Beast Master's Quest

by Andre Norton

  She had her mind clenched shut on that fear but it gnawed at her. Prauo had wanted to find his world more than he’d said to her or their friends; she was sure of it. Wsn’t she enough? Was he looking for family and friends of his own kind? And if he found them would he want to stay here, perhaps leave her behind? Her family had all been left behind: her father dead on their original world, her mother dying in one of the transit camps. Cregar had died in the circus and left her, too. Would that happen with Prauo as well, and could she survive that final loss?

  The communicator dinged. “Food, everyone, come and eat.” Laris rolled off her bed and went to eat, determined to show nothing of her worries. Somehow she felt that saying them aloud to anyone or even acknowledging them too much to herself would make them real.

  After the meal it was decided to send the coyotes out before dark.

  “They can have time in daylight, and then in dusk. Different animals come out once it gets darker. We’ll get a better idea of the animal life if we overlap light levels.” Tani knew her team. “They like the dark anyway, and they’ve been cooped up so long in the Lady that we should let them run a while.”

  The coyotes slipped out of sight the moment they were released. Tani could feel their delight in running free again and she savored that along with them. Scents bombarded her nostrils, all unfamiliar but so far none warning of any danger. Then again, she thought, would she or her team know danger if they smelled it?

  It was some time before it occurred to her that it was odd there seemed to be no wildlife in the immediate vicinity, then she scoffed at herself. Of course not. It was all still probably scared to death by the ship’s landing. But would that apply to Prauo’s people and the humanoids—whoever or whatever those might be? But maybe none of them lived close by; maybe they shunned the sea?

  As she ran in mind-link with her team she muttered these thoughts and questions to those who sat around her. It was four hours later, after the coyotes had been recalled with nothing of great interest to report, that Storm addressed her ideas.

  “I think your last idea was more likely right. There’s no sign of the clearings closer to the sea coast. It may be that for some reason they stay away from it.” He sighed. “Or I could be all wrong. The clearings are made by animals, and the pairs of life-signs are made by females with young, and the young, give off different results for the scanners.

  “In the morning I’ll send Ho and Hing out for a few hours. We’ll see what they find—if anything. If there’s still no sign of people or any danger we can identify, we can start to leave the ship. We go in twos, and the others who stay in remain on guard by the scanners the whole time any pair is outside.”

  “What about weapons?” Logan looked anxious. “I don’t like the idea of any of us being outside on a world we don’t know without some sort of protection.”

  “Stunners.” The decision in Storm’s voice was clear. “We’ll just have to hope that anything around here has the same sort of nervous system we have. Stunners have worked well enough on the worlds humans have discovered so far. We’ll hope they work as well here. I don’t want to shoot at an animal and find we’ve just killed the local mayor paying a ceremonial visit.”

  They all winced at the comment. There’d been a similar incident or two in the days when humans had first burst into space. No one on the Lady wanted to end up in Terran Federation history books as the reason another war had begun.

  Ho and Hing waddled happily out into the dawn the following day. They foraged, dug, burrowed, sunned themselves, and when called back they came reluctantly, Hing dragging a treasure from her last burrowings into a stack of rocks by the sea edge. Storm took it from her carefully with a gloved hand. He placed the item into an analyzer and studied the result before removing it and handing it around.

  “There’s no question but that’s an artifact.” Something he touched gave way and the item came apart into two pieces. Storm stared at the result. One piece looked like a very small knife of some kind. It was beautifully made, with a blade that curled almost into a complete circle. The hilt appeared to have been carved from a dense wood, while the blade was—or so he thought—made from shell, engraved with what were possibly elaborate designs but could equally well have been words.

  The second piece, the case that had enclosed it, was polished wood. Across one face a design, this one almost certainly a word, was engraved and inlaid with an iridescent mosaic of tiny shell pieces. A loop created from a natural hoop of a different, polished shell dangled from the top. All the pieces of the artifact were lovely. It was art of a high order, but made from natural materials. Storm tested the edge of the knife and nodded to himself.

  “I think Tani and I can go out now. Tani, tell your beast team to spread out and signal us if they sense any danger. I have something to do; you’ll stand guard over me with a stunner. Logan, Laris, I want you to keep watch from inside the crew door. Keep your stunners handy. Captain, stand ready on the bridge. If anything goes very badly wrong, get as many people out as you can without risking the ship, and the moment you’re clear of the planet, send an update and warning to the Patrol.”

  Tani finished instructing her team. Mandy was first to leave, flying a narrow oval pattern within the forest edge. The coyotes moved out wide of ship and people, guarding either end of the long beach. Storm went to the heap of rocks Hing had burrowed into and began dismantling it slowly and very carefully, the hand scanner he’d brought with him riding low on one shoulder. Tani stood guard between him and the sea, stunner at the ready.

  Unconsciously she had fallen not only into link with her team but also very lightly into link with Storm. She felt his surprise, then the surge of satisfaction, followed by a feeling of deep disquiet, but she remained watchful.

  His voice came quietly. “Scan this for me. I’ll stand guard. Touch nothing. I’ll have to return the knife, too.”

  He took the stunner she passed to him, handing her the scanner with his other hand, and she was now free to look into the cairn.

  “Storm. It’s a grave.”

  “I’d say so. Scan them, then go and get the knife.”

  Slowly she panned the small lens over the cairn’s contents. Within the circle of rocks lay two skeletons. One, in life, must have been about Prauo’s size and similarly shaped, she thought. The other skeleton could have been that of an older humanoid child or small adult. Tani estimated they’d both have been around five feet or a little less in height. Neither wore any apparent clothing, but the feline had a magnificent breastplate on a moldering leather harness.

  Scattered across the humanoid figure lay beads fallen from a thin plaited string of what might once have been long grass or some sort of flax. She considered it likely the knife and its case had originally hung pendantlike from the string. Tani moved around, scanning as she did so. Then, with a last complete scan of the cairn and contents from atop a rock some distance back, she headed for the ship.

  “What’s in there?” Laris asked as Tani entered the ship.

  “Look at this, pass me the knife, and tell Storm to hold on. I’ll be back out in a moment.” She took the knife in its case from Laris’s outstretched hand, then raced for the hydroponics room. Once there she worked quickly before returning to rejoin Storm.

  He forced himself to replace the knife, rethreading the beads and knotting the string again. Taking it in turns they built the cairn back to its original size and shape before Tani picked up her gift from the hydroponics room. She placed the bunch of roses on the small flat stone that half-protruded from the cairn base. Storm faced the cairn and bowed respectfully before ushering Tani back to the ship.

  After dinner that evening they all looked over the pictures of the cairn and its contents. The computer had come up with re-creations of the grave’s occupants based on the skeletons. If you added in Prauo’s coloring, the feline in the grave was close to identical, if considerably larger. Although, as both Tani and Storm pointed out, they could get a similar result b
y using the computer on the skeletons of dune cats like Surra and her mate.

  The humanoid pictures were a different matter. The computer had produced images of a small being, perhaps fifty-seven or fifty-eight inches in height—or a hundred and forty-five centimeters by the alternate Terran measuring system—but unusually slender. The hands were very narrow and had only three fingers and a thumb, each digit having an extra joint. The feet were larger in proportion, almost spatulate, with four thicker-boned toes.

  Laris used a camera and the computer to compare the sizes of the feline and the other skeleton. “It’s at least as large as Prauo, so it’d have been really big in comparison to the humanoid, and we don’t think Prauo’s finished growing, right?”

  “No, but he’s had excellent nutrition all his life, right from the time he was a tiny cub, thanks to you. Also, you spent a lot of time on the circus ship at a slightly lower gravity. Under those circumstances he could end up larger than many of his race—if that skeleton is the norm. We don’t know what the felines eat on this world or how plentiful food is for them,” Tani commented.

  “If we ever find any, we’ll know, I guess,” Laris said quietly. “I wonder where they are. The cairn’s contents make it look like this is Prauo’s world.” She turned to look at the big feline, sending privately, *What do you think? Does this feel like home to you?*

  Purple eyes gazed up as he sent to her alone: *I cannot say, my sister. Perhaps if we walk outside I may know. As yet I have not laid paws to the earth.*

  The talk continued only a little longer before Storm came to the conclusion they could all use a good night’s sleep. He woke early but not as early as Laris who, together with Prauo, had roused at first light. They looked at each other without speaking, then moving silently, Laris dressed, belted on her stunner and, after stopping briefly at the hydroponics room, she left the ship by the small crew door with Prauo pacing at her side.

  “Do you feel anything?” Laris asked, pushing down her fear of losing him.

  *Not yet.*

  They stood by the cairn. The lilac Laris had brought to leave at the small grave adding its perfume to the day. Prauo lifted his nose into the breeze, inhaling the scents, then dug his paws into the coarse sand at the beach edge where it shaded back into rock.

  *There is something, my sister. I cannot describe it, perhaps it is a familiarity. A feeling as if I have been here before. And yet, it does not bind or draw me greatly. It is only a feeling that I may once have known this land.*

  Laris felt a burst of worry, the fear that he would want to go further, leave her behind as he explored this—his—world. Again, she forced it away.

  [Within the ship Storm had called the others so that they watched from the crew door by the main ramp.] He had said nothing nor made any attempt to recall the two escapees.

  After five minutes of watching Tani spoke very softly. “Why are we waiting? Do you think something will happen?”

  Storm shrugged doubtfully. “It may. If anyone saw us yesterday they didn’t approach. But if this is Prauo’s world, the inhabitants may come to investigate now he and Laris are outside.” They waited in silence for some time until it was Logan’s turn to shrug.

  “If they’re coming, I don’t think it’s today,” he said. But his eyes were drawn to a movement within the edge of the forest. Very slowly, two by two, three pairs of the inhabitants of Prauo’s world were emerging from the trees.

  Chapter Eight

  There was no question now that Storm had discovered Prauo’s world. The approaching pairs were each humanoid and feline. Each feline was as alike to Prauo—at least in color and markings—as two peas in a pod. Black and gold fur ruffled in the light breeze. Those who walked with them were short and slight of stature, as the computer reconstruction had suggested. Each walked with a hand touching his feline friend’s shoulder, the fingers of the other hand toying with the knife case at the neck.

  Captain D’Argeis was focusing scanners on them. “Aikizai,” he breathed.

  Storm looked back at him. “What?”

  “A legend from my world. That once all people had an aikiza who was both guardian angel and friend to them. ‘Aikizai’ is plural, the singular is ‘aikiza.’ Those people who were blessed with a visible aikiza were known as ‘liomsa,’ which means ‘beloved.’ ”

  Storm nodded, then turned back to watch as the duos neared the ship. It wasn’t a bad name for the felines and their companions: aikizai and their liomsa. It was impossible to decide gender as yet, Storm thought. All three of the humanoids were dressed in light robes that fell loosely from the gathered neck to the groin, then split in a sort of culottes down to the knees. The feet of one liomsa were bare but the others wore footwear that looked like sandals.

  The natives halted halfway between the cairn and the forest edge. The leading pair moved three more paces forward. The humanoid bowed, an odd movement in which it dropped, dipping to one side, and rose with a lithe twist of the body. Then it spoke aloud in a series of trills and tongue clicks.

  From the ship Tani was recording the whole scene. “What’d it say?” she hissed softly to Storm.

  “Nothing understandable. Keep recording.”

  She grinned up at him. That was not an instruction she required. Her recording would make a sensation when they returned. It would end up being copied, studied, discussed, and archived on a score of worlds. She kept the scene in focus, noticing—as she made minute adjustments—that Prauo had moved forward.

  The other feline moved to match him as, very slowly, they neared each other. Laris stepped with him. In danger or not, fearing that he might chose to leave her or not, she was not going to allow her brother-in-fur to face possible danger alone.

  Sudden odd grimaces broke over the faces of all three humanoids. Prauo sent to her, *I smell their amusement, as I think they smelled your determination, sister. They approve that we are one, that you walk with me. I think there may be nothing to fear at this moment.*

  Laris nodded. Perhaps if she spoke it would help Prauo’s people’s humanoid companions to see that she offered friendship. She dipped her head slowly, politely, hoping they would see it as a gesture of respect and acknowledgment.

  “I greet the kin and friends of my friend.” Then a possibility occurred to her and this time sending in a mind voice which matched her words:

  *No harm to you or yours from me or mine. My brother is kin to you as yours are kin to me, if they will it so.*

  A gestalt of emotions came in return, hitting her like a light blow then moderating immediately as if the sender understood the impact had been too powerful: Friendship, approval, delight at Prauo’s return with a bond-friend. And perhaps, Laris thought, she detected a query about those others of her kind who watched from the ship.

  She nodded. Then, since it seemed the right thing to do, she lifted her stunner from the holster and laid it behind her on the short turf. She advanced past it two more paces and sent her own emotions again.

  Joy that they had found Prauo’s home, pleasure in meeting those who were his kin. Assurance that neither she nor those who watched intended harm. The result puzzled her. There was a strong feeling of surprise from the figures before her.

  Prauo turned to touch her bare hand with his nose and send privately: *They appear surprised that you do not send through me but directly.*

  *Why?*

  *I do not know, but Storm is more used to dealing with aliens. Perhaps it would be well if he and Tani joined us?*

  Laris nodded. Moving slowly so her movements should not seem threatening, she turned towards the ship and beckoned. They’d understand she wanted someone to join her, and Storm was a natural choice.

  At the ship Storm realized what was wanted of him. “Tani, come with me and bring Mandy. Let them see that we have other aikizai. It may reassure them that we are no danger, but,” he turned to look at Logan and the captain. “Both of you keep a close watch all around us with the scanners. Don’t just focus on what’s happen
ing in front of the door. Logan, you keep recording this. If anything does go wrong I want a complete tape for the Patrol to see.”

  With his stunner drawn he walked slowly from the crew door and down the short flight of steps that unfolded from it. Tani, at his side, had Mandy on the padded shoulder rest the paraowl preferred. Halfway down Storm halted and laid down his stunner, hoping they would understand the symbolism of his coming in peace. Then they strolled on to where Laris and Prauo stood.

  He spoke very softly. “The captain says in his myths and fairy tales from his world Prauo’s people are like the aikizai, guardians and friends to their liomsa. Singular is ‘aikiza.’ We’ll use those terms for the records from now on.” Laris nodded, and Prauo gave him an amused glance from rich-purple eyes.

  Storm advanced past to stand half a pace ahead, imitated Laris’s bow of respect, then slowly extended his beast-master senses. At once he felt both humanoids and felines recognize the touch. The humanoids drew back from him, revulsion in their minds. Where was his aikiza? “Tani, loose Mandy and then reach for her.”

  The result was a deeper surge of revulsion. A disgust at the unnaturalness of Storm and Tani who communicated with beasts, not true aikizai.

  Storm nodded. Considering what he had seen of this world so far, it was a reasonable reaction. He spoke softly. “Call Mandy in and we’ll return to the ship. Since they find us unnatural, we’d be much better off to leave contact to Laris and Prauo, at least at first.” He turned, walked to his stunner, reholstered it and plodded back to the ship, Tani mirroring his moves.

  Logan greeted him with questions. Storm turned to watch their friends outside as he explained. “I’m not sure I’m happy about their attitude. Tani and I disgusted them. They feel a bond between animals and humans is—well, the feeling I got was degenerate. Prauo and his kin are aikizai, above beasts. I think we leave it for now, but at another meeting you could join Laris and see how they react to a human who has no bond at all.” His lips quirked briefly. “It could be that they’ll try to set you up with an aikiza. We’ll have to see.”