Rianav was, however, grateful for the stunner at her side. Each of the six was taller, broader, heavier than she or Titrivell.
She hesitated only that brief moment for evaluation and then strode forward, not quite leisurely but not in formal martial pace. She glanced from one face to the next, almost as if she expected to recognize someone. Halting, exactly four meters from Aygar, she saluted.
“You are prompt, Aygar.”
“And you!” The man curved his lips in a half-smile, as his eyes flicked toward Titrivell, correctly standing two paces behind his lieutenant, then toward the pilot at the controls of the closed sled.
“Did your injured man survive?”
“Yes, and sends his gratitude for the remedy.”
“Any more trouble with fringes?”
“No,” Rianav said. “But you would certainly be safe from that menace on this butte? …” Her comment trailed into a question.
“We out grew its limited accommodations,” Aygar said. That prompted some smiles from his five companions.
66
Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors
“You may be unaware of the provisions made by the Federated Sentient Planets to reimburse survivors—”
“We’re not survivors, Lieutenant,” said Aygar. “We were born on this planet. We own it.”
“Really, Aygar,” said Rianav in a conciliatory tone, gesturing at the others, “six people can only own as much as supplies their needs.”
“We are more than six.”
“No matter how much your original number has multiplied, it is clearly stated in FSP law—”
“We are the law here, Rianav! We accuse you of trespass.”
The change of intensity in his voice alerted Rianav with her Disciplined sensitivity. She had her stun gun out and was firing at Aygar and the two on his right before they could complete their forward springs. Titrivell was not a millisecond later in stunning the other three.
With her gun in hand, for she had set for medium shock and she wasn’t certain how long such superb bodies would be affected, she strode to the sprawled forms, motionless on the dusty ground.
Aygar’s eyes glittered with anger as she leaned down and, grabbing his right arm, hauled him onto his back. She nodded to Titrivell to perform the same courtesy to the others.
“You’ll be unable to move for approximately fifty minutes. Doubtless your grandparents mentioned stunners? You and your companions will suffer no ill-effects from stunning. We will continue our mission. We prefer not to use weapons on other humanoids, but three to one are unfair odds. Nor are we trespassers, Aygar. Our cruiser heard the distress signal and responded. We are morally obliged to do so. No doubt your isolation is the reason for your failure to comprehend the common laws of the galaxy. I will be lenient in your instance and not report your aggressive reaction to my superiors. You cannot own a world which is still listed as unexplored in the Federated register. Possession may be considered primary in law, but you possess,” and she stressed the word with a slight pause, “very little of this jungle world no matter how many offspring were produced by the original party. But that’s not a matter for me to decide. I report fact as I observe it.”
The tendons in Aygar’s neck stood out in his attempt to break paralysis by sheer will power.
“You could do yourself injury, Aygar. Relax now and you’ll suffer no harm.”
Punctuating her advice, thunder cracked and lightning spewed blindingly out of the sky. The thin clouds which had begun to gather during the fracas had coalesced with a ferocity fitting the aerial display.
“There! Something to cool you down.” Rianav clipped her stunner to her belt. Gesturing Titrivell to follow, she strode to the sled.
“Are there many more like that?” Titrivell asked as he settled himself in the sled.
“That’s what I think we’d better find out.” Rianav motioned to Portegin to slide into the other front seat.
“Aygar gave me directions by foot. Whether they’re accurate or not, we can but follow and see.
“Run at a good steady pace,” he told me, “to your right, through the first hills, turn right up the ravine, but mind the river snakes. Continue along the river course to the first falls, take the easiest route up the cliff, follow the line of limestone, until the valley widens.” We’ll know their settlement by the cultivated fields.” Rianav snorted derisively.