e pilot, "is that they wish it were
possible but only those who serve the purposes of Meeg may enter."

"They _would_ look at it that way," sighed Mayne. "Let's leave it at
that, until we can think this over some more. It's time for a lunch
break anyway."

* * * * *

He and Haruhiku were flown back to the scout ship. Mayne brooded
silently most of the way. Voorhis thought he was entitled to about six
million credits for ship and cargo; Melin thought half a million for the
ship and fuel would be stretching it. Mayne foresaw that he would have
to knock heads.

The two of them lunched in the pilot's cabin, with hardly room to drop a
spoon. Except for companionship, Mayne would as soon have eaten standing
in the galley.

He considered the vast area of the planet's land surface. Would it be
wiser for the envoy to land elsewhere? What sort of ties were there
between tribes?

"Loose," the pilot told him. "Still, word gets around, with no great
mountain or ocean barriers. They've split into groups, but there is a
lot of contact."

"So if the Space Force should seize the _Gemsbok_, they'll all hear
about it?"

"Within a few weeks, sir. That kind of news has wings on any world. I
think we could take her for you, but we might do some damage. The size
of a scout crew doesn't lend itself to hand-to-hand brawls."

"And if you sling a couple of torpedoes at the Kappan village, you'll
probably wipe it out," said Mayne thoughtfully. "Give the story a month
to spread, and no Terran would be trusted anywhere on the planet. Hm-m-m
... hardly practical!"

"There would also be a chance of damaging the _Gemsbok_."

"Actually, Eric, I'd hardly care if you blew her into orbit, with
Voorhis and Melin riding the fins! But I'm supposed to spread sweetness
and light around here--not scraps and parts of spaceships."

He gnawed moodily upon a knuckle, but saw no way to escape putting up
some government money. Soaking the company would just make _them_ appeal
instead of Voorhis.

"This Meeg," he said to change the subject. "How important is he?"

Haruhiku considered a moment before replying.

"They have a whole mess of gods, like most primitive societies. Meeg is
pretty important. I think he has a special significance to this tribe
... you know, like some ancient Terran cities has a special patron."

"He's the god of that little moon?" Mayne asked.

"Oh, more than that, I think. Really the god of sp