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The newers made no pretense； as Lark might have expected； of representing a galactic agency or feigning a legal right to survey Jijo's biosphere。 Did they think the exiles had no memory of such things？ Or did they simply not care？ Their goal…data about changes since the Buyur left…made Lark's lifework more precious than he ever imagined。 So much that Lester Cambel had ordered him to leave his notebooks behind； lest they fall into alien hands。
The sages want me to play it close。 Try to find out at least as much from her as she learns from me。
A foredoomed plan； of course。 The Six were like infants； ignorant of the rules of a deadly game。 Still； Lark would do his best； so long as his agenda and the sages' remained the same。 Which might not always be the case。
They know that。 Surely they've not forgotten I'm a heretic？
Fortunately the forayers had assigned their least intimidating member to acpany him。 It might just as easily have been Rann； a huge male with close…cropped gray hair； a booming voice； and a wedgelike torso that seemed about to burst from his snug uniform。 Of the two others who emerged from the black station； Kunn was nearly as masculinely imposing as Rann； with shoulders like a young hoon's； while pale…haired Besh was so dramatically female that Lark wondered how she moved so gracefully with a body that prodigiously curved。 pared to her colleagues； Ling seemed almost normal； though she would have caused a stir growing up in any Jijoan town…no doubt provoking many duels among hot…tempered suitors。
Don't forget your vow； Lark reminded himself； puffing in exertion while climbing a steep part of the trail。 Perspiration stained the front of Ling's blouse； which clung to her in provocative ways。 He forced himself to look away。 You made a choice； to live for a goal greater than yourself。 If you wouldn't forsake that aim for an honest woman of Jijo； don't even think about giving it up for a raider； an alien； an enemy of this world。
Lark found a new way to direct the heat in his veins。 Lust can be blocked by other strong emotions。 So he turned to anger。
You plan to use us； he mused silently。 But things may turn out different than you think。
That attitude； in turn； roused an obstinate layer； overing his natural curiosity。 Earlier； Ling had said something about humans no longer being considered wolflings； out among the stars。 No longer orphans； without patrons to guide them。 From the look in her eye； she had clearly expected this news to cause a stir。 No doubt she wanted him to beg for further information。
I'll beg if I must…but I'd rather buy； borrow； or steal it。 We'll see。 The game's just in its opening rounds。
Soon they passed stands of lesser…boo。 Ling took samples of some segmented stems…each no more than ten centimeters across…deftly slicing near…transparent sections into her analyzer。
〃I may be a dumb native guide；〃 he mented。 〃But I'll wager boo doesn't show much sign of pre…sapience。〃
Her head jerked when he said the word。 Thus Lark ended one pretense。
We know why you're here。
Ling's dusky skin did not hide a flush。 〃Did I suggest any such thing？ I just want to track genetic drift since this species was planted by the Buyur。 We'll need a benchmark to pare trends in animals。 That's all。〃
So we begin the outright lies； he thought。 From fossil evidence； Lark knew that boo already thrived on Jijo long before the Buyur won their lease； twenty million years ago。 Perhaps it was imported by a previous tenant。 Whole ecosystems had coevolved around the successful vegetal type； and countless animals now relied on it。 But things must have been rough for the first aeon or so； as boo pushed native flora out of many watersheds。
Lark knew little about the biochemical level； but from fossils he was sure the genus hadn't changed much in a hundred million years。
Why would she lie about something so unimportant。 The Scrolls taught that deceit was not only wrong； but also a fickle； dangerous ally。 And habit forming。 Once you start lying； it's hard to stop。 Eventually it is small； needless lies that get you caught。
〃Speaking of pre…sapience；〃 Ling said； folding her sample case； 〃I can't help wondering where you folks stashed your chimpanzees。 I'm sure they must have drifted in interesting ways。〃
It was Lark's turn to give away too much with an involuntary twitch。 Denial was useless。 Humans don't need rewq to play this game with each other…reading clues in each other's faces。 Lester must know I'll betray as much as I learn。
〃Chimps are like children。 Naturally we sent them away from possible danger。〃
Ling looked left and right。 〃Do you see any danger？〃
Lark almost burst out with sardonic laughter。 In Ling's eyes danced a plexity of things he could only guess。 But some thoughts were clear without being spoken aloud。
You know that I know。 I know that you know that I know。 And you know that I know that you know that I know。。。。
There is another emotion that can overe hormonal lust； or the fury of anger。
Respect。
He nodded to his adversary； meeting her gaze full on。
〃I'll let you know if we pass near any chimps； so you can see for yourself。〃
Ling had extremely sharp vision and proved it frequently by spotting movements Lark would have missed…forest creatures foraging； browsing； hunting； or tending their young。 In this； she reminded him of Dwer。 But Ling also owned many tools； which she brought swiftly to bear on whatever crawling； flitting； or ambling thing caught her attention。
She must really have studied those old Buyur records； for their progress was slowed by frequent sighs of recognition； when she would classify a species of shrub； tree； or four…winged bird； then ask Lark to add whatever quaint name the locals used。 Lark gave cautious answers…just enough to support his value as a local expert。
Sometimes Ling would pause and mutter into her ring； as if contemplating what she had learned。 Lark realized with a shiver that she must be in contact with her base。 This was speech at a distance； not like semaphore； far…casting； or even rare psi…telepathy； but the high…tech kind mentioned in books； perfect and reliable。 The voice of the person at the other end could barely be made out as a whisper。 He guessed it must be projected somehow； pactly； to the region near her ear。
At one point； Ling murmured in a dialect form of Anglic； rather hard to follow。
〃Yea； yea。。。。 Oright。 A'll try to speed ip。 But yigotta chuz…distince er ditail。〃
The other party must have been persuasive； for Ling picked up the pace when the march resumed…until the next excited discovery caused her to forget her promise and go right back to dawdling over some intriguing detail。 Lark found this character flaw…how easily she was distracted by the sight of living things…the first thing he honestly liked about her。
Then Ling spoiled it by patronizing him； defining…in slow； simple words…what 〃nocturnal〃 meant。 Lark quashed resentment。 He had read enough adventure novels as a kid to know how a native guide was supposed to act。 So he thanked her respectfully。 There might be future advantages to be had in letting her maintain her stereotypes。
For all of Ling's enthusiasm and keen eyesight； she was no hunter like Dwer。 Even to Lark； the surroundings frothed with signs…footprints and broken stems； feces and territory marks； wisps of fur； scale； feather； and torg。 Any child of the Six could read such stories； found along the path。 But Ling seemed aware only of what was currently alive。
Thinking about Dwer made Lark smile。 By the time he gets back from his mundane glaver hunt； I'll be the one with wild stories to tell； for a change。
At intervals； Ling unfolded an instrument with twin 〃holio screens；〃 one showing a forest scene that rippled and moved as Lark stared over her shoulder； showing someplace nearby； he could tell from the foliage。 The other screen displayed charts and figures he found indecipherable…which was humbling。 He had read nearly every biology text in Biblos and figured he should at least understand the vocabulary。
Maybe the 〃Yes； bwana〃 routine isn't such an act。 Turns out I may be illiterate； after all。
Ling explained this was data from one of the robot probes； climbing the same path some distance ahead。 〃Could we move faster now？〃 she asked eagerly。 〃The robot has subdued some interesting specimens。 I want to reach them before they deteriorate。〃
She had been the one dawdling。 Still； Lark only nodded。
〃Whatever you say。〃
The first specimen was a hapless wuankworm whose burrow had been sliced open with scalpel…smoothness。 A web of fibrous stuff defied repeated battering by the worm's bony head； as it fought futilely to escape。
Ling spoke into her ring。 〃This feral form seems related to ore…gleaners the Buyur imported from Dezni； three aeons ago。 Dezni…evolved organisms should estivate after injection with clathrate of methane。 We'll try a larger dose now。〃
She aimed a device that sent a slender tube flashing like a resolute predator； piercing a crease between two armor plates。 The worm flinched； then slumped； quivering。
〃Good。 Now let's see if encephalization