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A choking growl echoed behind him。 He turned； dropped and fired in the same motion。 It was all over before his conscious mind was aware it had happened。 Pyrran training had conditioned his reflexes on the precortical level。 Jason gaped at the ugly beast dying not a meter from him and realized he had been trained well。
His first reaction was unhappiness that he had killed one of the grubber dogs。 When he looked closer he realized this animal was slightly different in markings； size and temper。 Though most of its forequarters were blown away； blood pumping out in dying spurts； it kept trying to reach Jason。 Before the eyes glazed with death； it had struggled its way almost to his feet。
It wasn't quite a grubber dog； though chances were it was a wild relative。 Bearing the same relation as dog to wolf。 He wondered if there were any other resemblances between wolves and this dead beast。 Did they hunt in packs too？
As soon as the thought hit him he looked up…not a moment too soon。 The great forms were drifting through the trees； closing in on him。 When he shot two； the others snarled with rage and sank back into the forest。 They didn't leave。 Instead of being frightened by the deaths； they grew even more er~raged。
Jason sat with his ba~k to the tree and waited until they came close before he picked them off。 With each shot and dying scream； the outraged survivors howled the louder。 Some of them fought when they met； venting their rage。 One stood on his hind legs and raked great strips of bark from a tree。 Jason aimed a shot at it； but he was too far away to hit。
There were advantages to having a fever； he realized。 Logically he knew he would live only to sunset； or until his gun was empty。 Yet the fact didn't bother him greatly。 Nothing really mattered。 He slumped； relaxed pletely； only raising his arm to fire； then letting it drop again。 Every few minutes he had to move to look in back of the tree； and kill any of them that were stalking him in the blind spot。 He wished dimly that he were leaning against a smaller tree； but it wasn't worth the effort to go to one。
Sometime in the afternoon； he fired his last shot。 It killed an animal he had allowed to get close。 He had noticed he was missing the longer shots。 The beast snarled and dropped； the others that were close pulled back and howled in sympathy。 One of them exposed himself and Jason pulled the trigger。
There was only a slight click。 He tried again； in case it was just a misfire； but there was still only the click The gun was empty； as was the spare clip pouch at his belt。 There were vague memories of reloading； though he couldn't remember how many times he had done it。
This； then； was the end。 They had all been right； Pyrrus was a match for him。 Though they shouldn't talk。 It would kill them all in the end too。 Pyrrans never died in bed。 Old Pyrrans never died； they just got et。
Now that he didn't have to force himself to stay alert and hold the gun； the fever took hold。 He wanted to sleep and he knew it would be a long sleep。 His eyes were almost closed as he watched the wary carnivores slip closer to him。 The first one crept close enough to spring； he could see the muscles tensing in its leg。
It leaped。 Whirling in midair and falling before it reached him。 Blood ran from its gaping mouth and the short shaft of metal projected from the side of his head。
The two men walked out of the brush and looked down at him。 Their mere presence seemed to have been enough for the carnivores； because they had all vanished。
Grubbers。 He had been in such a hurry to reach the city that he had forgotten about the grubbers。 It was good that they were here and Jason was very glad they had e。 He couldn't talk very well； so he smiled to thank them。 But this hurt his lips too much so he went to sleep。
24
For a strange length of time after that； there were only hazy patches of memory that impressed themselves on Jason。 A sense of movement and large beasts around him。 Walls； woodsmoke； the murmur of voices。 None of it meant very much and he was too tired to care。 It was easiet and much better just to let go。
〃About time；〃 Rhes said。 〃A couple more days lying there like that and we would have buried you； even if you were still breathing。〃
Jason blinked at him； trying to focus the face that swam above him。 He finally recognized Rbes； and wanted to answer him。 But talking only brought on a spell of body…wracking coughing。 Someone held a cup to his lips and sweet fluid trickled down his throat。 He rested； then tried again。
〃How long have I been here？〃 The voice was thin and sounded far away。 Jason had trouble recognizing it for his own。
〃Eight days。 And why didn't you listen when I talked to you？〃 Plies said。
〃You should have stayed near the ship when you crashed。 Didn't you remember what I said about ing down anywhere on this continent？ No matter； too late to worry about that。 Next time listen to what I say。 Our people moved fast and reached the site of the wreck before dark。 They found the broken trees and the spot where the ship had sunk； and at first thought whoever had been in it had drowned。 Then one of the dogs found your trail； but lost it again in the swamps during the night。 They had a fine time with the mud and the snow and didn't have any luck at all in finding the spoor again。 By the next afternoon they were ready to send for more help when they heard your firing。 Just made it； from what I hear。 Lucky one of them was a talker and could tell the wild dogs to clear out。 Would have had to kill them all otherwise； and that's not healthy。〃
〃Thanks for saving my neck；〃 Jason said。 〃That was closer than I
like to e。 What happened after？ I was sure I was done for； I remember that much。 Diagnosed all the symptoms of pneumonia。 Guaranteed fatal in my condition without treatment。 Locks like you were wrong when you said most of your remedies were useless…they seemed to work well on me。〃
His voice died off as Plies shook his head in a slow no； lines of worry sharp…cut into his face。 Jason looked around and saw Naxa and another man。 They had the same deeply unhappy expressions as Plies。
〃What is it？〃 Jason asked； feeling the trouble。 〃If your remedies didn't work…what did？ Not my medikit。 That was empty。 I remember losing it or throwing it away。〃
〃You were dying；〃 Plies said slowly。 〃We couldn't cure you。 Only a junkman medicine machine could do that。 We got one from the driver of the food truck。〃
〃But how？〃 Jason asked； dazed。 〃You told me the city forbids you medicine。 He wouldn't give you his own medikit。 Not unless he
Rhes nodded and finished the sentence。 'Dead。 Of course he was dead。 I killed him myself； with a great deal of pleasure。〃
This hit Jason hard。 He sagged against the pillows and thought of all those who had died since he had e to Pyrrus。 The men who had died to save him； died so he could live； died because of his ideas。 It was a burden of guilt that he couldn't bear to think about。 Would it stop with Krannon…。or would the city people try to avenge his death？
〃Don't you realize what that means！〃 he gasped out the words。 〃Krannon's death will turn the city against you。 There'll be no more supplies。 They'll attack you when they can； kill your people。 。 。〃
〃Of course we know that！〃 Rhes leaned forward； his voice hoarse and intense。 〃It wasn't an easy decision to e to。 We have always had a trading agreement with the junkmen。 The trading trucks were inviolate。 This was our last and only link to the galaxy outside the eventual hope of contacting them。〃
〃Yet you broke that link to save me…why？〃
〃Only you can answer that question pletely。 There was a great attack on the city and we saw their walls broken； they had to be moved back at one place。 At the same time the spaceship was over the ocean； dropping bombs of some kind…the flash was reported。 Then the ship returned and you left it in a smaller ship。 They fired at you but didn't kill you。 The little ship wasn't destroyed either； we are starting to raise it now。 What does it all mean？ We had no way of telling。 We only knew it was something vitally important。 You were alive； but would obviously
die before you could talk。 The small ship might be repaired to fly； perhaps that was your plan and that is why you stole it for us。 We couldn't let you die； not even if it meant all…out war with the city。 The situation was explained to all of our people who could be reached by screen and they voted to save you。 I killed the junkman for his medicine； then rode two doryms to death to get here in time。
〃Now tell us…what does it mean？ What is your plan？ How will it help us？〃
Guilt leaned on Jason and stifled his mouth。 A fragment of an andent legend cut across his mind； about the jona who wrecked the spacer so all in it died； yet he lived。 Was that he？ Had he wrecked a world？ Could he dare admit to these people that he had taken the lifeboat only to save his own life？
The three Pyrrans leaned forward； waiting for his words。 Jason closed his eyes so he wouldn't see their faces。 What could he tell them？ If he admitted the truth； they would undoubtedly kill him on the spot； considering it only justice。 He wasn't fearful for his ow