"Put down your rifle," said Cosmo in the Venusian dialect of Mu. He
could feel the pulse beat in his ears; his lips felt dry. "Seek you the
Renegade?"
The Venusian hesitated, indecision reflected in his dark-yellow
features. The Dawn Man shook his club, growled deep in his chest.
Muscles rippled like hawsers beneath his blue hide.
"Most certainly." It was the Mercurian who spoke.
Cosmo glanced at him sharply, realized that behind the Mercurian's
smiling mask, he was violently distressed. Mercurians didn't approve of
bloodshed, he recalled.
Sweat dappled Cosmo's forehead. Then, with a faint shrug, he made a
peculiar gesture with his hand.
An expression of wonder and comprehension filled their faces. Only the
blue giant continued to rumble deep in his chest.
"The Renegade!" cried the fat Mercurian, and his yellow eyes twinkled
with relief. He plumped on his knees, repeated the cabalistic symbol.
With only a moment's hesitation the serf followed suit. "Down, you big
ox!" he shouted at the Jovian and thwacked him behind the knees with
his ray rifle. "Down! That's the Renegade!"