up, but the
hunters were on him. He was on his hands and knees facing them,
screaming at them to get away from him. He had, obviously, had little or
no experience with raw violence. Kieran ran back to him, with Paula
close behind.

"Use your gun!" he yelled. He was afraid of the black hunters, but he
was full of rage and the rage outweighed the fear. He yelled at them,
cursing them. He hurled sand into their eyes, and one that was creeping
up on Webber from the side he kicked. The creature drew off a little,
not frightened but surprised. They were not used to this sort of thing
from humans. "Your gun!" Kieran roared again, and Webber pulled the
snub-nosed thing out of his pocket. He stood up and said unsteadily, "I
told you, it's not a gun. It won't kill anything. I don't think--"

"Use it," said Kieran. "And get moving again. Slowly."

They started to move, and then across the sky a great iron voice spoke
like thunder. "Lie down," it said, "please. Lie down flat."

Kieran turned his head, startled. From the direction of the building on
the hill a vehicle was speeding toward them.

"The Sakae," said Webber with what was almost a sob of relief. "Lie
down."

As he did so, Kieran saw a pale flash shoot out from the vehicle and
knock over a hunter still hanging on the flanks of the fleeing people.
He hugged the sand. Something went whining and whistling over him, there
was a thunk and a screech. It was repeated, and then the iron voice
spoke again.

"You may get up now. Please remain where you are." The vehicle was much
closer. They were bathed in sudden light. The voice said, "Mr. Webber,
you are holding a weapon. Please drop it."

"It's only a little shocker," Webber said, plaintively. He dropped it.

The vehicle had wide tracks that threw up clouds of sand. It came
clanking to a halt. Kieran, shading his eyes, thought he distinguished
two creatures inside, a driver and a passenger.

* * * * *

The passenger emerged, climbing with some difficulty over the steep step
of the track, his tail rattling down behind him like a length of thick
cable. Once on the ground he became quite agile, moving with a sort of
oddly graceful prance on his powerful legs. He approached, his attention
centered on Kieran. But he observed the amenities, placing one delicate
hand on his breast and making a slight bow.

"Doctor Ray." His muzzle, shaped something like a duck's bill,
nevertheless formed Pau