Free The Game of Stars and Comets by Andre Norton Page A

jewels, inlaid ceremonial armor and off-world weapons, between the Terrans and the High-Lord-Pac.
    "There was a slaying in the mountains," the ruler of Klor observed, seemingly having no attention for either of the off-worlders before him, his stare fixed upon empty space a good yard or so above their heads.
    "That is so, lord," Abu agreed with equal detachment.
    "The saying is that a sonic failed."
    "That is so, lord," echoed the Terran Commander, adding nothing to the formal words.
    Kade, studying the half-masked faces of the Styors before him, especially that of the High-Lord-Pac, experienced anew the distaste which had always been a part of the old, old Terran distrust for the reptilian. Those visors, sharply pointed in a snout-like excrescence above the nose, imparted a lizard look to all Styor. And in the person of the High-Lord-Pac that quality was oddly intensified until one could almost believe that there was no humanoid countenance behind the scaled material.
    "When the sonic failed, an Overman and some of his hunters were killed by kwitu," the High-Lord-Pac continued in flat exposition. "And after his death several of the collared ones fled to the mountains, his control over them being destroyed."
    "The truth is as the great one says."
    "The starwalker who was with these hunters, he swears to this?"
    "He stands before the great one now. Let the asking be made so that he may reply with his own mouth."
    That lizard's snout descended a fraction of an inch. Kade could not be certain whether the eyes behind those gem-bordered slits saw him even now.
    "Let him speak concerning this happening."
    Kade, striving to keep his voice as precise and cold as the Commander's, retold his story—his edited story. Faced only by the array of masks he had no hint as to whether or not they believed him. And when he had done, the comment upon his version of the disaster came obliquely.
    "Let this be done," intoned the noble on the dais, "that all sonics be checked before they are issued for use. Also let the master-tech answer to Pac concerning this matter. The audience is finished."
    The chair arose, moved straight ahead as the honor guard hurriedly snapped to right and left offering free passage. Kade had barely time to dodge aside as the Styor ruler passed. Was this all? Would they have no further meeting and a chance to offer the High-Lord-Pac more off-world curiosities?
    An Overman guided the Terrans to a room not far above street level, close to the slave quarters. Kade waited for enlightenment as his superior officer crossed the chamber, dropped his jumpbag on a seat which was no more than a hard bench jutting out of the wall. A roll of woven mats piled at one end suggested that this also must serve as a bed when the need arose.
    "What now?" Kade finally asked.
    "We wait. Sometime the High-Lord-Pac will be in the mood for amusement or enlightenment. Then we shall be summoned. Since we do not exist except to supply his whims, such a time may come within the hour, tomorrow or next week."
    Certainly not a very promising forecast, Kade decided. He opened the tri-dee holder and, kneeling on the floor, he set its contents out upon the bench, sorting the beautifully colored small slides. They were so lifelike that one longed to reach into the microscosm and touch the frozen figures into life and movement.
    Here were the smaller, long domesticated animals, cats, dogs, exotic fowl, a curved-horned goat, a bovine family of bull, cow and calf. Then came the wild ones—or the species which had once been wild—felines, represented by lion, tiger, black leopard; a white wolf, deer. Kade discarded a bear slide, and eliminated the elephants and the rest of the larger wild kind which could not be shipped this far out into space. Then he took out the last slide of all, balanced it on his palm, examining it avidly. To his eyes it was irresistible. But how would the High-Lord-Pac see it.
    Abu had no present interest in the display of trade goods