Extrone toyed with his beard. "About a year ago, gentlemen, there was
an alien ship around here then, wasn't there? And you destroyed it,
didn't you?"
"Yes, sir. When we located it, sir."
"You'll destroy this one, too," Extrone said.
"We have a tight patrol, sir. It can't slip through. But it might try a
long range bombardment, sir."
* * * * *
Extrone said, "To begin with, they probably don't even know I'm here.
And they probably couldn't hit this area if they did know. And you
can't afford to let them get a shot at me, anyway."
"That's why we'd like you to return to an inner planet, sir."
Extrone plucked at his right ear lobe, half closing his eyes. "You'll
lose a fleet before you'll dare let anything happen to me, gentlemen.
I'm quite safe here, I think."
The bearer brought Extrone his drink.
"Get off," Extrone said quietly to the four officers.
Again they turned reluctantly. This time, he did not call them back.
Instead, with amusement, he watched until they disappeared into the
tangle of forest.
Dusk was falling. The takeoff blast of the rocket illuminated the area,
casting weird shadows on the gently swaying grasses; there was a hot
breath of dry air and the rocket dwindled toward the stars.
Extrone stood up lazily, stretching. He tossed the empty glass away,
listened for it to shatter. He reached out, parted the heavy flap to
his tent.
"Sir?" Ri said, hurrying toward him in the gathering darkness.
"Eh?" Extrone said, turning, startled. "Oh, you. Well?"
"We ... located signs of the farn beast, sir. To the east."
Extrone nodded. After a moment he said, "You killed one, I believe, on
_your_ trip?"