“Promising quite a lot, are you not. Citizen?” Troy kept as tight a control over his emotions as he could. Every one of Dragur’s words had been a whip laid on sensitive skin. He dared not believe that there was a fraction of truth in the offer, dared not for the sake of his own equilibrium of heart and mind.
“I am promising nothing that I cannot deliver, Range Master Horan.” And in that moment Troy was forced to believe him.
“Korwar is a Council planet.” Troy hedged, tried to test his assurance from another angle.
“Which again means nothing—to me.” And once more his tone and the will behind it carried conviction.
“And in return for Norden what do you ask?”
“A small task successfully performed—by you, Range Master. It seems by some quirk of fate you alone now on this world are able to communicate with some runaway servants of mine. I want them back, and you can get them for me.”
That was it: produce the animals—and get Norden. Norden and everything his father had held ten years ago! Simple and deadly as that.
“They must be very special, these servants of yours,” Rerne cut in.
“Indeed, noble Hunter, as you already know. Their breeding is the result of many years of research and experimentation. They are the only ones of their species—“
“On Korwar.” Rerne’s words were not a question, but a statement that carried both force and meaning. Troy caught the inference. Yes, the five he had left in the Wild might be the only ones of their species on Korwar. And yet in other places, other solar systems, similar tools were being employed by Confederation agents.
Dragur shifted slightly in the weird chair. “What happens on other planets is none of my concern, noble Hunter, nor the Clans’. In fact I will assure you that once my servants are returned to me, there shall be no cause to fear any more activity of this type on
Korwar. The experiment, due to the human element here, has been a failure. We shall admit defeat and withdraw.”
And that, too, Troy believed.
“And the animals themselves?”
“Are now expendable. I do not think that you will hesitate for a moment to weigh the lives of five animals against your return to Norden, will you, Range Master?”
Troy’s tongue tip wet his dry lips. He had to use all his will power to fight shivers running along arms and legs.
“You cannot be sure I can bring them in.”
“No, but you are the only contact with them. And I think my crab will jump with all his energy for this tidbit, do you not agree?”
“Yes!” Troy’s answer came in a harsh explosion of breath. “Yes, I do!” He saw, from the corner of his eye, Rerne’s head turn in his direction, a flash of surprise deepen to bleak distaste on the ranger’s face. But Rerne’s opinion of him could not matter now. He must keep thinking of the future. Dragur was so right; this crab was willing to jump—very high!
“So!” The agent spoke to Rerne now. “You see how simply matters can be arranged. There is no need for Clan interference—or their hope to have a hand in this. I take it, Range Master, that the animals still are in the Wild?”
“They left the flitter for the woods just before your men slapped that pinner on me.”
“How easy to understand once one knows the facts. Very well, we need have no worries now. You, noble Hunter, shall be our passport to the Wild. A happy chance brought you here in time. One might almost begin to believe in the ancient superstitions regarding a personified form of Fate that could favor or strike adversely at a man. We shall be a hunting party, just Zul and I, you, noble Hunter, Range Master Horan, and my Guildsman. And if all goes well, we shall have this matter decided before nightfall tomorrow. I am sure we are all sensible men here and there will be no trouble.” He raised the needler.
Troy was not sure Rerne noted that warning gesture. When the ranger replied, his voice was remote. “There is no argument, Citizen. I am at your service.”
“But, of course, noble Hunter, did I not say you would be? And now we shall go.”
Eighteen
Troy had no idea how far into the Wild they had penetrated. As Dragur had foreseen, Rerne talked them safely through the Clan patrols. Dawn came and mellowed into day, the day sped west as they bore east. Troy put his head back against the cabin walls, closed his eyes, but not to sleep.
His right hand braceleted his left wrist, moving around and around on the smooth, cool surface of the band he had involuntarily worn out of Ruhkarv, until that movement fell into rhythm with his reaching thoughts.
The flitter moved at top speed, but surely thought could thrust farther and faster than any machine. He tried to call up a sharp picture of that tongue of woodland into which the animals had fled—was it hours, or days ago? Simba, if he could contact Simba! If he could persuade the cat, and through him the others, to come back to th’at meeting point, be waiting there—
Norden— No, he must not think of Norden now, of how it would be to ride free once more down the valley. With a wrench of thought that was close to physical pain, Troy crushed down memory and dreams bom of that memory. He must concentrate with every part of him, mental and physical, on the job at hand.
There was only Dragur’s word that none of them here could communicate with the animals. But if that was not true, why did they want his help so badly?
His whole body was taut with effort. He was not aware that his face grew gaunt with strain or that dark finger-shaped bruises appeared under his eyes. He did not know that Rerne was watching him again with an intentness that approached his own concentration.
Slip, slip, right, left, his fingers on the bracelet—his silent call fanning out ahead of the ship. Troy aroused to chew a concentrate block passed to him, hardly conscious of the others in that cabin, so tired only his will flogged him into that fruitless searching.
And to undermine his labors there was a growing dismay. Perhaps the animals, having witnessed his capture, had pressed on past any hope of their being located now. Only Sahiba’s injury could curtail such a flight.
Nightfall found the flitter well into the plains. Dragur heeded the protests of the Guildsman who alternated with Zul ap pilot and agreed to camp for the night.
“Which,” the agent remarked with courtesy exaggerated enough to approach a taunt, “provides us with a problem, noble Hunter. You, in this, your home territory, will have to be bodily restrained. I trust you will forgive the practical solution. Our young friend here needs no such limits on his freedom.”
Rerne, hands and feet bound, made no protest as he was bedded down between Zul and the Guildsman. Troy, oblivious to his company and surroundings, fell asleep almost at once, his weariness like a vast weight grinding him into darkness. Yet in that dark there was no rest. He twisted, turned, raced breathlessly to finish some fantastic task under the spur of time. And he awoke gasping, sweat damp upon his body.
Stars were paling overhead. This was the dawn of the day in which they would come to the wood. For a fraction of one fast escaping moment he knew again that sensation of freedom and fresh life that had first come to him on the plateau, which would always signify for him the Wild. Then that was gone under the lash of memory. Troy did not stir, save that his hand unconsciously once more sought the band on his wrist, and from the touch of that strange metal a quickening of spirit reached into body and mind. His thoughts quested feverishly, picturing the fringe of saplings and trees as he had seen it last. Simba crouched beneath a bush—waiting—
“Found!”
Troy flung up his arm, the cool band of Ruhkarv pressed tight to his forehead above his closed eyes. And under that touch his mental picture leaped into instant sharp detail.
“You come?”
“I come,” Troy affirmed silently. “Be ready—when I come.” He tried to marshal the necessary arguments and promises that would draw them to the place where Dragur would land.
“So—you have made contact at last, Range Master?”
Troy’s arm fell away from his forehead. He frowned up at the Confederation agent. But there was no reason to deny the truth. What he had had to do he had done, to the best of his ability.
“Yes. They will be waiting.”
“Excellent. I must compliment you, Horan, on your commendable speed in seeking to fulfill your part of the bargain. We shall eat and then get on to the netting.”