er. Overhead the stars were sharp and clear, glittering gem points.
But in the dead city no light showed, and he was sure that no aliens
camped there tonight.

He was sleeping when Soriki's grasp on his shoulder brought him to
that instant alertness he had learned on field maneuvers half the
Galaxy away.

"Business," the com-tech's voice was not above a whisper as he leaned
over the pilot. "I think they are on the move."

The light was the pale gray of pre-dawn. Raf pulled himself up with
caution to look at the globe. The com-tech was right. A dark opening
showed on the alien ship; they had released their hatch. He fastened
his tunic, buckled on his equipment belt and helmet, strapped his
boots.

"Here they come!" Soriki reported. "One--two--five--no, six of them.
And they're heading for the city. No dollies with them, but they're
all armed."

Together the Terrans watched that patrol of alien warriors, their
attitude suggesting that they hoped to pass unseen, hurry toward the
city. Then Raf slipped out of the flyer. His dark clothing in this
light should render him largely invisible.

Soriki waved encouragingly and the pilot answered with a quick salute
before he sped after his quarry.

13

A HOUND IS LOOSED

Dalgard's feet touched gravel; he waded cautiously to the bank, where
a bridge across the river made a concealing shadow on the water. None
of the mermen had accompanied him this far. Sssuri, as soon as his
human comrade had started for the storage city, had turned south to
warn and rally the tribes. And the merpeople of the islands had
instituted a loose chain of communication, which led from a clump of
water reeds some two miles back to the seashore, and so out to the
islands. Better than any of the now legendary coms of his Terran
forefathers were these minds of the spies in hiding, who could pick
up the racing thoughts beamed to them and pass them on to their
fellows.

Although there were no signs of life about the city, Dalgard moved
with the same care that he would have used in penetrating a
snake-devil's lair. In the first hour of dawn he had contacted a
hopper. The small beast had been frightened almost out of coherent
thought, and Dalgard had had to spend some time in allaying that
terror to get a fractional idea of what might be going on in this
countryside.

Death--the hopper's terror had come close to insanity. Killers had
come out of the sky, and they were burning--burning--All