cked ship, the fact
that his people possessed no real defenses against the
Russian-controlled colony.

"We went to the mountains," he replied evasively.

"Your governing machine failed?" Kaydessa laughed. "Ah, they are so
great, those men of the machines. But they are smaller and weaker when
their machines cannot obey them."

"It is so with your camp?" Travis probed gently. He was not quite sure
of her meaning, but he dared not ask more detailed questions without
dangerously revealing his own ignorance.

"In some manner their control machine--it can only work upon those
within a certain distance. They discovered that in the days of the first
landing, when hunters went out freely and many of them did not return.
After that when hunters were sent out to learn how lay this land, they
went along in the flyer with a machine so that there would be no more
escapes. But we knew!" Kaydessa's fingers curled into small fists. "Yes,
we knew that if we could get beyond the machines, there was freedom for
us. And we planned--many of us--planned. Then nine or ten sleeps ago
those others were very excited. They gathered in their ship, watching
their machines. And something happened. For a while all those machines
went dead.

"Jagatai, Kuchar, my brother Hulagur, Menlik...." She was counting the
names off on her fingers. "They raided the horse herd, rode out...."

"And you?"

"I, too, should have ridden. But there was Aljar, my sister--Kuchar's
wife. She was very near her time and to ride thus, fleeing and fast,
might kill her and the child. So I did not go. Her son was born that
night, but the others had the machine at work once more. We might long
to go here," she brought her fist up to her breast, and then raised it
to her head--"but there was that _here_ which kept us to the camp and
their will. We only knew that if we could reach the mountains, we might
find our people who had already gained their freedom."

"But you are here. How did you escape?" Tsoay wanted to know.

"They knew that I would have gone had it not been for Aljar. So they
said they would make her ride out with them unless I played guide to
lead them to my brother and the others. Then I knew I must take up the
sword of duty and hunt with them. But I prayed that the spirits of the
upper air look with favor upon me, and they granted aid...." Her eyes
held a look of wonder. "For when we were out on the plains and well away
from the settlement, a grass devil a