he viewer, swinging its scan over to the swamp where
he had driven that small herd.

They were still there, wallowing in the shallow water and grazing on the
lush vegetation. He smiled. It would be several days before their feeble
minds threw off the impression he had forced on them that this was their
proper feeding place.

Idly, he examined the beasts, then he leaned forward, studying them more
critically. They weren't the heavy, fat producers of meat normal to the
Tibara herd. Something was wrong.

These were the same general breed as the Tibara long-necks, to be sure,
but either their pasturage had been unbelievably bad or they had been
recently run--long and hard. They looked almost like draft beasts.

He frowned. If these were from the Tibara herd, he'd been missing
something for quite a while.

Thoughtfully, he caused the scan to shift. As he followed a small river,
he noted groups of the huge, greenish gray beasts as they grazed on the
tender rock ferns. Here and there, he noted herdsmen and chore boys
either watching or urging the great brutes about with their noisemakers,
keeping the herd together. He examined the scene critically, counting
and evaluating. Finally, he settled back in his chair.

The herd was all here--even to the chicks. And they were in good shape.
He smiled wryly.

Those brutes over in the swamp really didn't belong here, then. They
must have drifted into the Estates from the null, and been on their way
back. The headman-- He shrugged.

"Oh, well," he told himself, "it was time I got a new headman for
Tibara, anyway. And the discipline there will be tighter from now on."

* * * * *

He started to shift scan again, then sat up. The view was pulsing.

As he watched, the scan shifted automatically, to pick up the eastern
border of the Estates. Stretching across the landscape was a thin line
of draft saurians, each with its driver straddling its neck. The train
had halted and a heavily armored riding lizard advanced toward the
surrogate. Its rider was facing the hidden crystals.

As Barra focused on him, the man nodded.

"Master Protector?"

"That is correct." Barra activated his communicators. "I am Kio Barra,
Master of the Estates Kira Barra."

The other smiled. "I am Dar Makun, independent caravan master," he
announced. "The null turbulence forced me off route. Lost a few carriers
and several days of time. I'd like to request permission to pass