g
succor or death, and he could do nothing more to hasten either one.

The Challonari roused him from his stupor on the third day after the
crash. It was disturbed, excited by something beyond its comprehension.
While he had lain helpless and shriveling on a compartment floor
something unusual had approached to within half a mile of the ship
through the thick swamp vegetation. The life form had apparently
detected the first tendrils of thought from the Challonari and without
preamble, as a natural defense, erected a savage mental shield. Pain and
chaos that made coherent thinking difficult shook the artificial brain,
but since this evidently was not an intelligent life form, else it would
not have reacted in such a manner, the Challonari increased in intensity
its fear-reluctance impulse. The mental shielding of the intruder blazed
and crackled with increasing dissonance, radiating pain, fear and panic,
but no decipherable intelligent thought. It drew nearer, erratically,
apparently running, then swiftly lapsed into unconsciousness. That was
when the bewildered Challonari had called him for aid.

* * * * *

He reached out wearily with his mind in automatic response, touched
and hastily withdrew. Even when unconscious the strange being had an
aura of discordance about its mind. He would have shivered had he still
been capable of physical reaction, for this was Unsanity, a thing he
had heard of but never before encountered. The Challonari caught his
protective thought and withdrew from contact, though not without a soft
protest, for it was inquisitive as any child. It, too, had heard of
unsanity. Rare stresses or injuries now and again temporarily upset the
balance of the mind and required the healing touch of other minds. But
unsanity was not something the Challonari could handle. It withdrew from
possible infection, protestingly, fearful for its beloved Mentor but
incapable of disobeying a clear command.

His own great pity for the sick creature outside conquered the
inertia of approaching death and he rallied what mental forces he
still retained. He could not disregard suffering nor withhold whatever
aid it was in his power to give. Carefully, knowing something of what
to expect, he probed the shield which was no true shield but an uproar
of faulty coordination comparable to the disruptions coming from a
badly tuned radio. Wincing, as a musician winces when harsh, grating
dissonance s