ery first lecture, and headed for the door.

"Smith of Earth! Just where under the red sun do you think you are
going?"

"You told me not to listen, so--"

"I didn't say talk. Talk now."

"--so I'm leaving the room."

"No one leaves until the lecture has been concluded. Sit if you will, or
stand, but stay here. And do not listen."

Smith nodded, turned back to the row of benches dumbly. He found a place
next to Brandog of Hulpin, sat near the albino woman. Down the bench, he
saw Jorak grinning broadly. Smith did not know how he was going to sit
there without listening, but he decided he'd better not ask that
question now.

* * * * *

"This is your course in Wortan fighting," boomed the giant of an
instructor. "Dominants only, or such Receptives as question their
classification." The instructor's massive face was beefy, the color of
new-spilled blood, and the muscles rippled and bulged and seethed under
his black uniform.

"Me for this!" confided Kard of Shilon, slapping Smith's back. "Perhaps
Jorak has told you that I am not without ability on the Wortan mats."

Smith hardly heard him. Two dozen paces across the room, on the other
side of the circle that surrounded the instructor, stood Geria, hands on
hips, lips soft-smiling when she saw Smith, silver tunic to her knees,
yellow hair hanging free to shoulders.

"Join me, Smith of Earth?" she called, and knees watery again, Smith
made his way around the circle.

While Jorak gaped, Geria took Smith's hand when they met half way around
the circle, and she smiled up at him. "I wouldn't have believed it, but
you're blushing again. Earth trait, Smith?"

"No, not really," he stammered.

The slim girl was about to say something, but the instructor cleared his
throat ominously, and the room became silent again. "Now, then,"
declared the giant, "there's no trick to fighting with psi-powers.
Anyone can do that, and the women of Bortinot, as you know, are
particularly adept. But the people of Wortan have no such powers, and
they must depend on tooth and nail, on sinew and bone and animal
cunning. Such is the way the Wortanians do battle--and, purely for
sport, such is the way of Wortan fighting. Any questions?"

"Yes," Geria told him, "I have one. Are we not permitted to use any
psi-powers?"

"None. They disqualify you."

"Well, then I suppose I must withdraw from the course. I can't be
expected to stand up to a man physically.