The Explorer probed gently. "I don't think anything is broken. You'll
have to walk despite the pain."
"Can't we rest first?"
"It's important to try to find the ship. If it is spaceworthy or if it
can be repaired, we may live. Otherwise, we won't."
"Just a few minutes. Let me catch my breath."
The Explorer was glad enough for those few minutes. The Merchant's eyes
were already closed. He allowed his to do the same.
He heard the trampling and his eyes snapped open. Never sleep on a
strange planet, he told himself futilely.
The Merchant was awake too and his steady screaming was a rumble of
terror.
The Explorer called, "It's only a native of this planet. It won't harm
you."
But even as he spoke, the giant had swooped down and in a moment they
were in its grasp being lifted closer to its monstrous ugliness.
The Merchant struggled violently and, of course, quite futilely. "Can't
you talk to it?" he yelled.
The Explorer could only shake his head. "I can't reach it with the
Projector. It won't be listening."
"Then blast it. Blast it down."
"We can't do that." The phrase "you fool" had almost been added. The
Explorer struggled to keep his self-control. They were swallowing space
as the monster moved purposefully away.
"Why not?" cried the Merchant. "You can reach your blaster. I see it in
plain sight. Don't be afraid of falling."
"It's simpler than that. If this monster is killed, you'll never trade
with this planet. You'll never even leave it. You probably won't live
the day out."
"Why? Why?"
"Because this is one of the young of the species. You should know what
happens when a trader kills a native young, even accidentally. What's
more, if this is the target-point, then we are on the estate of a
powerful native. This might be one of his brood."
That was how they entered their present prison. They had carefully burnt
away a portion of the thick, stiff covering and it was obvious that the
height from which they were suspended was a killing one.
Now, once again, the prison-cage shuddered and lifted in an upward arc.
The Merchant rolled to the lower rim and startled awake. The cover
lifted and light flooded in. As was the case the time before, there were
two specimens of the young. They were not very different in appearance
from adults of the species, reflected the Explorer, though, of course,
they were considerably smaller.
A handful of reedy green stalks was stuffed between the bars. Its odor
was not unpleasant but it carried clods of soil at its ends.