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Gar shrugged again； impatiently。 〃A figure of speech。〃
〃Oh yes； I'm sure。〃 Dirk nodded。 〃What game？〃。
Gar started to answer； then caught himself and grimaced in chagrin。 Twice in a row； it's a bad night。 Okay； I'll admit it…I was trying to latch onto you for a guide。〃
Dirk stood very still。 Then he said； 〃Natives don't need guides。 Also； a native would have a definite place…he'd be a lord； a gentleman； or a churl。 In any event； he wouldn't be wandering around loose…unless he were an outlaw。 But then he'd be hiding in the forest with the rest of his band。〃
〃Very astute；〃 Gar growled。 〃Yes； I'm from off…planet。 If I didn't want you to know it； I wouldn't've said 'guide。'〃
Very true。 Dirk thought； but； by the same token； if Gar was willing to admit he wanted Dirk for a guide； he had another purpose that he didn't want Dirk to know about。 Second Corollary of Finagle's Law of Reversal： If a man says something is true； then it isn't。
〃If you did want me to know it；〃 Dirk said slowly； 〃why'd you pose as a poortom？〃
〃Poortom？〃 Gar frowned。 〃Oh； you mean an idiot。。。。 Sure； I'd've rather you would have thought I was a native； just tagging along。 But you found me out； so I had to e clean。〃
Dirk wondered if the man knew how poorly he lied。 But he nodded slowly； letting Gar think he believed him。 Why not？ It was a harmless delusion and might give Dirk an advantage。 〃How'd you get in？ If you'd e on the freighters； I'd have known about it。〃
Gar shrugged； irritated。 〃I've got my own boat。〃
Dirk held himself still； trying to keep his face empty of emotion while he absorbed the information。 A private yacht bespoke money…real money。
But why would a millionaire e to Melange？
〃So you just dropped in for a visit；〃 he mused aloud。 〃Don't you know Melange is off…limits to tourists？〃
〃Off…limits to just about everyone； from what I hear。〃 Gar smiled contemptuously。 〃That kind of thing is liable to give a man a bothersome itch in the curiosity bump。〃
For a moment； Dirk had to fight down boiling rage。 Not bad enough he and his kind had to be treated like animals…now they had to be a sideshow； too。
He forced the tension to ease off。 〃So you just dropped in； managed to shake the search party； and went looking for a guide。 Sounds a little thin； friend。〃
Gar scowled。 〃No doubt。 But it's not quite that simple…I've been here for a month already。〃
〃Oh？ Like what you saw？〃
Gar's month twisted； he turned his head and spat。 〃It makes me sick to see a bunch of rulers； ostensibly educated and cultured men； so decayed as to treat their people like toys； whose sole purpose for existence is to satisfy their lords' drives and whims。〃 He turned back to Dirk； glaring。 〃Why do you take it？ Isn't there any manhood left in you？ Why don't you just rise up and throw them out？〃
Dirk pursed his lips thoughtfully； surprised to realize he was suddenly thinking of Gar as a kid。 But that's what he was…a spoiled brat with a conscience； a rich man's son with nothing to do and a need for a purpose； a reason for living。 He couldn't find one in his own life； so he was looking at someone else's…probably riding from planet to planet； hoping to find a cause he could believe in。
And； at a guess； he'd just found it。。。
Which in turn meant。。。
〃You could've ambushed a traveler weeks ago； if you wanted to con yourself a guide；〃 Dirk pointed out。 〃But you didn't； you tried to put the touch on me…tonight…when there aren't many travelers abroad。 None； in fact…or at least； no one legal。 Why me？〃
Gar turned away； disgusted。 〃All right； all right！ I needed someone from off…planet； and when I saw the search party riding out at night； I knew they weren't just out after an escaped serf！ Whole thing looked very familiar； in fact…almost
exactly like the party that came hunting me when I touched down！ Therefore： wherever they were going； there'd be someone ing from； and that someone'd be from off…planet。 So I figured out which way you'd e walking； and I laid an ambush！ Good enough？〃
Dirk nodded slowly。 It was fine…except that Gar left out the part about rebels。 On an interdicted planet； an illegal visitor was either a spy or a rebel； possibly both。 So Gar was trying to latch onto a contact with the rebel forces。
Which meant he might not be from off…planet at all…just a spy for the Lords。
Dirk shook his head。 He wasn't a spy…you could see it in his face。 This was one planet where you could tell which side a man was on just by looking at him。 Inbreeding will do that。
So Gar was trying to contact the rebels； with an eye toward joining up； but of course he didn't want them to know that he knew。
Yes。 A kid。
〃Well； how about it？〃 Gar demanded。 〃Can you hack a tag…along？ Or do I keep wandering on my own？〃
Dirk was very tempted to refuse； if there was one thing he didn't need at this point； it was an enthusiastic amateur。 So he would've told Gar to go on his own； or go to hell； whichever he chose； if it weren't for one nagging possibility：
The revolution might fail。
And if it did； the churls were going to need high…powered help from off…planet： influence…to push an investigation of the local government。 And where there is money； there is influence。
The kid had enough money for a private space…yacht。。。
Dirk shrugged； turning away。 〃It's okay by me； as long as you try to stay out of the way。 But I warn you； it won't be a pleasant tour。〃
He turned his back and swung off toward the ridge。
After a moment； he heard footsteps behind him。
CHAPTER 2
They came to the village just before sunrise。
Dirk stopped； the life draining out of his face； looking about him with bleak； starved eyes。
Gar frowned down at him。 〃What's the matter？〃
〃It always hits me like this；〃 Dirk muttered； 〃ing into one of these villages after I've been away a year。 It's almost deja vu； it's so much like the place I grew up。 As though I've been here before and it's home…but it's not； it can't ever be。 I don't belong here anymore。。。。〃
He caught himself； realized he'd been spilling his guts to a total stranger； and one he didn't particularly trust 〃e on； let's get moving；〃 he snarled。 〃We've got to get undercover fast。〃
Gar frowned after him； then shrugged and strode fast to catch up。 After putting on his clothes； he was dressed in the same fashion as Dirk。 It was gentleman's clothing…their only possible cover…for only gentlemen could travel from village
to village at will。 Only gentlemen； or Lords…but they all knew each other and would be quick to spot a ringer。
They ambled down the village street。 Gar trying to keep from staring at the villagers…the broad； squat men with broad； round faces； brown eyes； snub noses； and ball chins； and the women； almost as broad； with ample bosoms and hips； their faces similar to the men's but a little finer…boned。 They were all dressed alike； the men in red or green jerkins and ocher hose； the women in blue or yellow homespun with red aprons。 Occasionally a taller man walked by； with huge；
muscular shoulde