men.
“I did my part,” said Booker. “Get me out of here now.”
The two shaggy blue men who’d netted Huk paid no attention to Booker. They cautiously circled the fighting men, each holding a stungun.
“You won’t,” panted Mallox, “be able to hold out much longer against me.”
“I can handle two like you, big fellow,” grunted the other. He drove two harsh blows into the giant’s chest.
It took a little of the wind out of Mallox. He took a surprised step back. Then he dived forward again, head low, and butted his opponent in the lower abdomen.
The man’s long yellow hair flapped. He staggered, one knee dipping toward the ground.
“Stop watching that fight,” said Booker. “Get me out of here. I could really sink in this stuff, you know.”
While the light-haired man was still off-balance, Mallox hit him full on the chin.
The big man stumbled, swayed far to the left, and then toppled over into the hole.
“Just what you deserve,” the strongman shouted after him. “Now for you little blue dev—”
They made no attempt to fight him hand to hand. The two blue men fired their stunguns at Mallox.
He froze, hands reaching for them.
“Okay, you fixed him good,” said Booker. “Get me out of this muck, will you?”
The blue men went instead to the edge of the hole. One uncoiled a rope which hung at his wide belt.
“He’s in no condition to grab hold of that rope,” said Sixy from down below. “Your big friend is out cold.”
The blue man swung the rope in Sixy’s direction, motioning him to take hold.
Sixy climbed up. “I’m a little surprised at you, Booker,” he said when he was on solid ground. “Playing along with these slavers or whatever they are.”
“What kind of choice you think I had?” asked Booker. “They made me do it, said they’d kill me if I didn’t. I had to! Didn’t make no sense to risk my life, since it wouldn’t’ve helped you guys any.”
Sixy massaged his sprained ankle with the toes of his other foot. “What do these fellows plan to do with you—with us?”
“Same thing everybody does with us,” answered the black man. “Sell us.”
CHAPTER 28
C aptain Suell of the Mesmo National Militia was standing stiffly beside one of his ground tanks, a cup of herb tea in one gloved hand. He was admiring the way the barrels of the mounted blaster cannons sparkled in the light of the aircruiser that was hovering above.
The belly of the cruiser flapped open; a large crate was lowered.
“Let’s handle that as gently as we can,” projected the blue captain to the militiamen who caught the case and eased it to the ground at the edge of the night forest.
“Sir.”
Suell turned to the lieutenant who had come up behind him. “What is it, Padd?”
“One of the patrols scouring the woods came across a trapper who had an interesting story.”
“I’m not interested in stories, Padd. What I want are facts,” thought the captain. “It’s incredible to me that these beasts could stay at large as long as they have. I’ve come out to this godforsaken wilderness to personally supervise the hunt. I don’t have time for tall tales.”
“This man captured the runaways, sir.”
Captain Suell allowed his eyebrows to rise a fraction. “Did he now? What, please tell me, has he done with them?”
“He says they turned the tables on him,” said Padd, “and escaped again.”
“They’re very good at escaping, these animals.” Suell flung his tea away, cup and all. “Where is this trapper?”
“Over there, sir.” The blue lieutenant pointed at the forest. “He was somewhat reluctant to come because he says his wife will be worried.”
“His wife, indeed his entire domestic life, is of no interest to me, Padd.” Captain Suell gathered his cloak around himself and walked stiffly toward the cluster of militiamen around the unhappy Djorj.
“I’d like to go home now,” he thought as the captain drew near.
Suell reached out and slapped the
“I did my part,” said Booker. “Get me out of here now.”
The two shaggy blue men who’d netted Huk paid no attention to Booker. They cautiously circled the fighting men, each holding a stungun.
“You won’t,” panted Mallox, “be able to hold out much longer against me.”
“I can handle two like you, big fellow,” grunted the other. He drove two harsh blows into the giant’s chest.
It took a little of the wind out of Mallox. He took a surprised step back. Then he dived forward again, head low, and butted his opponent in the lower abdomen.
The man’s long yellow hair flapped. He staggered, one knee dipping toward the ground.
“Stop watching that fight,” said Booker. “Get me out of here. I could really sink in this stuff, you know.”
While the light-haired man was still off-balance, Mallox hit him full on the chin.
The big man stumbled, swayed far to the left, and then toppled over into the hole.
“Just what you deserve,” the strongman shouted after him. “Now for you little blue dev—”
They made no attempt to fight him hand to hand. The two blue men fired their stunguns at Mallox.
He froze, hands reaching for them.
“Okay, you fixed him good,” said Booker. “Get me out of this muck, will you?”
The blue men went instead to the edge of the hole. One uncoiled a rope which hung at his wide belt.
“He’s in no condition to grab hold of that rope,” said Sixy from down below. “Your big friend is out cold.”
The blue man swung the rope in Sixy’s direction, motioning him to take hold.
Sixy climbed up. “I’m a little surprised at you, Booker,” he said when he was on solid ground. “Playing along with these slavers or whatever they are.”
“What kind of choice you think I had?” asked Booker. “They made me do it, said they’d kill me if I didn’t. I had to! Didn’t make no sense to risk my life, since it wouldn’t’ve helped you guys any.”
Sixy massaged his sprained ankle with the toes of his other foot. “What do these fellows plan to do with you—with us?”
“Same thing everybody does with us,” answered the black man. “Sell us.”
CHAPTER 28
C aptain Suell of the Mesmo National Militia was standing stiffly beside one of his ground tanks, a cup of herb tea in one gloved hand. He was admiring the way the barrels of the mounted blaster cannons sparkled in the light of the aircruiser that was hovering above.
The belly of the cruiser flapped open; a large crate was lowered.
“Let’s handle that as gently as we can,” projected the blue captain to the militiamen who caught the case and eased it to the ground at the edge of the night forest.
“Sir.”
Suell turned to the lieutenant who had come up behind him. “What is it, Padd?”
“One of the patrols scouring the woods came across a trapper who had an interesting story.”
“I’m not interested in stories, Padd. What I want are facts,” thought the captain. “It’s incredible to me that these beasts could stay at large as long as they have. I’ve come out to this godforsaken wilderness to personally supervise the hunt. I don’t have time for tall tales.”
“This man captured the runaways, sir.”
Captain Suell allowed his eyebrows to rise a fraction. “Did he now? What, please tell me, has he done with them?”
“He says they turned the tables on him,” said Padd, “and escaped again.”
“They’re very good at escaping, these animals.” Suell flung his tea away, cup and all. “Where is this trapper?”
“Over there, sir.” The blue lieutenant pointed at the forest. “He was somewhat reluctant to come because he says his wife will be worried.”
“His wife, indeed his entire domestic life, is of no interest to me, Padd.” Captain Suell gathered his cloak around himself and walked stiffly toward the cluster of militiamen around the unhappy Djorj.
“I’d like to go home now,” he thought as the captain drew near.
Suell reached out and slapped the
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