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"Will you ask your colleague to be so kind as to allow the Cargo-master Kallee to be presented?" The tall, dark young Terran Medic spoke to the priest beside him and together they came across the clearing. Van Rycke and Jellico both arose and inclined their heads in honor to the priests, as did the chief with whom they had been about to deal.
And, in fact, the Indian repeated aloud in his sleep, a sort of mysterious dialogue, of which he himself supplied both questions and answers. "'Traveller, said he, in a voice broken by sudden pauses, 'why that black mark on your forehead, stretching from one temple to the other? It is a mark of doom and your look is sad as death. Have you been a victim? Come with us; Kallee will avenge you.
"Reader of clouds and master of many winds," Tau's voice flowed with the many voweled titles of the Sargolian, "may I bring before your face Cargo-master Kallee, a servant of Inter-Solar in the realm of Trade?" The storm priest's shaven skull and body gleamed steel gray in the light. His eyes, of that startling blue-green, regarded the I-S party with cynical detachment. "You wish of me?"
Van Rycke burrowed in his belt pouch and then held out his hand. On the broad palm lay a flat disc of metal. "Very interesting " he repeated. "I shall treasure this recording " The sight of that disc wiped all satisfaction from the Eysie faces. Grange's purplish flush spread up from his tight tunic collar, Kallee blinked, and the unknown third's hand dropped to his sleep rod.
Neither Van Rycke nor Jellico spoke, it was left to Kallee to state his case. "You've crooked your orbit this time, bright boys," his jeer was a paean of triumph. "Code Three Article six or can't you absorb rules tapes with your thick heads?" Code Three Article six, Dane searched his memory for that law of the Service.
Groft's eyes flickered over the party from the Queen. Though he had just pledged cup friendship with four of them, he had the malicious humor of his race. He would make no move to head off what might be coming. "By the right of the knife and the net," he intoned, "you have the power to claim personal satisfaction. Where is your enemy?" Kallee turned to face the Free Traders.
Not all the flush had faded from the face of the I-S Captain. "Grange of the Dart," he did not even sketch a salute. "Inter-Solar. Kallee, Cargo-master " And he did not name the hovering third member of his party. Jellico stood waiting and after a long moment of silence Grange was forced to state his business. "We have until noon " Jellico, his fingers hooked in his belt, simply waited.
"Who's your champion?" he asked Kallee. The Eysie Cargo-master was grinning. He was confident he had pushed them into a position from which they could not extricate themselves. "You accept challenge?" he countered. Jellico merely repeated his question and Kallee beckoned forward one of his men. The Eysie who stepped up was no match for Kosti.
That was Groft using the Trade Lingo, his eyes half closed as he lolled in his chair of state, almost as if he were about to witness some entertainment provided for his pleasure. "We wish to offer you the good fortune desires of our hearts " That was Kallee, the flowery words rolling with the proper accent from his tongue. "And that you shall not forget us we also offer gifts "
And, in fact, the Indian repeated aloud in his sleep, a sort of mysterious dialogue, of which he himself supplied both questions and answers. "'Traveller, said he, in a voice broken by sudden pauses, 'why that black mark on your forehead, stretching from one temple to the other? It is a mark of doom and your look is sad as death. Have you been a victim? Come with us; Kallee will avenge you.
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