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rally； that his urgent business lay there。 But he might have planned to leave our group at Crossroads； where the rest of us would turn uphill toward the Egg。
〃Others of my guild have already gone to help the High Sages。 But the boy and I have interests in another direction。 And while we're on the subject； I suggest you should consider ing along； Sara。 For one thing； it's the last direction the Urunthai are likely to look。〃
It was the longest speech she had ever heard Kurt make； and her mind churned with implications。 For instance； why was he saying this in front of Ulgor？
Because any determined urs could track a bunch of humans and donkeys over a fresh trail。 Obviously； Ulgor has to e along； or else be eliminated。
But then； didn't the same logic require that they murder all the other survivors； too？ Kurt surely knew that Sara would never permit that。 Anyway； the problem would not go away simply because they got a couple of days' head start。 A good tracker； like Dwer； could hunt them even over a trail that had gone cold。
She started to raise these matters； then stopped； realizing that Kurt could not give a satisfactory answer with the seething outlaws listening nearby。
〃You know I can't go；〃 she said at last； shaking her head。 〃These men and urs will die if left here like this； all trussed up； and we clearly can't release them。〃
If she had any doubts about that； one look into Dedinger's wrath…filled eyes settled the matter。 That cold fury was a problem only a great deal of time and distance would solve。 The more the better。 〃I'll stay and take care of them till their friends arrive；〃 she added。 〃The Urunthai will probably protect me； since I fought to help save some of them…though they may still keep me prisoner。 I may even be able to stop 'em from slaughtering Dedinger's gang。
〃But you and Jomah ought to go ahead。 Assuming we get some of the donkeys back； you can take Prity and the Stranger along。 With tons of luck you might get them somewhere with a pharmacist and a strong militia outfit。 I'll follow for several arrowflights and brush away your trail； then I'll use more donkeys to trample a mess of false paths leading out of here。〃
A soft whistle of grudging respect escaped Ulgor。 〃You are； indeed； your vrother's sister。〃
Sara turned and pointed at the elegant tinker。 〃Of course this means you have used up the free time you earned by helping us at the battle's end。〃 She bent to pick up a length of tent rope。 〃It's time for you to join the others by the fire； neighbor。〃
Ulgor backed away。 〃You and who else plan on enforcing that ruling？〃 she asked in defiant GalSix。
Kurt cocked the pistol。 〃Me and my magic wand； Ulgor。 You just stop right there。〃
Ulgor's long neck slumped in defeat。 〃Oh； all right；〃 she murmured； disconsolately。 〃If you're going to ve so insistent。 I suffose I can stand it for a little while。〃
Amid Ulgor's stream of placating words； it took a dura or two for Sara to realize…she's still hacking up！
Confused by mixed signals； Kurt wavered until Dedinger cried out。 〃She's faking； you fools！〃
In a blur； Ulgor whipped around and plunged into the twilight dimness。 Kurt fired once…and missed…as the urrish rump vanished amid the rocks。 Their last sight of Ulgor was a flourish of twin braided tails。 The captive urs lifted their heads from drug…hangover misery to chortle with amused glee。 Several human captives laughed at the exploser's disfiture。
〃You need more practice with that thing； grandpa；〃 Dedinger observed。 〃Or else hand it to a guy who hit something the one time he tried。〃
Prity bared her teeth and snarled at the ex…sage； who sarcastically feigned terror； then laughed again。
He spent time around chimps in Biblos； Sara thought； laying a hand on Prity's knee to restrain her。 He should know better。
Then again； there's no fool like a bright fool。 〃Well； that tears it；〃 Kurt muttered to Sara。 〃It's my fault。 I should've listened to you。 Tied her up； even though she helped save my life。 Now she can lurk out there watching us。 Or run and bring her gang before we get far enough away。〃
Sara shook her head。 Far enough away for what？ Surely Ulgor's escape only hastened the inevitable。
The exploser motioned for her to e closer。 When she sat down； Kurt's lips pressed together hard before he finally decided to speak； so softly that her battered ears could barely hear。
〃I've been thinkin' lately； Sara。。。 it seemed a gift from the Egg to find you traveling with us。 A fluke…blessing of Ifni。 Your skills could prove quite useful to something。。。 a project I'm involved with。 I was going to ask you at Crossroads。〃 〃Ask me what？〃
〃To e south with us〃…his voice lowered further still…〃to Mount Guenn。〃
〃To Mount…〃 Sara blurted； standing up。
At Kurt's panicked expression； she sat back down and dropped her voice。 〃You're kidding； right？ You know I have business at the Glade。 Important business。 If the radicals think the Stranger is important enough to kill over； don't you think the sages ought to have a chance to look him over and decide what to do？ Besides； if the aliens are his friends； it's our duty to help him get modern medical…〃
Kurt waved a hand。 〃All quite true。 Still； with the path from here to the Glade blocked； and with another task waiting that could be more important…〃
Sara stared at the man。 Was he crazy as Dedinger？ What could possibly be more important？
〃…a task one of your colleagues has been working on； down at the place I mentioned； for several weeks now…〃
One of my colleagues？ Sara blinked。 She had seen Bonner and Taine； a few days ago； at Biblos。 Plovov was at Gathering。 Then who。。。 ？
One name came to mind。
Purofsky the astronomer？ Down at Mount Guenn？ Doing what； in the Egg's name？
〃…a task which seems to cry out for your expertise； if I might be so bold。〃
She shook her head。 〃That…place…is all the way beyond the Great Swamp； past the desert and the Spectral Flow！ Or else you must take the long way around by river and then by sea…〃
〃We know a shortcut；〃 Kurt put in； absurdly。
〃…and just a while ago we were plotting a mad dash just to reach the nearest village； as if it were as hopeless as a journey to a moon！〃
〃I never said it would be easy。〃 Kurt sighed。 〃Look； all I want to know right now is this。 If I could convince you it was possible； would you e？〃
Sara bit back her initial reply。 Kurt had already pulled miracle powers and god…machines out of that satchel of his。 Did he also have a magic carpet in there？ Or a fabled antigravity sled？ Or a gossamer…winged glider to catch the offshore wind and loft them to a distant mountain of fire？
〃I can't waste time talking nonsense。〃 She stood up； worried about the Stranger。 It was getting dark fast； and though Ulgor had fled to the northwest； there was no guarantee she would not circle around to seek and surprise the man from space。 〃I'm going to go look…〃
A scream interrupted； making her jump。 A shrill ululation of surprise and outrage that warbled melodically； almost like a snatch of frantic song； rebounding off the rocks so many times that their bruised ears could not pin down where it came from。 Sara's back shivered with empathic terror at the awful sound。
Prity snatched up one of the long urrish knives and stepped closer to the nervous prisoners。 Jomah fondled the smallest of the desert hunters' bows； nocking an arrow against the string。 Sara flexed her hands； knowing that a weapon should be in them； but the thought of holding one felt obscene。 She could not bring herself to do it。
A character flaw； she admitted； a bit dazedly。 One I shouldn't pass on to kids。 Not if we're headed into an age of violence and 〃heroes。〃
Tension built as the wail intensified。 An eerie howl that seemed one part pain； one part despair； and eight parts humiliation； as if death would be preferable to whatever the screamer was going through。 It grew louder and more frenzied with each passing dura； causing the prisoners to crowd together； peering anxiously into the gloom。
Then another sound joined； in basso counterpoint。 A rapid； unrhythmic thumping that made the ground tremble like an approaching machine。
Kurt cocked the pistol； holding it in front of him。
Suddenly； a shadow took form at the western fringe of firelight。 A monstrous shape； slanted and heavy； protruding forward at a rising angle； leading with an appendage that flailed and thrashed like a cluster of waving arms and legs。 Sara gasped and stepped back。
A moment later it resolved itself； and she let out a shuddering sigh； recognizing Ulgor as the protrusion； moaning in distress and shame； held up in the air by the adamant embrace of two armored； pincer…equipped； chitinous arms。
Qheuenish arms。 The remaining three out of five stumbled forward clumsily； fighting for balance as the writhing urs fought to break free。
〃Resistance is useless；〃 a scratchy but familiar voice whistled from two leg…vents； a voice dry with the same caked dust that fooled Sara at first； into thinking the armor was slate gray。 Only near the fire did a hint of the true shade of blue glimmer through。
〃Hello f…f…folks；〃 croaked Blade； son of Log Biter of Dolo Dam。 〃Could anybody s…s…spare a drink of water？〃
The night was clear； windy； and extremely cold for this time of year。 They nursed their fuel supply for the fire and draped fragments of the shredded tent over huddled groups of captives； to help them retain body heat。 Darkness hauled the urs…including a tightly bound Ulgor…down toward sleep； but the human insurgents muttered together under their makeshift shelter； making Sara ponder glumly what they must be scheming。 Clearly they had less desire than the surviving members of UrKachu's band to see more Urunthai arrive over the hilltops； tomorrow or the next day。 If they sawed or chewed through their bindings in the darkness； what deterrence value would Kurt's pistol hold in the event of a sudden charge？
Granted； many of the men were flash…blinded。 And Blade was a fort to have around。 Even wheezing dust； and with the softer chitin of a blues he was an intimidating figure。 With him present； Sara and the others might even risk taking turns trying to get some sleep。
If only we knew what's happened to the star…man； she worried。
He'd been gone for several miduras。 Even with Loocen now up to shed a wan glow across the country…side； it was all too easy to imagine the poor fellow getting lost out there。
〃The gunshot helped lead me to your camp；〃 Blade explained once Sara and Jomah had sponged out his vents and eye circle； using up much of their precious water。 〃I was being rather desperate； unable to follow your trail in the fading light； when I heard the bang。 A bit later； there was the reflection of your fire off yonder spire。〃
Sara looked up。 A flicker did seem to dance across the tall stone tower。 Perhaps it would guide the Stranger home。
〃Imagine my surprise； though； when someone came running forth to greet me！〃 Blade chuckled out three vents。 〃Of course； my shock was nothing like Ulgor's when she saw me！〃
The qheuen's tale was simple； if valiant。 He had waited underwater； back at Uryutta's Oasis； until UrKachu's fast group departed； followed by the slower expedition of captives and booty。 Blade spent the time contemplating his options。 Should he strike out for Crossroads or some other settlement？ Or else try to follow and give help when help might do the most good？ Either decision would mean dehydration and pain…not to mention danger。 Sara noticed that Blade never mentioned a third option： to wait at the oasis until someone came along。 Perhaps it never occurred to him。
〃One thing I didn't expect…to find you four in charge； having overe both groups all by yourselves！ It appears you never needed rescue； after all。〃
Jomah laughed from atop Blade's carapace； where he was sponging off the qheuen's scent…slits。 The boy hugged his blue cupola。 〃You saved the day！〃
Sara nodded。 〃You're the biggest hero of all； dear； dear friend。〃
There seemed no more to say after that。 Or else； everyone was too tired for more words。 They watched the flames in silence for a while。 At one point Sara stared at L