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

and his continued silence finally drew his companion's attention. The Terran Team Commander got up from the bench, stood now by the door through which they had entered. There were no windows here. A subdued light, dim to their off-world senses, came from a thin rod running completely around the room where ceiling joined wall. But that light was not so dim as to disguise Abu's attitude. He was waiting, or listening, or expecting—
    Kade arose, still holding his choice of tri-dees. They were without weapons in the heart of the undeclared enemy's territory. And Abu's stance brought that fact home to the younger man. When the Commander spoke he hardly more than shaped the words with his lips, using the tongue of their own world rather than Trade talk.
    "Someone is coming. Walking."
    Not a Styor visitor then, unless a guard on duty. A second later the eyepatch in the door panel glowed. Abu waited for a moment, and then acknowledged with a slap from his open palm directly below the small screen. The light flashed off, they viewed a foreshortened snap of an Overman. Abu slapped a second time, granting admittance.
    "Hakam Toph," the stranger announced himself. "First Keeper of off-world animals."
    Abu made the same formal introduction in return, naming himself and then Kade.
    Toph showed more interest in Kade.
    "It is the one who cares for beasts?"
    Abu sat down on the bench, leaving the answering to Kade.
    "It is," he replied shortly. The Overman was using the speech of an Ikkinni driver, and that in itself was an insult to the Traders.
    "This one would know the habits of the new beast."
    "A record tape was sent," Kade pointed out. He held up his hand at eye level, apparently more absorbed in the tri-dee he had selected from his samples, than in a sale already made.
    And the Overman, catching sight of the array of plates on the shelf, came on into the room eagerly, drawn to the strange exhibits to be seen. Kade, nursing that last tri-dee stepped aside, allowing Toph to finger the small vivid scenes of beasts in their natural setting. The Overman was plainly excited at such a wealth. But at last he began to glance at the plate Kade still held, while firing a series of questions concerning the rest. When the Terran did not put his plate down or mention it, Toph came directly to the point.
    "That is also an off-world beast?"
    "That is so." But still Kade did not offer him the plate.
    "That is one which is rare?"
    "One," replied Kade deliberately, "which on our world is and has long been prized highly. It belongs to warriors who ride, by our customs, not borne on the shoulders of men or in chairs of state but on the backs of these beasts. Even into battle do they so ride. And among us the warriors who so ride are held in honor."
    "Ride on the back of a beast!" Toph looked prepared to challenge such an outrageous statement. "It would see!" He held out his hand in demand and Kade allowed him to take his plate.
    "So." Toph expelled breath in a hiss which might have signified either admiration or contempt. "And warriors ride upon this beast for honor?"
    "That is so."
    "You have seen them?"
    Kade plunged. "On my world I am of a warrior people. I have ridden so behind those who are my overlords."
    Toph glanced from the Terran back to the tri-dee plate.
    "These beasts could live on Klor?"
    "On Klor, yes; in Cor, no." Kade proceeded with the caution of a scout on the war trail, fearing to push too much or too fast.
    "Why so?"
    "Because they graze the grasses of the plains just as the kwitu. They could not live confined in a wall garden of a city tower."
    "But at the holdings they could? One could ride them where now only the sky ships pass overhead?"
    Toph was certainly getting the point fast, perhaps almost too fast. But the off-worlder replied with the truth.
    "That is so. A lord or the guardsman of a lord could ride across the country without slave bearers or a sky ship. My own world is plains and for hundreds of years have we so ridden—to