y within him: there was a strong similarity to the carvings that he
had seen, through Tebron's eyes, outside the Temple of Kor. The symbols
of Kor, Tebron had called them ... copied from the works of the Old
Ones.

The Outsiders?

FIVE

They had some trouble getting cooperation from Horng on any further
mind-probing. The Hirlaji lived among some of the ruins out on the Flat,
where the winds threw dust and sand against the weathered stone walls,
leaving them worn smooth and rounded. The aliens kept these buildings in
some state of repair, and there was a communal garden of the planet's
dark, fungoid plant life. As Rynason and Mara strode between the massive
buildings they passed several of the huge creatures; one or two of them
turned and regarded the couple with dull eyes, and went on slowly
through the grey shadows.

They found Horng sitting motionlessly at the edge of the cluster of
buildings, gazing out over the Flat toward the low hills which stood
black against the deep blue of the horizon sky. Rynason lowered the
telepather from his shoulder and approached him.

The alien made no motion of protest when Rynason hooked up the
interpreter, but when the Earthman raised the mike to speak, Horng's dry
voice spoke in the silence of the thin air and the machine's stylus
traced out, THERE IS NO PURPOSE.

Rynason paused a moment, then said, "We're almost finished with our
reports. We should finish today."

THERE IS NO PURPOSE MEANING QUEST.

"No purpose to the report?" Rynason said after a moment. "It's important
to us, and we're almost finished. There would be even less purpose in
stopping now, when so much has been done."

Horng's large, leathery head turned toward him and Rynason felt the
ancient creature's heavy gaze on him like a shadow.

WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO THAT.

"We don't think alike," Rynason said to him. "To me there is a purpose.
Will you help me once more?"

There was no answer from the alien, only a slow nodding of his head to
one side, which Rynason took for assent. He motioned Mara to set up the
telepather.

After their last experience Rynason could understand the creature's
reluctance to continue. Perhaps even his statement that there was no
purpose to the Earthmen's researches made sense--for could the
codification of the history of a dying race mean much to its last
members? Probably they didn't care; they walked slowly through the ruins
of their world and felt all around them fa