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〃Go check upstairs；〃 he said。 〃We don't want to run into the admiral； though he said he wouldn't be back until it was over； or we got something out of this one。〃
George had hoped for a glimpse of the outside world on his way to the munications setup； but the shack at Bandon Lodge was in the basement。
Two long light…gray corridors and a windowed door。。。 he didn't even know if it was day or night outside。 The slender men tapped the main board's controls； screens lit and the soft hum of the audio units sharpened。
〃Satellite bounce to the Main House？〃 the slender man asked。 〃Or up to Home Station？〃
〃I'd try for Main House；〃 George said。 〃That'd be quickest； there're people who know me。〃
〃Here； then。 You're ready。〃
George had a moment of panic when he couldn't remember the flitter's number； but it came to him。 He pressed the button and spoke。
Heris； in the supply flitter with the medical squad only a few minutes from landing； recognized George's voice at once。 So did Cecelia。
〃Why； then there's nothing … 〃 Cecelia said； Heris grabbed her arm and Cecelia hushed。
〃… Captive and in danger；〃 George was saying。 〃Armed men are hunting them； the condemned criminals and us both。 The hunters have poisoned the water。 We need assistance； I am at Bandon Lodge； the flitter crashed on。。。 on the island north of Bandon。 Be prepared for … 〃 His voice stopped； suddenly。 Heris found she was holding her breath； and let it out。 How had that young fool； of all of them； escaped to Bandon？ When he spoke again； his voice sounded different： still clearly George； but a George who had changed in the space of a few moments。 〃And please recognize the assistance of two men formerly in the employ of the hunters。。。 Svaagart Iklind〃 … Heris stiffened。 Another Iklind？
A relative？ … 〃and Kursa Dahon。 Without them； I could not have made this call。〃
A moment's silence。 Heris could not tell； over the sound of the flitter itself and the stirs of those around her； if the stayed live or dropped the signal。 She closed her eyes。 She wondered what the militia captain … Sigind … would do。 She knew what she would think of so convenient a signal。 Which； of course； Lepescu and his cronies would have heard … if they hadn't arranged it。 Her mind began to replay the words she'd heard； even the ones overlain by Cecelia's voice。 〃Hunters。〃 What had George meant by hunters； by 〃condemned criminals〃？
Hunters。。。 she had expected to find Lepescu hunting some rare animal illegally； with a band of cronies； she had expected him to be dangerous to innocent youngsters out for a spree。 But。。。 criminals？ People？ She shivered suddenly； and Cecelia laid a hand on her arm。
〃Heris？ What is it？〃
She could not see her own face； but Cecelia's reaction told her what she must look like。 The older woman drew back； as if frightened。 Heris saw others glance at her； one stared。
〃That … ！〃 Words literally failed her； the worst words she knew were not bad enough。 She fought to breathe past the knot in her throat； and finally said； 〃He is hunting people。 It's a manhunt； he's not hunting animals at all！〃
〃Who？〃
〃Lepescu。〃 Her mind raced； fitting it all together。 〃He's gotten convicts from somewhere … 〃 Could they be R。S。S。 convicts？ She shivered again； at the thought of shipmates … not her crew； of course； but someone's shipmates … being hunted by Lepescu as if they were only wild beasts。 Though it was no better if he had raided other prisons； at least military prisoners would know how to defend themselves； might have a chance。 She heard others muttering； the same tones of shock and outrage that she heard in her own voice。 〃It can't be！〃 someone said； and someone else said； 〃Must be crazy … Lord Thornbuckle'll tack his hide up in the kennels。〃 She would have said more； but the flitter swerved； and she lurched against Cecelia's arm。 She turned to peer out the forward canopy。 Ahead； the first attacking ships had dropped to their final approach。
〃I can't believe it；〃 Cecelia said。 〃Hunting people … he wouldn't do that。 I know you hate what he did to you … what he tried to do to your crew in battle … but he couldn't be crazy enough to think he'd get away with。。。 with this。
Not right under Bunny's nose。〃
Staring ahead； trying to see what she knew she could not see … how the assault was going … she did her best to answer。 〃He would think that made it better。 More。。。 sporting。 A risk for him； other than the risk from the people he hunted。〃 Had he given them weapons？ Had the young people had weapons？ 〃I told you； he once mented that he considered most hunting demeaning； because it wasn't dangerous enough … that the proper game for a real man was man。〃
Cecelia considered this silently as their flitter dropped steadily towards the Bandon field； now occupied by the two militia flitters。 Heris appreciated the silence； but knew it wouldn't last。 She knew her employer too well。 〃I don't think；〃 Cecelia said at last； in the remote and formal tone Heris had not heard for weeks； 〃that I want to know this person。 A disgrace to his uniform。〃
〃Yes。〃 Heris braced herself for landing。 The militia squads already down had vanished except for a single soul waving them in。 Then they were down safely； onto a quiet field with no sign of conflict。 Heris did not need the squad leader's warning； she knew that silence was deceptive。
The medical squad went through a low…voiced routine of some sort； she supposed they were reminding each other what equipment was in whose pack or something。
The air smelled fresh and wet； heavy with fragrances pletely different from the woods and fields near the Main House。 A unit squawked； and Heris jumped。 She didn't understand； she hated not knowing the local codes； not knowing anything； not having a place in this。 The medical squad scrambled back into the supply flitter； and the squad leader said； 〃They've found the kid； he's hurt；〃 just as the flitter lurched into the air again。 Cecelia gasped； Heris grabbed her hand and squeezed until the older woman's color returned。
〃George；〃 she reminded her。 〃It has to be George they mean。 He's the one on this island。〃
At the lodge proper； the supply flitter crowded the parking area； the medics poured out and Heris and Cecelia followed。 No one stopped them； Heris saw no sign of trouble until they came to the room where George lay with a medic already working on him。 One dead body sprawled across the control board of the munications shack； someone else gasped noisily from another clump of medics。 Cecelia leaned against the wall； but pushed Heris forward。 〃Find out；〃
she said。 〃For his father。〃
Heris had no interest in George's father。 She picked her way across the floor； blood…spattered and already littered with the detritus of emergency medical care； to a point where she could see George without interfering。 He was alive； breathing on his own； with one IV line in。 He looked dirty； and pale； and both older and younger than she remembered him。 She knew that look； from the youngsters she'd seen in her own ship's sickbay； being flat on their backs in clean pajamas made them look like children； but what they had been through aged them。
〃What happened to him？〃 she asked quietly。
〃Caught in