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i the heart of the attack； and the more we have； the better it will go of We don't dare use the screens to call them； there is a good chance th~ the junkmen can intercept our messages。 It will take five days before i~ are ready to go ahead。〃
〃I'll need all of that time if I'm to be any good；〃 Jason said。 〃Now let get some rest。〃
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26
〃It's a strange feeling；〃 Jason said。 〃I've never really seen the perimeter from this side before。 Ugly is about the only word for it。〃
He lay on his stomach next to Plies； looking through a screen of leaves； downhill toward the perimeter。 They were both wrapped in heavy furs； in spite of the midday heat； with thick leggings and leather gauntlets to protect their hands。 The gravity and the heat were already making Jason dizzy； but he forced himself to ignore this。
Ahead； on the far side of a burnt corridor； stood the perimeter。 A high wall； of varying height and texture； seemingly made of all the odds and ends in the world。 It was impossible to tell what it had originally been constructed of。 Generations of attackers had bruised； broken； and underniined it。 Repairs had been quickly made； patches thrust roughly into place and fixed there。 Crude masonry crumbled and gave way to a rat's nest of woven timbers。 This overlapped a length of pitted metal； large plates riveted together。 Even this metal had been eaten through and bursting sandbags spilled out of a jagged hole。 Over the surface of the wall detector wires and charged cables looped and hung。 At odd intervals automatic flamethrowers thrust their nozzles over the parapet above and swept the base of the wall clear of any life that might have e close。
〃Those flame things can cause us trouble；〃 Rhes said。 〃That one covers the area where you want to break in。〃
〃It'll be no problem；〃 Jason assured him。 〃It may look like it is firing a random pattern； but it's really not。 It varies a simple sweep just enough to fool an animal； but was never meant to keep men out。 Look for yourself。 It fires at regularly repeated two； four； three and one minute intervals。〃
They crawled back to the hollow where Naxa and the others waited for them。 There were only thirty men in the party。 What they had to do could only be done with a fast； light force。 Their strongest weapon was surprise。 Once that was gone their other weapons wouldn't hold out for seconds against the city guns。 Everyone looked unfortable in
the fur and leather wrappings； and some of the men had loosened them to cool off。
'Wrap up；〃 Jason ordered。 〃None of you have been this close to the perimeter before and you don't understand how deadly it is here。 Naxa is keeping the larger animals away and you all can handle the smaller ones。 That isn't the danger。 Every thorn is poisoned； and even the blades of grass carry a deadly sting。 Watch out for insects of any kind and once we start moving breathe only through the wet cloths。〃
〃He's right；〃 Naxa snorted。 〃N'ver been closer 'n this m'self。 Death； death up by that wall。 Do like 'e says。〃
They could only wait then； honing down already needlesharp cross~ bow bolts； and glancing up at the slowly moving sun。 Only Naxa didn'i share the unrest。 He sat； eyes unfocused； feeling the movement ol animal life in the jungle around them。
〃On the way；〃 he said。 〃Biggest thing I 'ver heard。 Not a beast 'tween here and the mountains； ain't howlin' 'is lungs out； rwmin' toward the city。；'
Jason was aware of part of it。 A tension in the air and a wave a！ intensified anger and hatred。 It would work； he knew； if they couk only keep the attack confined to a small area。 The talkers had seemec sure of it。 They had stalked out quietly that morning； a thin line a！ ragged men； moving in a mental sweep that would round up the Pyrrar life and send it charging against the city。
〃They hit！〃 Naxa said suddenly。
The men were on their feet now； staring in the direction of the city Jason had felt the twist in his gut as the attack had been driven home and knew that this was it。 There was the sound of shots and a heav3 booming far away。 Thin streamers of smoke began to blow above thc treetops。
〃Let's get into position；〃 Plies said。
Around them the jungle howled with an echo of hatred。 The half sentient plants writhed and the air was thick with small flying things Naxa sweated and mumbled as he turned back the animals that crashec toward them。 By the time they reached the last screen of foliage befon the burned…out area； they had lost four men。 One had been stung by ax insect； Jason got the medikit to him in time but he was so sick he ha to turn back The other three were bitten or scratched and treatmen came too late。 Their swollen； twisted bodies were left behind on
trail。
〃Dam' beasts hurt m' head；〃 Naxa muttered。 〃When we go in？〃
〃Not yet；〃 Plies said。 'We wait for the signal。〃
One of the men carried the radio。 He set it down carefully； thei
threw the aerial over a branch。 The set was shielded so no radiation leaked out to give them away。 It was turned on； but only a hiss of atmospheric static came from the speaker。
〃We could have timed it。 。 。 。〃 Plies said。
〃No； we c@uldn't；〃 Jason told him。 〃Not accurately。 We want to hit that wall at the height of the attack； when our chances are best。 Even if they hear the message it won't mean a thing to them inside。 And a few minutes later it won't matter。〃
The sound from the speaker changed。 A voice spoke a short sentence； then cut off。
〃Bring me three barrels of flour。〃
〃Let's go；〃 Rhes urged as he started forward。
'Wait；〃 Jason said； taking him by the arm。 〃I'm timing the flamethrower。 It's due in。 。 。 there！〃 A blast of fire sprayed the ground； then turned off。 〃We have four minutes to the next one…we hit the long period！〃
They ran； stumbling in the soft ashes； tripping over charred bones and rusted metal。 Two men grabbed Jason under the arm and half carried him across the ground。 It hadn't been planned that way； but it saved precious seconds。 They dropped him against the wall and he fumbled out the bombs he had made。 The charges from Krannon's gun； taken when he was killed； had been hooked together with a firing circuit。 All the moves had been rehearsed carefully and they went smoothly now。
Jason had picked the metal wall as being the best spot to break in。 It offered the most resistance to the native life； so the chances were it wouldn't be reinforced with sandbags or fill； the way other parts of the wall were。 If he was wrong； they were all dead。
The first men had slapped their wads of sticky congealed sap against the wall。 Jason pressed the charges into them and they stuck； a roughly rectangular pattern as high as a man。 'While he did this； the detonating wire was run out to its length and the raiders pressed back against the base of the wall。 Jason stumbled through the ashes to the detonator； fell on it and pressed the switch at the same time。
Behind him a thundering bang shook the wall and red flame burst out。 Plies was the first one there； pulling at the twisted and smoking metal with his gloved hands。 Others grabbed on and bent the jagged pieces aside。 The hole was filled with smoke and nothing wa