for anyone to have had a good look at his ship, he hoped.

He jumped five feet at an ear-splitting roar, whipped out his gun and
had the stud under his fingertip for a quick blast. He felt foolish when
the source of the roar turned out to be a purple bird that soared up out
of the foliage overhead.

There were other sounds now, from small animals that scooted about on
six legs and looked like fur-bearing armadillos. Then the ferns were
behind him, and he was out onto a road that came over the hill.

Case got off the road in a hurry. Well tended fields lay on either side
of it with spaced rows of grain that was taller than he. He could walk
between the rows and be out of sight of the road.

He took a few quick steps, pushed aside a stalk of grain, and tripped.
His gasp was involuntary but loud. For a second he lay still, then got
to his feet. He had tripped over a root.

"Natsa!" a voice shouted. There was the thump of heavy feet behind him.

* * * * *

Case whirled. Just in time. A big orange-skinned man in a metallic suit
came bursting out of the next row of grain. He took one look at Case,
and reached for the holstered weapon at his side.

But few men could outdraw and out-shoot Case Damon. A flash of green
played about his opponent's head. And then there was no head.

"Natsa to you," Case grunted at the body.

He was used to death in many forms, and it upset him not at all to
handle the body. The fellow had been about his own size. At least he
would now have a suit that wouldn't attract attention. He decided to
keep his own gun rather than trust a strange one, but he exchanged
holsters with the corpse.

"Now, if only Natsa doesn't show up, I'll make tracks out of here," Case
said to himself.

But the Damon luck was wearing thin. There were shouts from along the
road. More than one voice now, and all using a strange language. They
must have come over from the field across the way, Case thought.

He flattened himself against the last row of stalks and took a deep
breath. With the first sight of somebody coming through the row of
grain, he stepped out and onto the road.

There were three of them, all big men, and none were looking his way. By
the time their cries of consternation rose at sight of the body, Case
was across the road and into the grain on the other side.

He ran until his heart began to hammer, and then he slowed to a fast
walk. When the field curved around