Kris Neville

“ The farn beast, somewhere beyond a ragged clump of bushes, coughed. Extrone clenched the blast rifle convulsively.
The farn beast coughed again, more distant this time.
"They're moving away," Lin said.
"Damn!" Extrone said.
"It's a good thing the wind's right, or they'd be coming back, and fast, too."
"Eh?" Extrone said.
"They charge on scent, sight, or sound. I understand they will track down a man for as long as a day."
"Wait," Extrone said, combing his beard. "Wait a minute."
"Yes?"
"Look," Extrone said. "If that's the case, why do we bother tracking them? Why not make them come to us?" ”

“ When the sun stood high and heat exhaustion made the near-naked bearers slump, Extrone permitted a rest. While waiting for the march to resume, he sat on the stool with his back against an ancient tree and patted, reflectively, the blast rifle, lying across his legs.
"For you, sir," the communications man said, interrupting his reverie.
"Damn," Extrone muttered. His face twisted in anger. "It better be important." He took the head-set and mike and nodded to the bearer. The bearer twiddled the dials.
"Extrone. Eh?... Oh, you got their ship. Well, why in hell bother me?... ”

“ There shouldn't be a blast area on this side of the ridge, too."
"That's what I mean. The pilot don't like businessmen. He had it in for us."
Ri cleared his throat nervously. "Maybe you're right."
"It's the Hunting Club he don't like."
"I wish to God I'd never heard of a farn beast," Ri said. "At least, then, I wouldn't be one of his guides. Why didn't he hire somebody else?"
Mia looked at his companion. He spat. "What hurts most, he pays us for it. I could buy half this planet, and he makes me his guide—at less than I pay my secretary." ”

“ Shortly they were inside of the scrub forest, safe from sight. "Let's wait here," Mia said.
"No, we better go on. He may have sent a spy in."
They pushed on, being careful to blaze the trees, because they were not professional guides.
"We don't want to get too near," Ri said after toiling through the forest for many minutes. "Without guns, we don't want to get near enough for the farn beast to charge us."
They stopped. The forest was dense, the vines clinging.
"He'll want the bearers to hack a path for him," Mia said. "But we go it alone. Damn him." ”

“ It's the only thing I know anything about. The farn beast, as I was saying, sir, is the particular enemy of men. Or if you like, of aliens. Sir."
"All right," Extrone said, annoyed. "I'll be careful."
In the distance, a farn beast coughed.
Instantly alert, Extrone said, "Get the bearers! Have some of them cut a path through that damn thicket! And tell those two businessmen to get the hell over here!"
Lin smiled, his eyes suddenly afire with the excitement of the hunt.
Four hours later, they were well into the scrub forest. ”

“ Lin waited.
"Now I can spit on them, which pleases me."
"The farn beasts are dangerous, sir," Lin said.
"Eh? Oh, yes. Those. What did the manual say about them?"
"I believe they're carnivorous, sir."
"An alien manual. That's ludicrous, too. That we have the only information on our newly discovered fauna from an alien manual—and, of course, two businessmen."
"They have very long, sharp fangs, and, when enraged, are capable of tearing a man—"
"An alien?" Extrone corrected. ”

“ Lin shifted, staring toward the forest.
"I've always liked to hunt," Extrone said. "More than anything else, I think."
Lin spat toward the ground. "People should hunt because they have to. For food. For safety."
"No," Extrone argued. "People should hunt for the love of hunting."
"Killing?"
"Hunting," Extrone repeated harshly.
The farn beast coughed. Another answered. They were very near, and there was a noise of crackling underbrush.
"He's good bait," Extrone said. "He's fat enough and he knows how to scream good."
Ri had stopped screaming ”

“ By God, it's hot. I didn't think it was this hot, the first time we were here."
Mia said, "The first time, we weren't guides. We didn't notice it so much then."
They fought a few yards more into the forest.
Then it ended. Or, rather, there was a wide gap. Before them lay a blast area, unmistakable. The grass was beginning to grow again, but the tree stumps were roasted from the rocket breath.
"This isn't ours!" Ri said. "This looks like it was made nearly a year ago!"
Mia's eyes narrowed. "The military from Xnile?"
"No," Ri said. "They don't have any rockets this small. ”

“ Because I think the Army is getting ready to invade the alien system!"
"The people won't support them," Ri answered woodenly.
"Think. If he tells them to, they will. They trust him."
Ri looked around at the shadows.
"That explains a lot of things," Mia said. "I think the Army's been preparing for this for a long time. From the first, maybe. That's why Extrone cut off our trade with the aliens. Partly to keep them from learning that he was getting ready to invade them, but more to keep them from exposing him to the people. The aliens wouldn't be fooled like we were, so easy." ”

“ 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. ”