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He was surrounded by a world of thick, ropy stalks of grass, and in the distance were trees that reminded him vaguely of similar structures on his native Acturian world except that their lowest branches were high above what he would consider normal treetops.
He called, his voice sounding basso in the thick air, and the Merchant answered. The Explorer made his way toward him, thrusting violently at the coarse stalks that barred his path.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
The Merchant grimaced, “I've sprained something. It hurts to walk.”
The Explorer probed gently. “I don't think anything is broken. You’ll have to walk despite the pain.”
“Can't we rest first?”
“It's important to try to find the ship. If it is spaceworthy or if it can be repaired, we may live. Otherwise, we won't.”
“Just a few minutes. Let me catch my breath.”
The Explorer was glad enough for those few minutes. The Merchant's eyes were already closed. He allowed his to do the same.
He heard the trampling and his eyes snapped open. “Never sleep on a strange planet,” he told himself futilely.
The Merchant was awake too and his steady screaming was a rumble of terror.
The Explorer called, “It's only a native of this planet. It won't harm you.”
But even as he spoke, the giant had swooped down, and in a moment, they were in its grasp, being lifted closer to its monstrous ugliness.
The Merchant struggled violently and, of course, quite futilely. “Can't you talk to it?” he yelled.
The Explorer could only shake his head. “I can't reach it with the projector. It won't be listening.”
“Then blast it. Blast it down.”
“We can't do that.” The phrase “you fool” had almost been added. The Explorer struggled to keep his self-control. They were swallowing space as the monster moved purposefully away.
“Why not?” cried the Merchant. “You can reach your blaster. I see it in plain sight. Don't be afraid of falling.”
“It's simpler than that. If this monster is killed, you'll never trade with this planet. You'll never even leave it. You probably won't live the day out.”
“Why? Why?”
“Because this is one of the young of the species. You should know what happens when a trader kills a native young, even accidentally. What's more, if this is the target point, then we are on the estate of a powerful native. This might be one of his brood.”
That was how they entered their present prison. They had carefully burned away a portion of the thick, stiff covering and it was obvious that the height from which they were suspended was a killing one.
Now, once again, the prison cage shuddered and lifted in an upward arc. The Merchant rolled to the lower rim and startled awake. The cover lifted and light flooded in. As was the case the time before, there were two specimens of the young. They were not very different in appearance from adults of the species, reflected the Explorer, though, of course, they were considerably smaller.
A handful of reedy green stalks was stuffed between the bars. Its odor was not unpleasant but it carried clods of soil at its ends.
The Merchant drew away and said huskily, “What are they doing?”
The Explorer said, “Trying to feed us, I should judge. At least, this seems to be the native equivalent of grass.”
The cover was replaced and they were set swinging again, alone with their fodder.
Four
Slim started at the sound of footsteps and brightened when it turned out to be only Red.
He said, “No one's around. I had my eye peeled, you bet.”
Red said, “Ssh. Look. You take this stuff and stick it in the cage. I've got to scoot back to the house.”
“What is it?” Slim reached reluctantly.
“Ground meat. Holy smokes, haven't you ever seen ground meat? That's what you should've got when I sent you to the house instead of coming back with that stupid grass.”
Slim was hurt. “How’d I know they don't eat grass? Besides, ground meat doesn't come loose like that. It comes in cellophane and it isn't that color.”
“Sure-in the city. Out here we grind our own and it's always that color till it's cooked.”
“You mean it isn't cooked?” Slim drew away quickly.
Red looked disgusted. “Do you think animals eat cooked food? Come on, take it. It won't hurt you. I tell you there isn't much time.”
“Why? What's doing back at the house?”
“I don't know. Dad and your father are walking around. I think maybe they're looking for me. Maybe the cook told them I took the meat. Anyway, we don't want them coming here after me.”
“Didn't you ask the cook before you took this stuff?”
“Who? That crab? Shouldn't wonder if she only let me have a drink of water because Dad makes her. Come on. Take it.”
Slim took the large glob of meat though his skin crawled at the touch. He turned toward the barn and Red sped away in the direction from which he had come.
Red slowed when he approached the two adults, took a few deep breaths to bring himself back to normal, and then carefully and nonchalantly sauntered past. (They were walking in the general direction of the barn, he noticed, but not dead on.)
He said, “Hi, Dad. Hello, sir.”
The Industrialist said, “Just a moment, Red. I have a question to ask you.”
Red turned a carefully blank face to his father. “Yes, Dad?”
“Mother tells me you were out early this morning.”
“Not real early, Dad. Just a little before breakfast.”
“She said you told her it was because you had been awakened during the night.”
Red waited before answering. Should he have told Mom that?
Then he said, “Yes, sir.”
“What was it that awakened you?”
Red saw no harm in it. He said, “I don't know. Dad. It sounded like thunder, sort of, and like a collision, sort of.”
“Could you tell where it came from?”
“It sounded like it was out by the hill.” That was truthful, and useful as well, since the direction was almost opposite that in which the barn lay.
The Industrialist looked at his guest “I suppose it would do no harm to walk toward the hill.”
The Astronomer said, “I am ready.”
Red watched them walk away, and when he turned, he saw Slim peering cautiously out from among the briers of a hedge.
Red waved at him. “Come on.”
Slim stepped out and approached. “Did they say anything about the meat?”
“No. I guess they don't know about that. They went down to the hill.”
“What for?”
“Search me. They kept asking about the noise I heard. Listen, did the animals eat the meat?”
“Well,” said Slim cautiously, ”they were sort of looking at it and smelling it or something.”
“Okay,” Red said, “I guess they'll eat it. Holy smokes, they've got to eat something. Let's walk along toward the hill and see what Dad and your father are going to do.”
“What about the animals?”
“They'll be all right. A fellow can't spend all his time on them. Did you give them water?”
“Sure. They drank that.”
“See. Come on. Well look at them after lunch. I tell you what. We'll bring them fruit. Anything'll eat fruit.”
Together they trotted up the rise, Red, as usual, in the lead.