7</td><td align='left'>visiting;</td><td align='left'>visiting.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>8</td><td align='left'>Terran</td><td align='left'>Terra</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>9</td><td align='left'>qraz</td><td align='left'>graz</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>9</td><td align='left'>telaported</td><td align='left'>teleported</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>10</td><td align='left'>Sinbad</td><td align='left'>Sindbad</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>11</td><td align='left'>supersition</td><td align='left'>superstition</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>18</td><td align='left'>remarkble</td><td align='left'>remarkable</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>19</td><td align='left'>was</td><td align='left'>were</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>24</td><td align='left'>waves</td><td align='left'>weaves</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>29</td><td align='left'>missive</td><td align='left'>missile</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>36</td><td align='left'>throbbling</td><td align='left'>throbbing</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>43</td><td align='left'>"_Haugh!_</td><td align='left'>"_Haugh!_"</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>54</td><td align='left'>succesful</td><td align='left'>successful</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>59</td><td align='left'>reading</td><td align='left'>readying</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>69</td><td align='left'>Nohingness</td><td align='left'>Nothingness</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>72</td><td align='left'>blatt</td><td align='left'>blast</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>76</td><td align='left'>pleace</td><td align='left'>please</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>77</td><td align='left'>Bu</td><td align='left'>But</td></tr> +</table></div> +<p class="center mt">"Andrew North" was one of the pseudonyms used by "Andre Norton".</p> +<hr class="full" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Voodoo Planet, by Andre Norton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOODOO PLANET *** + +***** This file should be named 18846-h.htm or 18846-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/8/4/18846/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, LN Yaddanapudi and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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