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open space Jason looked at it in the reflected light from the sky.
"Rhes-" he choked, pointing. Rhes, riding next to him, looked at the great
beast, shaggy body and twisted horns as high as their shoulders, then looked
away. He wasn't frightened or apparently even interested. Jason looked around
then and began to understand.
All of the fleeing animals made no sound, that's why he hadn't noticed them
before. But on both sides dark forms ran between the trees. Some he
recognized, most of them he didn't. For a few minutes a pack of wild dogs ran
near them, even mingling with the domesticated dogs. No notice was taken.
Flying things flapped by overhead. Under the greater threat of the volcanoes
all other battles were forgotten. Life respected life. A herd of fat, pig-like
beasts with curling tusks blundered through the line. The doryms slowed,
picking their steps carefully so they wouldn't step on them. Smaller animals
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sometimes clung to the backs of the bigger ones, riding untouched awhile,
before they leaped off.
Pounded mercilessly by the jarring litter, Jason fell wearily into a light
sleep. It was shot through with dreams of the rushing animals, hurrying on
forever in silence. With his eyes open or shut, he saw the same endless stream
of beasts.
It all meant something and he frowned as he tried to think what. Animals
running, Pyrran animals.
He sat bolt upright suddenly, twisting in his litter, wide awake and staring
down in comprehension.
"What is it?" Rhes asked, swinging his dorym in close.
"Go on," Jason said. "Get us out of this, and get us out safely. I know how
your people can get what they want, end the war now. There is a way, and I
know how it can be done."
25
There were few coherent memories of the ride. Some things stood out sharply
like the spaceship-sized lump of burning scoria that had plunged into a lake
near them, showering the line with hot drops of water. But mostly it was just
a seemingly endless ride, with Jason still too weak to care much about it. By
dawn the danger area was behind them and the march had slowed to a walk. The
animals had vanished as the quake was left behind, going their own ways, still
in silent armistice.
The peace of mutually shared danger was over; Jason found that out when they
stopped to rest and eat. He and Rhes went to sit on the soft grass, near a
fallen tree. A wild dog had arrived there first. It lay under the log, muscles
tensed, the ruddy morning light striking a red glint from its eyes. Rhes faced
it, not three meters away, without moving a muscle. He made no attempt to
reach one of his weapons or to call for help. Jason stood still as well,
hoping the Pyrran knew what he was doing.
With no warning at all the dog sprang straight at them. Jason fell backward as
Rhes pushed him aside. The Pyrran dropped at the same time-only now his hand
held the long knife, yanked from the sheath strapped to his thigh. With unseen
speed the knife came up, the dog twisted in midair, trying to bite it. Instead
it sank in behind the dog's forelegs, the beast's own weight tearing a deadly
gaping wound the length of its body. It was still alive when it hit the
ground, but Rhes was astraddle it, pulling back the bony-plated head to cut
the soft throat underneath.
The Pyrran carefully cleaned his knife on the dead animal's fur, then returned
it to the sheath. "They're usually no trouble," he said quietly, "but it was
excited. Probably lost the rest of the pack in the quake." His actions were
the direct opposite of the city
Pyrrans. He had not looked for trouble nor started the fight. Instead he had
avoided it as long as he could. But when the beast charged, it had been neatly
and efficiently dispatched. Now, instead of gloating over his victory, he
seemed troubled over an unnecessary death.
It made sense. Everything on Pyrrus made sense. Now he knew how the deadly
planetary battle had started-and he knew how it could be ended. All the deaths
had not been in vain. Each one had helped him along the road a little more
toward the final destination. There was just one final thing to be done.
Rhes was watching him now and he knew they shared the same thoughts. "Explain
yourself," Rhes said. "What did you mean when you said we could wipe out the
junkmen and get our freedom?"
Jason didn't bother to correct the misquote; it was best they consider him a
hundred percent on their side.
"Get the others together and I'll tell you. I particularly want to see Naxa
and any other talkers who are here."
They gathered quickly when the word was passed. All of them knew that the
junkman had been killed to save this off-worlder, that their hope of salvation
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lay with him. Jason looked at the crowd of faces turned toward him and reached
for the right words to tell them what had to be done. It didn't help to know
that many of them would be killed doing it.
"We all want to see an end to the war here on Pyrrus. There is a way, but it
will cost human lives. Some of you may die doing it. I think the price is
worth it, because success will bring you everything you have ever wanted." He
looked around at the tense, waiting circle.
'We are going to invade the city, break through the perimeter. I know how it
can be done...
A mutter of sound spread across the crowd. Some of them looked excited, happy
with the thought of killing their hereditary enemies. Others stared at Jason
as if he were mad. A few were dazed at the magnitude of the thought, this
carrying of the battle to the stronghold of the heavily armed enemy. They
quieted when Jason raised his hand.
"I know it sounds impossible," he said. "But let me explain. Something must be
done-and now is the time to do it. The situation can only get worse from now
on. The city Pyrr... the junkmen can get along without your food, their
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