"You Pyrrans are the worst liars in the universe," Jason said. "We both
know that ship can lift ten times the amount it's carrying today.
Now ... do you let me come, or forbid me without reason at all?"

"Get aboard," Kerk said. "But keep out of the way or you'll get
trampled."

This time, with a definite destination ahead, the flight was much
faster. Meta took the ship into the stratosphere, in a high ballistic
arc that ended at the islands. Kerk was in the co-pilot's seat, Jason
sat behind them where he could watch the screens. The landing party,
twenty-five volunteers, were in the hold below with the weapons. All the
screens in the ship were switched to the forward viewer. They watched
the green island appear and swell, then vanish behind the flames of the
braking rockets. Jockeying the ship carefully, Meta brought it down on a
flat shelf near the cave mouth.

Jason was ready this time for the blast of mental hatred--but it still
hurt. The gunners laughed and killed gleefully as every animal on the
island closed in on the ship. They were slaughtered by the thousands,
and still more came.

"Do you have to do this?" Jason asked. "It's murder--carnage, just
butchering those beasts like that."

"Self-defense," Kerk said. "They attack us and they get killed. What
could be simpler? Now shut up, or I'll throw you out there with them."

It was a half an hour before the gunfire slackened. Animals still
attacked them, but the mass assaults seemed to be over. Kerk spoke into
the intercom.

"Landing party away--and watch your step. They know we're here and will
make it as hot as they can. Take the bomb into that cave and see how far
back it runs. We can always blast them from the air, but it'll do no
good if they're dug into solid rock. Keep your screen open, leave the
bomb and pull back at once if I tell you to. Now move."

* * * * *

The men swarmed down the ladders and formed into open battle formation.
They were soon under attack, but the beasts were picked off before they
could get close. It didn't take long for the man at point to reach the
cave. He had his pickup trained in front of him, and the watchers in the
ship followed the advance.

"Big cave," Kerk grunted. "Slants back and down. What I was afraid of.
Bomb dropped on that would just close it up. With no guarantee that
anything sealed in it, couldn't eventually get out. We'll have to see
how far down it goes."

There was