Beast Master's Quest

by Andre Norton

  “I suppose any of that is possible.” Tani spoke thoughtfully in turn. “But do we keep going now? Prauo says the people who came down here did; the trail leads off that way.” She pointed.

  “Wait a minute.” He touched the com-button. “Logan? Storm here. We’ve reached the bottom of the ramp and Prauo says the people who came here continued on to the left down a corridor. The right passage is blind. If you and the captain report no sign of movement, we’ll carry on a way further. Okay?”

  After a short silence Logan’s voice echoed in a small, clear sound from the com. “Nothing moving up here. The captain says his sensors show nothing either. Tell Tani her team hasn’t returned.”

  “In which case we’ll continue for a while. Bring the captain up to date and tell him to get a report away to the Patrol now, just in case of any trouble. Storm out.”

  This time Prauo took the lead, with Storm behind him still recording the right wall while Tani recorded the left. Tani came next, with Laris and her stunner last in the procession. The murals had continued. In fact, Storm thought, it was one indication that there might have been nothing of interest to them in the blind passage, since he’d noticed that the murals did not extend in that direction.

  From ahead, Prauo mind-sent, *There is a door here. It is shut and I think it is locked also.*

  They paced on, steadily recording until they reached Prauo. Storm and Tani recorded the door, then Storm put his recorder on standby while he studied the obstruction.

  Laris touched the barrier lightly. “Is that wood?”

  “I’d say so. Very old wood. It looks like the lengths Logan found on the beach where the sea-beast attacked him.”

  In the beams of the flashlights gave the door shone with a pearly opalescence. It was inlaid with sections of a darker wood which glowed a dark, rich red in the light. They studied the inscription, recording it carefully on both instruments before Storm returned his machine to standby. All had noticed there was no apparent door handle.

  “The question is, do we try to open this?” Storm’s tone was doubtful. “There’s no obvious way of doing that, and damaging the door isn’t likely to make us popular with the natives. I think we’ve gone as far as we can this time.” He touched the door lightly, running his fingertips over the wood. “Prauo, does the scent trail continue past this door?”

  The reply was unequivocal. *Yes.*

  “Could we try to find a way of opening it without doing any damage?” Laris was already copying Storm, running her hands over the wood, feeling for any hidden catch. Prauo lifted his nose to the door, indicating to her. Laris placed her fingers onto the points he touched and pressed.

  Under that pressure six of the inlaid symbols hollowed. She hooked her fingers into the hollows and pulled downward. Slowly and silently the door swung open. Tani smiled.

  “Of course, Prauo could smell which parts of the door had been handled. Okay, we’re through. What do we do now?”

  Storm was using his flashlight to peer ahead; he took a cautious step, then another. “The murals continue. Prauo, what about the scent trail. Does that keep going in full, or is it thinner?”

  *It thins.*

  “In other words, this section from now on may be more sacred. Fewer people are allowed to come here.” He hesitated. “Tani, what do you think?”

  “We’re recording, not vandalizing. Check with Logan and the captain again, but if there’s no sign of anyone coming, I say we go farther down this passage.”

  A com-check reported no sign of life as yet, nor had any of Tani’s team returned to warn Logan. Below the four moved on past the door. The murals flowed on along the walls as they recorded. Ten minutes passed in that occupation before they were halted by a second door. Again they were able to open it by using Prauo’s ability to know which sections could be the release. However, this door required simultaneous pressure on twelve points.

  Storm said nothing as Tani moved ahead through the door. Her recorder’s tiny red light indicating it was still taping the murals which had not ceased to show in the beams of their flashlights. They were finally stopped by the third door, which would not open even to pressure on the right sections.

  “I think that’s it.” Storm was looking at his watch. “We’ve been down here almost an hour. It’s time we went back.”

  Laris was still poking gently at the door. “Why won’t it open? The other two would.”

  “Didn’t you notice?” Tani asked. “The first one took six pressure points to open, that last one took twelve, both of us working together. Prauo says this one needs only three, but it won’t open. Look at the progression, open ramp and corridor, then a six-pressure-point door, then a twelve. But this one goes back to three, which suggests it’s got something extra added. We were just lucky Prauo could help with the other two. Anyone without an aikiza—” she paused to smile at the big feline “—would be still standing in front of the first door.”

  Storm turned. “That’s all likely. We go now. I want us back at the ship before dusk, anyway. Let’s move.” He started back along the passage and, reluctantly, the other three followed. At the rear of the procession Laris perked up as she walked.

  *It’s been pretty interesting so far,* she sent to Prauo alone. *I wonder what the others and their aikizai are like in this area. Maybe we’ll meet E’l’ith?* And maybe, her mind added behind a mental barricade, you won’t like this new liomsa. You weren’t too happy with the liomsa in the last place.

  Prauo’s return comment was wordless. A feeling of curiosity, laced with a thin vein of apprehension.

  *What are you worrying about?*

  *The liomsa in the last place did not approve of us. What will we do if that is so here?*

  Her hand dropped to dig into the longer fur on his shoulders. It was all right for her to think of that, but she didn’t want him unhappy. *Their disapproval isn’t our problem. Let them cope with their own prejudices. I’m your sister; you’re my brother. That is life. They’ll just have to deal with it.* Still, that last came with apprehension, which she hid. How long would this be so?

  The feel of his amused affection warmed her. *Sister-without-fur, that is so forever, nor do I think they can be more obstinate than the both of us combined. Let them say what they will. And,* he added, *we are two who are one. That shall not change.*

  Walking back up the ramp was tiring. It wasn’t steep, but somehow their feet seemed to drag more and more as they neared the top. Maybe it was the letdown from the excitement, Laris thought. It had all been so incredible, finding the murals and seeing the ramp, then following it down to the doors. Being able to open the first two doors had made her feel quite breathless. If only they’d been able to open the third, what would they have found?

  Ahead, Storm opened the com and spoke quietly, “Logan, any sign of anything?”

  “No. Hang on a moment.” Storm could hear his half-brother’s voice talking on another channel to the captain. Logan came back louder: “Captain says he can’t be sure but he thinks something’s just begun showing on the very edge of the long-range sensors.”

  Storm turned quickly to check behind, then looked back up the ramp. The long-range scanners should show movement seven or eight miles from the ship. The ruins were three miles away, so those who were approaching had the whole distance to cover while his party had less than half. No great distance to travel if they hurried. His voice came softly but with an edge that cut through the air:

  “Some of the natives may be on their way to these ruins. I want us out of here and heading straight back for the ship as fast as we can move. Stow the recorders. Once you’re out of the building don’t wait for me or Logan; shift into a jog for a mile. Tani, you lead the way. Don’t wait for your team—they’ll catch up to us. Laris and Prauo, keep going right behind her.”

  Logan met them at the top of the ramp. “D’Argeis says there’s definitely individuals on the way. Just coming into clear view at the furthest end of the scanner range—so they should
take over half an hour to reach us here.”

  Storm swung his arm in the direction of the ship. Tani knew better than to delay him by asking stupid questions. She headed away, making for the ship at a steady trot, with Laris and Prauo behind her.

  Logan paused to look at Storm. “Can the natives catch up to us?”

  “That’s going to depend on how fast they’ve been traveling to here. If they’ve been moving quickly, they could be out of energy by the time they arrive and find we’ve moved on. Or they might not even be sure anyone’s been here. They could be checking what we’re up to since our ship landed near the ruins. Tani’s team will be falling back in front of them. Once they join us we’ll have a better idea of what’s happening. Meanwhile, we move out and don’t waste time. Go.”

  Logan trotted after Prauo and the women but Storm stayed long enough to glance around. They’d left no litter, no marks on anything, and they hadn’t damaged the murals or the mysterious doors below. The aikizai would smell where his group had been, though, and if their liomsa saw Storm and his group’s invasion of the passages below as sacrilege—or anything else of which they disapproved—the natives would be coming after the humans as soon as they realized what had happened.

  Storm stepped up his pace until he was running easily only a few steps behind Logan. Keeping his gait smooth, he opened his com to talk quickly.

  “Captain, we’ve left the ruins and we’re returning as fast as we can to the ship. Please keep a watch for anyone following us. If anyone shows up, please let me know immediately.” He closed the com and checked around. No sign of pursuit as yet. Nor had the team returned. Tani would have known if any of her beasts had been injured. That meant the animals were still out scouting.

  He raised his voice slightly, talking in short spurts. The pace was beginning to tell on them all. “Tani—did you tell the team—to go past the ruins—if they have to fall back?”

  “Uh-huh. They were to slow down by the ruins—and see if the natives—kept on after us. If they did—the team was to keep coming back—along the trail we came in on—and rejoin me to report.”

  “Good.” If that worked they’d know for sure, either from the captain or the team’s report, what the natives were doing.

  A mile later he told everyone to slow down. “Walk now. Take a mouthful of water.” He allowed them to walk another mile before checking in with the ship.

  “Captain? What are the natives doing?”

  “Some are coming after you. Most of them stopped at the ruins, but six pairs haven’t, and they’re still moving faster than you are. They’ll be up with you just before the ship if you keep on walking.”

  Storm calculated quickly. He could allow his group to continue walking another half mile. After that they’d have to run. With the forest all around to block their line of sight the pursuers probably wouldn’t start firing until they had a clear view—if they intended to shoot. But the last two hundred yards between the trees and the ship were open ground, his group would be all too visible and that could be dangerous.

  “Watch them and let me know the minute they look to be closing in on us.” Ahead, his group walked at a good, brisk tramp. They were almost to the place where the trees began to thin out when Tani whirled.

  “Minou, Ferrare, Mandy?” The coyotes raced toward her as Mandy dropped down toward them from the treetops. They were all linking, sending and receiving, sharing what they knew or saw. Storm’s low call got everyone jogging for the ship as he moved up to Tani’s side. She turned to look at him as she passed on her team’s report.

  “Six duos after us. They saw Mandy but made no attempt to fire at her. The coyotes don’t think they were seen at all. The natives aren’t moving any faster now than we can at this pace, but we know Prauo can run. So I’d guess they’re saving themselves until they can see us.”

  Ahead, Laris and Prauo broke through the outer fringe of the forest. Behind them Logan slowed. “I’ll cover with Storm. Get the team under cover, Tani.”

  Storm’s hissed words endorsed that. He looked ahead to where Laris and Prauo had also slowed, to look back.

  “Get to the ship, run! Tani, take your team and get clear, too.”

  He saw them start for the ship and his com clicked sharply in emergency mode.

  “The scanners show they’re spreading into a half circle within the trees.”

  Storm looked at Logan. “You heard that?” He received a nod. “Then run when I say, space out from me. It’ll make it harder for them to hit both of us if that’s what’s on their minds.” He saw the main ramp on the ship slam down. Laris and Prauo sprinted up the ramp and halted at the top. Laris had her stunner out and ready. Tani reached them seconds later, Mandy swooped past into safety even as the coyotes fled by their beast master in the doorway.

  Storm and Logan were clear of the trees by now, breaking into a sudden sprint for the ship as Laris and Tani called warnings. Behind them the natives broke free of cover, running hard in pursuit. But the two humans were nearer refuge. They raced up the main ramp even as Captain D’Argeis, watching on the bridge scanners, signaled the ship to upramp.

  Storm, behind Logan, almost fell down the ramp into safety as it rose into the air and slid into position, the magnetic clamps slamming into lock. Prauo remained at the small single airlock door to one side of the ramp and some ten feet above the ground. From there he could catch any scent on the breeze that blew toward the ship. There was no sign of the natives, although he could smell their presence where they had retreated within the fringe of trees.

  Tani hugged Storm hard, then blew out an exaggerated breath. “Go to space, see strange worlds, run from natives, improve your health and fitness.”

  Captain D’Argeis, coming to greet them, wondered why they were all grinning widely. Even Prauo looked amused.

  Chapter Twelve

  The captain smiled at them. “I see you’re all in one piece—and happy about that, I presume?”

  Tani giggled. “Naturally. But—”

  Storm cut in quietly. “I’m not convinced we were in danger.”

  Logan swung around. “Storm, come on, they tried to kill us.”

  “Did they? I’m not so sure. I think in that last sprint they were close enough to have hit us if they’d really tried. And—” he paused significantly “—they could have taken a shot or two at Mandy and didn’t. No, I think they may have been doing a couple of things, neither of which was intended to have us dead or even injured.”

  “What, then?” Laris was puzzled.

  “For one thing, they might have wanted to see how we’d react if we were threatened. They could have been seeing if we might run because we didn’t think we were strong enough to face them. We could be scared of them. They could be trying to find out whether we’d attack in retaliation or accept we could be in the wrong by entering their ruins and run. And they may also have wanted to chase us away from a sacred shrine. There’s a lot of reasons why they could have acted that way.”

  Tani thought back to Mandy’s impressions. “Yes,” she said slowly. “Mandy is sure they could have shot at her, although they probably wouldn’t have hit her—but they never even tried. She feels there was no intention. They simply studied her, then started moving closer. Once they were too close for her to feel happy about it, she left.”

  Prauo had been standing in the small door by the main ramp as, with lifted nose, he tasted the light breeze blowing from the natives’ direction. He communed silently with the watching coyotes.

  Then his mind-voice reached them all. *Storm is right. Tani, ask Minou and Ferrare and you will see there is no smell of hunting or anger.*

  He waited while she did so, nodding her reply, to receive his nod in turn. Then he dropped lightly from the door to the grass and trotted towards the forest edge where the duos still stood. Laris yelped in horror and before anyone could prevent her, she had dropped the ten feet downward after him. Side by side, her fingers locked in his shoulder fur, they walked towards the
liomsa and their aikizai who watched their approach.

  Storm was gone into the ship the second he realized he could not reach her to pull her back into safety. He returned with the pulse-rifle and stood with it trained on the group outside. Logan was falling in love with Laris, and Storm liked both Laris and Prauo—and more, they were part of his people while he was in charge. If harm came to them from the natives it wouldn’t be only the ship’s crew who grieved. He’d see these natives would have regrets of their own.

  Prauo halted as they neared the forest fringe. To Laris alone he sent, *Let them come to us from here, sister. A sign of good faith, and besides, I suspect Storm will have them in his sights just in case. From here he has a clear shot.*

  She could taste the predator undertones in that last thought. She grinned. Prauo might be an intelligent being, and gentle with her always, but underneath that affection lived a genuine predator, one who had no intention of dying alone and who had killed before when there’d been a need to do so.

  She remembered back to that night, brilliant with stars. She’d been thirteen—no, she would have been fourteen; she’d forgotten the camp’s alteration of her age. But thirteen or fourteen, she’d been walking back from the library in Alcani city. She’d sneaked out after the last performance the circus would do that night, with several part-credits stashed in a pocket and a desire to access information on something she’d overheard that afternoon.

  The world was Jestin, at that time a military dictatorship after the Xik war, which had left the original civilian administration all dead following a pinpoint strike, by the Xiks. There wasn’t great oppression of the people so Terran High Command were minding their own business, as were the Patrol, although if the dictatorship became too brutal either or both of those authorities would probably act.

  The man had come from the shadows to grab Laris, not seeing Prauo who drifted silently along behind her, camouflaged by his bi-colored fur and the shifting clouds, revealing then shading everything as they passed by overhead. The man had leapt, one arm around her, the other over her mouth. She knew his motive from his uniform even as she fought wildly. She’d be pressed into service as a trainee on one of the dictator’s space-ships. She wouldn’t be that ill-treated but she’d lose Prauo; they’d never allow her friend to remain with her. Nor would Dedran make much of an effort to retrieve her, not when Jestin was such a lucrative stopover.