Plague Ship

h had a small cubicle of his own. So that the mud brick and timber erections of one of their clan cities resembled nothing so much as the comb cells of a busy

t a lot of doubling up and tenting out under makeshift cover between the regular buildings of the town. S

d with imflammable material. Here were no lowly stools or trading tables. One vast circular board, broken only by a gap at the foot, ran completely around the wall. At the end opposite th

. Van Rycke settled down with a grunt of satisfaction. It was plain that the Free Trader

s, as had been the Terrans, in groups. Dane noted that there was no intermingling of clan with clan.

ng with no pleasure at all the succession of platters

nets. And so science served expediency and now a Trader bound for any Galactic banquet was immunized, as far as was medically possible, against the evil consequences of consuming food not originally i

table circle, directing the captive slaves who circulated with the food. Until the magic moment when the clan t

ening. And there was an attendant stationed by each to throw on handsful of aromatic bark which burned with puffs of lavender smoke, adding to the

nt straight up. Had they been in a roofed space they might have been overcome

ng enacted in a series of bounds and stabbings. He was sure that he could no longer trust his eyes when the claw knife of

ging behind them-still enmeshed in the hunting net-the gorp which Dane had stunned. It was uncurled now and very

efore the high seat. Its murderous jaws snapped futilely, and from it came an enraged snake's vicious his

gorp been delivered helpless into their hands and they proposed to make the most of this wonderful opportunity. And the Terran suddenly wished the monstrosity had fallen back into the sea. He had

r, he came straight to the place where the gorp swung. As he took his stand before the wriggling creature the

t was not the ornamented goblet which stood before each diner, but a manifestly older artifact, fashi

g back almost at a right angle. With deliberation the storm priest produced a knife-the first straight bladed weapon Dane had seen on Sargol. He mad

he crowd was riveted elsewhere. Into the old cup the priest poured another substance from a flask brought by a

o stand before the high seat. There was a hush throughout the enclosure. N

lan. He was answered by a chant from the warriors who would in battle follow his banner, c

t, turning the goblet upside down when he had done to prove that not a drop remained within. A shout tore through the great hall. The Salariki were all on their feet, waving their kniv

Stotz murmur and Van Ryc

make a night of it. Here co

,"-that was Captain Je

ane turned to see what had so jarred the usually serene Astrogator-apprentice.

The head and shoulder fur of the older fighter was dripping wet and an empty goblet rolled across the table to bump to t

ther fellow," Rip's soft whispe

ard of the personal combat

the scene from his chosen role as bystander. As a child he had survived the unspeakabl

naturally cautious nature and some fifteen years of experience on a great many dif

rior. Now their neighbors came to life with an efficiency which suggested that they had been waiting for s

heard remarks, at least one duel must be staged sometime during the festivitie

e violet cloak," Rip directed Da

s he did so his choice as winner in the coming combat, the elder warrior-was a small piece of white material on which reposed a slightly withered but familiar leaf. The

regretted anew their earlier ignorance. He glanced along the board and saw tha

dy in his left. As yet the Traders had not seen Salarik against Salarik in action and in spite of themselves they edged forward in their seats, as intent as the natives upon what was to come. The finer points of the combat were lost on them, and they did not un

rlier ritual dance. The swift evasions of the nets were graceful and so timed

en flurry of dart and retreat, and then a net curled high and fell, enfolding flailing arms and kicking legs. When the clutch rope

captor wished to deliver. But it appeared that the winner was not minded to end the encounter with blood. Instead he reached out a long,

ndering his opponent his knife, which the other thrust along with his own into his sash belt. Dane gathered from overheard remarks that the younger man was, for a period of time, to be determined by clan council, now the servant

eat and came to face across the board those who had accompanied him on the hunt. This time there was no esca

to mix uncomfortably with the viands he had eaten. Weeks' thin face looked very white, and Dane noticed with malicious enjoyment, that Ali had an unob

e gulp as Groft had done. The ceremonial mouthful was deemed enough

ch had not been foreseen. A messenger threaded his way among the serving m

direction and looked up to see a party of I-S men coming into the open space before the high seat. The

his eyes half closed as he lolled in his chair of state, almost as if

was Kallee, the flowery words rolling with the proper accent from

n set down a small chest. Groft, his chin restin

no one can have too much good fortune. The Howlers of the Black

His next move was one which took his rival

ip, O, Groft," he clung to the

an Rycke's jaw tighten, the fighting mask snap back on Ca

st pledged cup friendship with four of them, he had the malicious humo

e intoned, "you have the power to claim pe

llenge a champion to be set out from these off-worlde

engagement such as they had never hoped to see-alien against alien. T

played was neither Terran-nor human. But then the

an-bound," he said. "But the o

Van Rycke, Karl Kosti, the giant jetman whose strength they had to rely upon before, Stotz the Engineer, Medic Tau

ghting man. In the flickering light the scar on his cheek

onfident he had pushed them into a position f

challenge?"

s question and Kallee beck

otorious Free Traders. Jellico studied him for a couple of long seconds during which the hum of Salariki voices was the threatening buzz of a disturbed wasps' nest. There was

guesting in Groft's holding, will fight after the manner of the Salariki who are p

e custom of warriors and ta

de of dismay on

n at such a fine ending for his feast was apparent. This would

ur after dawn, chieftain. With your leave

rs," Groft signed for a