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Updated: May 12, 2025
Lablet was eager to see the mysterious storehouse, and the captain was either moved by the same desire or else had long since deduced the folly of trying to make a break for it Thus they were now heading seaward with the captain and Lablet sharing quarters with the leaders of the expedition on board the globe, and Raf and the com-tech, with companions or guards bringing up the rear.
What had happened to Soriki and the flitter, to the captain and Lablet, who had been in the heart of the enemy territory when he had challenged the aliens? It would be only logical that the painted people would consider them all dangerous now. He must get out of here, back to the flitter, try to help where unwittingly he had harmed Dalgard caught up with him.
And an attitude of distrust at this point might be fatal for future friendly contact. Lablet is sure that they have a highly complex society, probably advanced beyond Terran standards, and that their technical skills will be of vast benefit to us.
In the light of the portable lamp by Soriki's com, Lablet settled down, plugged the scanner tubes in his ears, absently accepting a ration bar the captain handed him to chew on while he listened to the playback of the record the com-tech had made that afternoon. Hobart turned to Raf. "You went off with that officer. What did he have to show you?"
Lablet added another piece of information. "After all, the enemy they face is only dangerous because of superior numbers. They are only animals " "Animals don't carry spears!" Raf protested. "Experimental animals that escaped during a world-wide war generations ago," reported the other. "It seems that the species have evolved to a semi-intelligent level. I must see them!"
He told his story of the hunt and its ending, the capture of the stranger. Lablet nodded as he finished. "That is the reason for this, you may depend upon it, Captain. One of their own people is at the bottom of it." "Of what?" Raf wanted to ask, but Soriki did it for him. Hobart smiled grimly. "We are all traveling back together. Take off in the early morning.
Having remained where he was for a wearisome time, he noticed that his presence was now taken for granted by the hurrying aliens who brushed about him intent upon their assignments. And slowly he began to edge along the wall toward the other doorway. Once he froze as the officer strode by, Lablet in attendance.
Hobart sounded bewildered. "Over there" Lablet made a sweep with his arm which might indicate any point to the east "there is a storehouse of the original learning of their race. It's in the heart of the enemy country. But the enemy as yet do not know of it. They've made two trips over to bring back material and their ship can only go once more.
"Your eyes are covered," the answer came quickly enough, and for a short space he was comforted until he realized that the reply was not a flat denial of his statement. "Soriki?" he tried again. "Captain? Lablet?" "Your companions" there was a moment of hesitation, and then came what he was sure was the truth "have escaped. Their ship took to the air when the Center was invaded."
"Naturally they are suspicious," Lablet countered, "but for a people who lack space flight, I find them unusually open-minded and ready to accept us, strange as we must seem to them." "Ditto done, Captain." Soriki stepped out of the flitter, the wrist camera dangling from his fingers. "Good." But Hobart did not buckle the strap about his arm once more, neither did he pay any attention to Lablet.
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