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She noted a slight difference in the sound； a buzzing dissonance as the tiny pill spun through the air toward another sleeping urrish rebel。 It missed this time； dropping half a body length short of the target。
Dedinger was in motion； surreptitiously nudging his rades； using furtive hand signs； telling them quietly to prepare。 He doesn't know what's going on； but he wants to be ready when the pulp hits the screen。
The tent flap opened； and UrKachu reentered； without Ulgor。 The chieftain sauntered over to one of the sleeping Urunthai and prodded her…an action that normally would have a wiry urs on her feet in an instant。 But there was no response。 The raider kept on snoring。
Alarmed； UrKachu began jabbing； then kicking the sleeping warrior。 Others hurried over to help。 In moments it grew clear…of eight who had gone down to sleep； all but two were lost in a soporific stupor。
The dulcimer twanged again； and several things happened at once。
UrKachu swiveled angrily and shouted in Anglic…〃Stof that infernal racket； now！〃
Meanwhile； a tiny object sailed over the dying coals； toward the confused warriors。 One of them snapped reflexively； taking it with her jaws。 Almost instantly； her nostril flared and her neck stretched to full extension； trembling along its length。 The urs began to wobble at the knees。
Sara would not have thought she could react so fast； scrambling backward with Prity； gathering up the blanket…swathed Jomah； hauling the sleeping boy to the rear of the tent。 Swift as ghosts； Dedinger's men were already deploying in a crescent； surrounding the Urunthai； with arrows nocked and drawn。
〃What's going on？〃 Jomah asked； rubbing his eyes。
The wobbly urs drifted to one side； fell against another； and collapsed； ribcage heaving slowly； heavily。
〃Remain calm；〃 Dedinger announced。 〃I urge you to lay down your weapons。 You are in no condition to fight。〃
UrKachu stared blankly； dismayed by the sudden reversal of power。 Her group had outnumbered the humans。 But now her remaining followers stood in a cluster； unready； at the Earthlings' mercy。 The Urunthai leader growled。
〃So； in this （perfidious） treason； the nature of human （so…called） friendship is revealed。〃
〃Yeah。〃 Dedinger laughed； a little smugly。 〃As if you planned things any different； when the chance came。 Anyway； there is no cause for panic over this。 We'll still keep our side of the bargain； only as senior partners； with a few slight changes； such as the destination for tonight's march。 Once there； we'll let you send a message…〃
He might have meant to sound soothing； but the words only infuriated UrKachu； who cut in with a shrill battle cry； hurling herself toward Dedinger； unsheathed knives flashing。
〃No！〃 screamed the Stranger in an outburst of reflex horror as feathered shafts sprouted from the thorax of the Urunthai leader。 〃No dammit！ dammit！ dammit！〃
UrKachu's remaining followers followed her example； charging into a hail of arrows。 Half were riddled during the first half dura。 The survivors leaped among their bipedal foes； slashing and drawing some blood before being dragged down by weight of human numbers。
Finally； with no living Urunthai left on their feet； the panting； wild…eyed desert men began turning their knives on the unconscious ones； those whose drugged stupor never let them take part or defend themselves。
To the Stranger； this was the final straw。 Screaming curses； he threw himself on the nearest human； throttling his neck ganglia。 The hunter struggled briefly； then sagged with a moan。 The star…man leaped at another； hurling streams of epithets。
Sara pushed Jomah toward the tent flap and cried…〃Prity； take him to the rocks！〃
In the blurry muddle of split instants； she saw three of Dedinger's hunters turn and assail the Stranger。 One tumbled away； tossed by some tricky twist of the alien's body； while another found himself suddenly burdened with a new problem…Sara…hammering at his ribcage from behind。
If only I listened； when Dwer tried to teach me how to fight。
For a moment things went well。 Sara's short…but…burly adversary groaned and turned around； only to catch her knee in the gut。 That didn't stop the hard…muscled hunter； but it slowed him； letting Sara get in two more blows。 Meanwhile； the Stranger threw his remaining foe aside in a dazed heap and started to turn； ing to her aid…
The avalanche hit then。 A tide of male…human wrath that dragged both of them down。 Sara struck ground with enough force to knock the breath from her lungs。 Someone yanked her arms back and sharp agony made her gasp； wondering if the limbs were about to tear off。
〃Don't harm them； boys；〃 Dedinger manded。 〃I said ease off！〃
Distantly； through a muzzy fog of pain； she heard blows landing as the former sage slapped and hauled his men back from the brink of murderous revenge。 Desperately； Sara managed to swing her head around to see the Stranger； pinned down； red…faced； and bleeding from the nose； but well enough to keep up a faint； hoarse stream of inventive profanity。 The outpouring was as eloquently expressive； though not quite as fluent as song。 Sara worried that shouting and straining so hard might reopen his injuries。
The leader of the human rebels knelt by the Stranger； taking his face in both hands。
〃It's too bad you can't understand me； fella。 I don't know what you did to the urs； but I truly am grateful。 Made a plicated situation simple； is what it did。 For that reason； and because your living carcass is still valuable to us； I'll hold back my guys。 But if you don't settle down； I may be forced to get unpleasant with your friend here。〃
With that he nodded pointedly at Sara。
The Stranger glanced at her； too； and somehow seemed to grasp the threat。 His stream of scatological curses tapered； and he ceased heaving against the men holding him down。 Sara felt relieved that he stopped straining so hard…and strangely moved to be the reason。
〃That's better；〃 Dedinger said in the same smooth； reasonable voice he had used before UrKachu's fatal charge。 〃Now； let's take a look at what you've got hidden in that handy little hole in your head。〃
The ex…sage began to peel back the Stranger's rewq； revealing the wound from which he had taken the mysterious pellets。
〃No！〃 Sara shouted； despite sharp pain when two men yanked her arms。 〃You'll give him an infection！〃
〃Which his star…friends will cure； if they so choose； once we make our exchange；〃 Dedinger answered。 〃Meanwhile； this stuff he was feeding the urs seems worth looking into。 It could prove powerfully handy during the years ahead。〃
Dedinger had finished pulling back the rewq and was about to insert his hand； when a new voice broke in； whistling a trill…stream of rapid Galactic Two。
〃Sara； I （earnestly） urge you to （swiftly） close your eyes！〃
She turned her head and glimpsed Kurt； the Tarek Town exploser； holding a small brown tube。 A burning string dangled from one end； giving off sparks at a furious pace。 The exploser cranked his arm back and threw the tube in a high arc； at which point Kurt dove for cover。
Sara squeezed her eyes shut tight as