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th primitives and hermits）； two kinds of lizard； a bird like a buzzard； a giant white bat； and an extremely scarce critter that looks like a camel…centaur put together backward。 I mean； the humanoid half is behind。 The creature runs toward what most would take as its fanny。
No doubt I have encountered others without recognizing them。
Goblin says there is a tiny rock monkey that lives in the hearts of the great coral reefs。 He claims it looks like a miniature One…Eye。 But Goblin is not to be trusted where One…Eye is concerned。
〃I am charged with delivering a warning；〃 the menhir said。 〃There are strangers on the Plain。〃
I asked questions。 When it did not answer I turned irritably。 It was gone。 〃Damned stone 。 。 。 〃
Tracker and his mutt stood in the mouth of the Hole； watching the Taken。
Darling interviewed Tracker thoroughly； I'm told。 I missed that。 She was satisfied。
I had an argument with Elmo。 Elmo liked Tracker。 〃Reminds me of Raven；〃 he said。 〃We could use a few hundred Ravens。〃
〃Reminds me of Raven； too。 And that's what I don't like。〃 But what good arguing？ We cannot always like everyone。 Darling thinks he is all right。 Elmo thinks so。 The Lieutenant accepts him。 Why should I be different？ Hell； if he is from the same mold as Raven； the Lady is in trouble。
He will be tested soon enough。 Darling has something in mind。 Something preemptive； I suspect。 Possibly toward Rust。
Rust。 Where the Limper had raised his stella。
The Limper。 Back from the dead。 I did everything but burn the body。 Should have done that； I guess。 Bloody hell。
The scary part is wondering if he is the only one。 Did others survive apparent certain death？ Are they hidden away now； waiting to astound the world？ 〃
A shadow fell across my feet。 I returned to the living。 Tracker stood beside me。 〃You look distressed；〃 he said。 He did show one every courtesy； I must admit。
I looked toward those patrolling reminders of the struggle。 I said； 〃I am a soldier； grown old and tired and confused。 I have been fighting since before you were born。 And I have yet to see anything gained。〃
He smiled a thin； almost secretive smile。 It made me unfortable。 Everything he did made me unfortable。 Even his damned dog made me unfortable； and it did nothing but sleep。 Much as it loafed； how had it managed the journey from Oar？ Too much like work。 I swear； that dog won't even get in a hurry to eat。
〃Be of good faith； Croaker；〃 Tracker said。 〃She will fall。〃 He spoke with absolute conviction。 〃She hasn't the strength to tame the world。〃
There was that scariness again。 True or not； the way he expressed the sentiment was disturbing。
〃We'll bring them all down。〃 He indicated the Taken。 〃They aren't real； like those of old。〃
Toadkiller Dog sneezed on Tracker's boot。 He looked down。 I thought he would kick the mutt。 But instead he bent to scratch the dog's ear。
〃Toadkiller Dog。 What kind of name is that？〃
〃Oh； it's an old joke。 From when we were both a lot younger。 He took a shine to it。 Insists on it now。〃
Tracker seemed only half there。 His eyes were vacant； his gaze far away； though he continued to watch the Taken。 Weird。
At least he admitted to having been young。 There was a hint of human vulnerability in that。 It is the apparent invulnerability of characters like Tracker and Raven that rattles me。
Chapter Thirteen：THE PLAIN OF FEAR
〃Yo！ Croaker！〃 The Lieutenant had e outside。
〃What？〃
〃Let Tracker cover you。〃 I had only minutes left in my watch。 〃Darling wants you。〃
I glanced at Tracker。 He shrugged。 〃Go ahead。〃 He assumed a stance facing westward。 I swear； it was like he turned the vigilance on。 As though on the instant he became the ultimate sentinel。
Even Toadkiller Dog opened an eye and went to watching。
I brushed the dog's scalp with my fingers as I left； what I thought a friendly gesture。 He growled。 〃Be like that；〃 I said； and joined the Lieutenant。
He seemed disturbed。 Generally； he is a cold customer。 〃What is it？〃
〃She's got one of her wild hairs。〃
Oh； boy。 〃What？〃
〃Rust。〃
〃Oh yeah！ Brilliant！ Get it all over with fast！ I thought that was just talk。 I trust you tried to argue her out of it？〃
You would think a man would grow accustomed to stench after having lived with it for years。 But as we descended into the Hole my nose wrinkled and tightened。 You just can't keep a bunch of people stuffed in a pit without ventilation。 We have precious little。
〃I tried。 She says； 'Load the wagon。 Let me worry about the mule being blind。' 〃
〃She's right most of the time。〃
〃She's a damned military genius。 But that don't mean she can pull off any cockamamie scheme she dreams up。 Some dreams are nightmares。 Hell； Croaker。 The Limper is out there。〃
Which is where we started when we reached the conference room。 Silent and I bore the brunt because we are Darling's favorites。 Seldom do I see such unanimity among my brethren。 Even Goblin and One…Eye spoke with a single voice； and those two will fight over whether it is night or day with the sun at high noon。
Darling prowled like a caged beast。 She had doubts。 They nagged her。
〃Two Taken in Rust；〃 I argued。 〃That's what Corder said。 One of them our oldest and nastiest enemy。〃
〃Break them and we will shatter their entire plan of campaign；〃 she countered。
〃Break them？ Girl； you're talking about the Limper。 I proved he is invincible before。〃
〃No。 You proved that he will survive unless you are thorough。 You might have burned him。〃
Yeah。 Or cut him into pieces and fed him to the fish； or given him a swim in a vat of acid or a dust bath in quicklime。 But those things take time。 We had the Lady herself ing down on us。 We barely got away as it was。
〃Assuming we can get there undetected…which I do not believe for a moment…and manage total surprise； how long before all the Taken get on us？〃 I signed vigorously； more angry than frightened。 I never refuse Darling； ever。 But this time I was ready。
Her eyes flashed。 For the first time ever I saw her battle her temper。 She signed； 〃If you will not accept orders you should not be here。 I am not the Lady。 I do not sacrifice pawns for small gain。 I agree； there is great risk in this operation。 But far less than you argue。 With potential impact far greater than you suppose。〃
〃Convince me。〃
〃That I cannot do。 If you are captured； you must not know。〃
I was primed。 〃You just telling me that is enough for the Taken to get on a trail。〃 Maybe I was more scared than I could admit。 Or maybe it was just an all…time case of the contraries。
〃No；〃 she signed。 There was something more； but she held it back。
Silent dropped a hand on my shoulder。 He had given up。 The Lieutenant joined him。 〃You're overstepping yourself； Croaker。〃
Darling repeated； 〃If you will not accept orders。 Croaker； leave。〃
She meant it。 Really！ I stood with mouth open； stunned。
〃All right！〃 I stamped out。 I went to my quarters； shuffled those obstinate old papers and； of course； found not a damned thing new。
They left me alone for a while。 Then Elmo came。 He did not announce himself。 I just glanced up and found him leaning against the door frame。 By then I was half ashamed of my performance。 〃Yeah？〃
〃Mail call；〃 he said； and tossed me another of those oilskin packets。
I snapped it out of the air。 He departed without explaining its appearance。 I placed it on my worktable； wondered。 Who？ I knew no one in Oar。
Was it some sort of trick？
The Lady is patient and clever。 I would not put past her some grand maneuver using me。
I guess I must have thought about it an hour before； reluctantly； I opened the packet。
Chapter Fourteen：THE STORY OF BOMANZ
Croaker：
Bomanz and Tokar stood in one corner of the shop。 〃What do you think？〃 Bomanz asked。 〃Bring a good price？〃
Tokar stared at the piece de resistance of Bomanz's new TelleKurre collection； a skeleton in perfectly restored armor。 〃It's marvelous； Bo。 How did you do it？〃
〃Wired the joints together。 See the forehead jewel？ I'm not up on Domination heraldry； but wouldn't a ruby mean somebody important？〃
〃A king。 That would be the skull of King Broke。〃
〃His bones； too。 And armor。〃
〃You're rich； Bo。 I'll just take a mission on this one。 A wedding present to the family。 You took me serious when I said e up with something good。〃
〃The Monitor confiscated the best。 We had Shapeshifter's armor。〃
Tokar had brought helpers this trip； a pair of hulking gorilla teamsters。 They were carrying antiques to wagons outside。 Their back…and…forth made Bomanz nervous。
〃Really？ Damn！ I'd give my left arm for that。〃
Bomanz spread his hands apologetically。 〃What could I do？ Besand keeps me on a short leash。 Anyway； you know my policy。 I'm stretching it to deal with a future daughter…in…law's brother。〃
〃How's that？〃
Stuck my foot in it now； Bomanz thought。 He ploughed ahead。 〃Besand has heard you're a Resurrectionist。 Stance and I are getting a hard time。〃
〃Now that's sick。 I'm sorry； Bo。 Resurrectionist！ I shot my mouth off once； years ago； and said even the Dominator would be better for Oar than our clown Mayor。 One stupid remark！