er was possible from Ijale's vague description. Ocean, coast and
desert, these made up all of her world and she could conceive of
nothing that might exist beyond.

Jason knew there was more, the crossbow was proof enough of that, and
he had every intention of finding out where it came from. In order to
do that he was going to have to change his slave status when the
proper time came. He was developing a certain facility in dodging
Ch'aka's heavy boot, the work was never hard and there was ample food.
Being a slave left him with no responsibilities other than obeying
orders and he had ample opportunity to discover what he could about
this planet, so that when he finally did leave he would be as well
prepared as was possible.

Later in the day another column of marching slaves was sighted in the
distance, on a course paralleling their own, and Jason expected a
repeat performance of the previous day's meeting. He was agreeably
surprised that it was not. The sight of the others threw Ch'aka into
an immediate rage that sent his slaves rushing for safety in all
directions. By leaping into the air, howling with anger and beating
his club against his thick leather armor he managed to work himself
into quite a state before starting off on a slogging run. Jason,
followed close behind him, greatly interested by this new turn of
affairs. Ahead of them the other slaves scattered and from their midst
burst another armed and armored figure. They churned towards each
other at top speed and Jason hoped for a shattering crash when they
met. However they slowed before they hit and began circling each
other, spitting curses.

"Hate you, M'shika!"

"Hate you, Ch'aka!"

The words were the same, but shouted with fierce meaning, with no
touch of formality this time.

"Kill you, M'shika! You coming again on my part of the ground with
your carrion-meat slaves!"

"You lie, Ch'aka--this ground mine from way back."

"I kill you way back!"

Ch'aka leaped in as he screamed the words and swung a roundhouse blow
with his club that would have broken the other man in two if it had
connected. But M'shika was expecting this and fell back, swinging a
counter-blow with his own club that Ch'aka easily avoided. There
followed a quick exchange of club-work that did little more than fan
the air, until suddenly both men were locked together and the fight
began in earnest. They rolled together on the ground grunting
savagely, tearing at each other. Th