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Brucco started to say something； then changed his mind。 〃Nothing that you shouldn't know well by now。 Keep alert。 And。 。 。 good luck。〃
He followed up the words with a crushing handshake that was totally unexpected。 As soon as the numbness left Jason's hand； he and Grif went out through the large entrance lock。
9
Real as they had been； the training chambers had not prepared him for the surface of Pyrrus。 There was the basic similarity； of course。 The feel of the poison grass underfoot and the erratic flight of a stingwing in the last instant before Grif blasted it。 But these were scarcely noticeable in the crash of the elements around him。
A heavy rain was falling； more like a sheet of water than individual drops。 Gusts of wind tore at it； hurling the deluge into his face。 He wiped his eyes clear and could barely make out the conical forms of two volcanoes on the horizon； vomiting out clouds of smoke and flame。 The reflection of this inferno was a sullen redness on the clouds that raced by in banks above them~
There was a rattle on his hard hat and something bounced off to splash to the ground。 He bent over and picked up a hailstone as thick as his thumb。 A sudden flurry of hail hammered painfully at his back and neck； he straightened hurriedly。
As quickly as it started； the storm was over。 The sun burned down； melting the hailstones and sending curls of steam up from the wet street。 Jason sweated inside his armored clothing。 Yet before they had gone a block； it was raining again and he shook with chill。
Grif trudged steadily along； indifferent either to the weather or the volcanoes that rumbled on the horizon and shook the ground beneath their feet。 Jason tried to ignore his disfort and match the boy's pace。 The walk was a depressing one。 The heavy； squat buildings loomed greyly through the rain； more than half of them in ruins。 They walked on a pedestrian way in the middle of the street。 The occasional armored trucks went by on both sides of them。 The midstreet sidewalk puzzled Jason until Grif blasted something that hurtled out of a ruined building toward them。 The central location gave them some chance to see what was ing。 Suddenly Jason was very tired。
〃I suppose there wouldn't be anything like a taxi on this planet；〃 he asked。
Grif just stared and frowned。 It was obvious he had never even heard the word before。 So they just trudged on； the boy holding himself back to Jason's slogging pace。 Within half an hour； they had seen all he wanted to see。 …
〃Grif； this city of yours is sure down at the heels。 I hope the other ones are in better shape。〃
〃I don't know what you mean talking about heels。 But there are no other cities。 Some mining camps that can't be located inside the perimeter。 But no other cities。〃
This surprised Jason。 He had always visualized the planet with more than one city。 There were a lot of things he didn't know about Pyrrus； he realized suddenly。 All of his efforts since landing had been taken up with the survival studies。 There were a number of questions he wanted to ask…but of somebody other than his grouchy eight…year…old bodyguard。 There was one person who would be best equipped to tell him what he wanted to know。
〃Do you know Kerk？〃 he asked the boy。 〃Apparently he's your ambassador to a lot of places but his last name…〃
〃Sure； everybody knows Kerk。 But he's busy； you shouldn't see him。〃
Jason shook a finger at him。 〃Minder of my body you may be。 But minder of my soul you are not。 What do you say I call the shots and you go along to shoot the monsters。 Okay？〃
They took shelter from a sudden storm of fist…sized hailstones。 Then； with ill grace； Grif led the way to one of the larger； central buildings。 There were more people here and some of them even glanced at Jason for a minute； before turning back to their business。 Jason dragged himself up two flights of stairs before they reached a door marked coorwiNATION AND SUPPLY。
〃Kerk in here？〃 Jason asked。
〃Sure；〃 the boy told him。 〃He's in charge。〃
'Pine。 Now you get a nice cold drink or your lunch or something； and meet me back here in a couple of hours。 I imagine Kerk can do as good a job of looking after me as you can。〃
The boy stood doubtfully for a few seconds； then turned away。 Jason wiped off some more sweat and pushed through the door。
There were a handful of people in the office beyond。 None of them looked up at Jason or asked his business。 Everything has a purpose on Pyrrus。 If he came there； he must have had a good reason。 No one would ever think to ask him what he wanted。 Jason； used to the petty officialdom of a thousand worlds； waited for a few moments before he understood。 There was only one other door to the room； in the far wall。 He shuffled over and opened it。
Kerk looked up from a desk strewed with papers and ledgers。 〃I was wondering when you would show up；〃 he said。
〃A lot sooner if you hadn't prevented it；〃 Jason tol&him as he dropped wearily into a chair。 〃It finally dawned on me that I could spend the
rest of my life in your bloodthirsty nursery school if I didn't do something about it。 So here I am。〃
〃Ready to return to the 'civilized' worlds； now that you've seen enough of Pyrrus？〃
〃I am not；〃 Jason said。 〃And I'm getting very tired of everyone telling me to leave。 I'm beginning to think that you and the rest of the Pyrrans are trying to hide something。〃
Kerk smiled at the thought。 〃What could we have to hide？ I doubt if any planet has as simple and one…directional an existence as ours。〃
〃If that's true； then you certainly wouldn't mind answering a few direct questions about Pyrrus； would you？〃
Kerk started to protest； then laughed。 'Well done。 I should know better by now than to argue with you。 What do you want to know？〃
Jason tried to find a fortable position on the hard chair； then gave up。 〃What's the population of your planet？〃 he asked。
For a second Kerk hesitated； then said； 〃Roughly thirty thousand。 That's not very much for a planet that has been settled this long； but the reason for that is obvious。〃
〃All right； population thirty thousand；〃 Jason said。 〃Now how about surface control of your planet？ I was surprised to find out that this city within its protective wall…the perimeter…is the only one on the planet。 Let's not consider the mining camps； since they are obviously just extensions of the city。 Would you say then that you people control more or less of the planet's surface than you did in the past？〃
Kerk picked up a length of steel pipe from the desk that he used as a paperweight and toyed with it as he thought。 The thick steel bent like rubber at his touch as he concentrated on his answer。
〃That's hard to say offhand。 There must be records of that sort of thing； though I wouldn't know where to find them。 It depends on so many factors。 。 。 。〃
〃Let's forget that for now then；〃 Jason said。 〃I have another question that's really more relevant。 Wouldn't you say that the population of Pyrrus is declining steadily； year after year？〃
There was a sharp clang as the pipe struck the wall。 Then Kerk was standing over Jason； his hands extended toward the smaller man； his face flushed and