de had not pushed these
animals as they had their first. Even the lead horses, loaded with loot,
managed to get up to a respectable ambling trot. The sunrise proceeded.
Dew upon the straggly grass became visible. Separate drops appeared as
gems upon the grass blades, and then began gradually to vanish as the
sun's disk showed itself. Then the angular metal framework of the
landing grid rose dark against the sunrise sky.

* * * * *

When they rode up to it. Hoddan reflected that it was the only really
civilized structure on the planet. Architecturally it was surely the
least pleasing. It had been built when Darth was first settled on, and
when ideas of commerce and interstellar trade seemed reasonable. It was
half a mile high and built of massive metal beams. It loomed hugely
overhead when the double file of shaggy horses trotted under its lower
arches and across the grass-grown space within it. Hoddan headed
purposefully for the control shed. There was no sign of movement
anywhere. The steeply gabled roofs of the nearby town showed only the
fluttering of tiny birds. No smoke rose from chimneys. Yet the slanting
morning sunshine was bright.

As Hoddan actually reached the control shed, he saw a sleepy man in the
act of putting a key in the door. He dismounted within feet of that man,
who turned and blinked sleepily at him, and then immediately looked the
reverse of cordial. It was the red-headed man he'd stung with a
stun-pistol the day before.

"I've come back," said Hoddan, "for a few more kilowatts."

The red-headed man swore angrily.

"Hush!" said Hoddan gently. "The Lady Fani is with us."

The red-headed man jerked his head around and paled. Thal glowered at
him. Others of Don Loris' retainers shifted their positions
significantly, to make their oversized belt-knives handier.

"We'll come in," said Hoddan. "Thal, collect the pistols and bring them
inside."

Fani swung lightly to the ground and followed him in. She looked
curiously at the cables and instrument boards and switches inside. On
one wall a red light pulsed, and went out, and pulsed again. The
red-headed man looked at it.

"You're being called," said Hoddan. "Don't answer it."

The red-headed man scowled. Thal came in with an armful of stun-pistols
in various stages of discharge. Hoddan briskly broke the butt of one of
his own and presented it to the terminals he'd used the day before.

"He's not to touch anyth