that risk, loosing all the devils of the
aliens. But what if the Reds open the box first on one of their
settlement worlds?"

There it was again, the old thorn which prodded them into risks and
recklessness. Danger ahead on both paths. Don't risk trying to learn
galactic secrets, but don't risk your enemy's learning them either. You
held a white-hot iron in both hands in this business. And Ashe was
right, they had stumbled on something here which hinted that a whole
world had been altered to suit some plan. Suppose the secret of that
alteration was discovered by their enemies?

"Were the ship and castle people natives?" Ross wondered aloud.

"Just at a guess they were, or at least settlers who had been
established here so long they had developed a local form of civilization
which was about on the level of a feudal society."

"You mean because of the castle and the rock bombardment. But what about
the ships?"

"Two separate phases of a society at war, perhaps a more progressive
against a less technically advanced. American warships paying a visit to
the Shogun's Japan, for example."

Ross grinned. "Those warships didn't seem to fancy their welcome. They
steered out to sea fast enough when the rocks began to fall."

"Yes, but the ships could exist in the castle pattern; the pylons could
not!"

"Which period are you aiming for first--the castle or the pylons?"

"Castle first, I think. Then if we can't pick up any hints, we'll take
some jumps forward until we do connect. Only we'll be under severe
handicaps. If we could only plant an analyzer somewhere in the castle as
a beginning."

Ross did not show his surprise. If Ashe was talking on those terms, then
he was intending to do more than just lurk around a little beyond the
gate; he was really planning to pick up alien speech patterns,
eventually assume an alien agent identity!

"Gordon!" Karara appeared between two of the lace trees. She came so
hastily that the contents of the two cups she carried slopped over. "You
must hear what Hori has to say--"

The tall Samoan who trailed her spoke quickly. For the first time since
Ross had known him he was very serious, a frown line between his eyes.
"There is a bad storm coming. Our instruments register it."

"How long away?" Ashe was on his feet.

"A day ... maybe two...."

Ross could see no change in the sky, islands, or sea. They had had
idyllic weather for the six weeks since their planeting, no sign of any