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Updated: May 5, 2025
Crouched low facing the rock ape, its haunches quivering for a deadly spring, narrowed green eyes holding on its prey, was a black leopard. 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! Asaki's hands shook as he drew them down his sweating face.
"They do so accept." Once more Asaki's voice was drained of life. "And Lumbrilo does not accept something you believe necessary?" "Again the truth, Medic. Lumbrilo does not accept his proper place in the scheme of things!" "He is a member of one of your Five Families?" "No, his clan is small, always set apart. From the beginning here, those who spoke for gods and demons did not also order men."
"We are invited to visit Khatka and survey a new hunting range as Chief Ranger Asaki's personal term guests." 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.
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. 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.
They must accept Tau's explanation; it was the only sane one. 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. "Lumbrilo!" 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.
That was Nymani; and over his sudden quaver, robbed of all the confidence which had been there only moments earlier, came Asaki's demand: "What stands there, Medic? Tell us that!" "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.
"Tomorrow my men make hunting magic." Asaki's voice was expressionless. "Your chief witch doctor being?" questioned Tau. "Lumbrilo." The Chief Ranger did not appear disposed to add to that but Tau pursued the subject. "His office is hereditary?" "Yes. Does that make any difference?" For the first time there was a current of repressed eagerness in the other's tone.
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. How could 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.
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. The thing stood almost complete, its head cocked in what was an attitude of listening. "Lumbrilo!"
Asaki's wide shoulders and upheld head showed for an instant against the light from the camp. "You want Lumbrilo," Tau replied. "Very well, sir, I believe I can give him to you, and in the doing discredit him with your Khatkans. But not with the off-worlders free to move." The program was not going to be easy, Dane decided.
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