vation, sir, the suggestion that the tales I
have heard were deliberately set to blast where they would do the most
good as deterrents?"

A fleeting grin broke the impassive somberness of the black face.

"I was informed you are a man skilled in 'magic,' Medic. You certainly
display the traditional sorcerer's quickness of wit. But this rumor is
also truth." The quirk of good humor had gone again, and there was an
edge in the Chief Ranger's voice which cut. "Poachers on Khatka would
welcome the Patrol in place of the attention they now receive."

He came into the mess cabin, Jellico behind him, and Dane pulled down
two of the snap seats. He was holding a mug under the spout of the
coffee dispenser as the captain made introductions.

"Thorson--our acting-cargo-master."

"Thorson," the Khatkan acknowledged with a grave nod of his head, and
then glanced down to floor level with a look of surprise. Weaving a
pattern about his legs, purring loudly, Sindbad was offering an
unusually fervent welcome of his own. The Ranger went down on one knee,
his hand out for Sindbad's inquiring sniff. Then the cat butted that
dark palm, batted at it playfully with claw-sheathed paw.

"A Terran cat! It is of the lion family?"

"Far removed," Jellico supplied. "You'd have to add a lot of bulk to
Sindbad to promote him to the lion class."

"We have only the old tales." Asaki sounded almost wistful as the cat
jumped to his knee and clawed for a hold on his chest belts. "But I do
not believe that lions were ever so friendly toward my ancestors."

Dane would have removed the cat, but the Khatkan arose with Sindbad,
still purring loudly, resting in the crook of his arm. The Ranger was
smiling with a gentleness which changed the whole arrogant cast of his
countenance.

"Do not bring this one to Khatka with you, Captain, or you will never
take him away again. Those who dwell in the inner courts would not let
him vanish from their sight. Ah, so this pleases you, small lion?" He
rubbed Sindbad gently under the throat and the cat stretched his neck,
his yellow eyes half closed in bliss.

"Thorson," the Captain turned to Dane, "that arrival report on my desk
was the final one from Combine?"

"Yes, sir. There's no hope of the _Rover_ setting down here before that
date."

Asaki sat down, still holding the cat. "So you see, Captain, fortune has
arranged it all. You have two tens of days. Four days to go in my
cruiser, four days for your retu