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〃By hitting now；〃 Jason answered。 〃I know all the details of the city and I know how the defenses are set up。 Their perimeter is designed to protect them from animal life； but we could break through it if we were really determ？ned。〃
'What good would that do？〃 Plies snapped。 〃We crack the perimeter and they draw back…then counterattack in force。 How can we stand against their weapons？〃
〃We won't have to。 Their spaceport touches the perimeter； and I know the exact spot where the ship stands。 That is the place where we will break through。 There is no formal guard on the ship and only a few people in the area。 We will capture the ship。 Whether we can fly it or not is unimportant。 Who controls the ship controls Pyrrus。 Once there we threaten to destroy it if they don't meet our terms。 They have the choice of mass suicide or cooperation。 I hope they have the brains to cooperate。〃
His words shocked them into silence for an instant； then they surged into a wave of sound。 There was no agreement； just excitement； and Plies finally brought them to order。
〃Quiet！〃 he shouted。 'Wait until Jason finishes before you decide。 We still haven't heard how this proposed invasion is to be acplished。〃
〃The plan I have depends on the talkers；〃 Jason said。 〃Is Naxa there？〃 He waited until the fur…wrapped man had pushed to the front。 〃I want to know more about the talkers； Naxa。 I know you can speak to doryms and the dogs here…but what about the wild animals？ Can you make them do what you want？〃
〃They're animals…course we can talk t' them。 Th' more talkers； th' more power。 Make 'em do just what we want。〃
〃Then the attack will work；〃 Jason said excitedly。 〃Could you get your talkers all on one side of the city…the opposite side from the spaceport…and stir the animals up？ Make them attack the perimeter？〃
〃Could we！〃 Naxa shouted； carried away by the idea。 〃We'd bring in animals from all over； start th' biggest attack they ev'r saw！〃
〃Then that's it。 Your talkers will launch the attack on the far side of the perimeter。 If you keep out of sight； the guards will have no idea that it is anything more than an animal attack。 I've seen how they work。 As an attack mounts； they call for reserves inside the city and drain men away from the other parts of the perimeter。 At the height of the battle； when they have all their forces mitted across the city； I'll lead the attack that will break through and capture the ship。 That's the plan and it's going to work。〃
Jason sat down then； half fell down； drained of strength。 He lay and
listened as the debate went back and forth； Plies ordering it and kee1 ing it going。 Difficulties were raised and eliminated。 No one could fin a basic fault with the plan。 There were plenty of flaws in it； things th~ might go wrong； but Jason didn't mention them。 These people wante his idea to work and they were going to make it work。
It finally broke up and they moved away。 Rhes came over to Jason。
〃The basics are settled；〃 he said。 〃All here are in agreement。 The are spreading the word by messenger to all the talkers。 The talkers ai the heart of the attack； and the more we have； the better it will go of We don't dare use the screens to call them； there is a good chance th~ the junkmen can intercept our messages。 It will take five days before i~ are ready to go ahead。〃
〃I'll need all of that time if I'm to be any good；〃 Jason said。 〃Now let get some rest。〃
。
26
〃It's a strange feeling；〃 Jason said。 〃I've never really seen the perimeter from this side before。 Ugly is about the only word for it。〃
He lay on his stomach next to Plies； looking through a screen of leaves； downhill toward the perimeter。 They were both wrapped in heavy furs； in spite of the midday heat； with thick leggings and leather gauntlets to protect their hands。 The gravity and the heat were already making Jason dizzy； but he forced himself to ignore this。
Ahead； on the far side of a burnt corridor； stood the perimeter。 A high wall； of varying height and texture； seemingly made of all the odds and ends in the world。 It was impossible to tell what it had originally been constructed of。 Generations of attackers had bruised； broken； and underniined it。 Repairs had been quickly made； patches thrust roughly into place and fixed there。 Crude masonry crumbled and gave way to a rat's nest of woven timbers。 This overlapped a length of pitted metal； large plates riveted together。 Even this metal had been eaten through and bursting sandbags spilled out of a jagged hole。 Over the surface of the wall detector wires and charged cables looped and hung。 At odd intervals automatic flamethrowers thrust their nozzles over the parapet above and swept the base of the wall clear of any life that might have e close。
〃Those flame things can cause us trouble；〃 Rhes said。 〃That one covers the area where you want to break in。〃
〃It'll be no problem；〃 Jason assured him。 〃It may look like it is firing a random pattern； but it's really not。 It varies a simple sweep just enough to fool an animal； but was never meant to keep men out。 Look for yourself。 It fires at regularly repeated two； four； three and one minute intervals。〃
They crawled back to the hollow where Naxa and the others waited for them。 There were only thirty men in the party。 What they had to do could only be done with a fast； light force。 Their strongest weapon was surprise。 Once that was gone their other weapons wouldn't hold out for seconds against the city guns。 Everyone looked unfortable in
the fur and leather wrappings； and some of the men had loosened them to cool off。
'Wrap up；〃 Jason ordered。 〃None of you have been this close to the perimeter before and you don't understand how deadly it is here。 Naxa is keeping the larger animals away and you all can handle the smaller ones。 That isn't the danger。 Every thorn is poisoned； and even the blades of grass carry a deadly sting。 Watch out for insects of any kind and once we start moving breathe only through the wet cloths。〃
〃He's right；〃 Naxa snorted。 〃N'ver been closer 'n this m'self。 Death； death up by that wall。 Do like 'e says。〃
They could only wait then； honing down already needlesharp cross~ bow bolts； and glancing up at the slowly moving sun。 Only Naxa didn'i share the unrest。 He sat； eyes unfocused； feeling the movement ol animal life in the jungle around them。
〃On the way；〃 he said。 〃Biggest thing I 'ver heard。 Not a beast 'tween here and the mountains； ain't howlin' 'is lungs out； rwmin' toward the city。；'
Jason was aware of part of it。 A tension in the air and a wave a！ intensified anger and hatred。 It would work； he knew； if they couk only keep the attack confined to a small area。 The talkers had seemec sure of it。 They had stalked out quietly that morning； a thin line a！ ragged men； moving in a mental sweep that would round up the Pyrrar life and send it charging against the city。
〃They hit！〃 Naxa said suddenly。
The men were on their feet now； staring in the direction of the city Jason had felt the twist in his gut as the attack had been driven home and knew that this was it。 There was the sound of shots and a heav3 booming far away。 Thin streamers of smoke began to blow above thc treetops。
〃Let's get into position；〃 Plies said。
Around them the jungle howled with an echo of hatred。 The half sentient plants writhed and the air was thick with small flying things Naxa sweated and mumbled as he turned back the animals that crashec toward them。 By the time they reached the last screen of foliage befon the burned…out area； they had lost four men。 One had been stung by ax insect； Jason got the medikit to him in time but he was so sick he ha to turn back The other three were bitten or scratched and treatmen came too late。 Their swollen； twisted bodies were left behind on
trail。
〃Dam' beasts hurt m' head；〃 Naxa muttered。 〃When we go in？〃
〃Not yet；〃 Plies said。 'We wait for the signal。〃
One of the men carried the radio。 He set it down carefully； thei
threw the aerial over a branch。 The set was shielded so no radiation leaked out to give them away。 It was turned on； but only a hiss of atmospheric static came from the speaker。
〃We could have timed it。 。 。 。〃 Plies said。
〃No； we c@uldn't；〃 Jason told him。 〃Not accurately。 We want to hit that wall at the height of the attack； when our chances are best。 Even if they hear the message it won't mean a thing to them inside。 And a few minutes later it won't matter。〃
The sound from the speaker changed。 A voice spoke a short sentence； then cut off。
〃Bring me three barrels of flour。〃
〃Let's go；〃 Rhes urged as he started forward。
'Wait；〃 Jason said； taking him by the arm。 〃I'm timing the flamethrower。 It's due in。 。 。 there！〃 A blast of fire sprayed the ground； then turned off。 〃We have four minutes to the next one…we hit the long period！〃
They ran； stumbling in the soft ashes； tripping over charred bones and rusted metal。 Two men grabbed Jason under the arm and half carried him across the ground。 It hadn't been planned that way； but it saved precious seconds。 They dropped him against the wall and he fumbled out the bombs he had made。 The charges from Krannon's gun； taken whe