"Yes, the Patrol withdrew as a unit. It seemed best at the time."
"Hmm." Kartr considered all that statement might imply. There had been changes. He was suddenly eager to know how many.
12. Kartr Takes The Trail
Three in the uniform of the Patrol squatted on their heels by the fire. Kartr sat up, his back braced against bedrolls, watching them.
"You never said" — he broke the silence at last — "why you left the city — "
None of the three seemed to wish to meet his gaze. Finally it was Smitt who answered, an almost defiant ring in his tired voice.
"They were grateful to have Cummi and his men removed — "
Kartr continued to wait but that appeared to be all the answer the com-techneer was going to give.
"Big of them," Dalgre added after a long pause, a dry rasp under-running his words.
"They decided," Zinga took up the explanation, "that they did not want to exchange one official ruler out of the past for another — at least the impression they conveyed was that the Patrol had better not plan to take over in Cummi's place. So we weren't welcome — especially the rangers."
"Yes, they made it clear." Smitt was bleakly cold. " `Now that the war is over, let the troops depart' — the usual civilian attitude. We tended to be a disturbing element as far as they were concerned. So we took one of the city aircraft and left — "
"Jaksan?"
"He went after the jetman who had burned down the Commander. When we found them later they were both dead. We're the last of the Patrol — except for Rolth and Fylh — they're out scouting — "
The three did not enlarge on that story and Kartr accepted their reticence. Perhaps to the city castaways who had tasted Cummi's grab for power the Patrol had become too much a symbol of the old way of things. And so the Patrol had to go, after the ruler had been deposed. But one thing had come of that — there were no longer crewmen or rangers — there was only Patrol — their second exile had cemented tight the bonds of the survivors.
"Ah, our fishing party returns!" Zicti, who had been napping in the warmth of the flames, rolled over and got to his feet to greet the three coming through the screen of the trees. "And what luck did you have, my dears?"
"We put Rolth's blue torch down at the water's edge and the creatures were attracted by its light, so we return heavily laden," the thinner voice of a Zacathan female answered. "This is indeed a very rich world. Zor, show your father the armored creature you found under the rock — "
The shortest of the three ran into the firelight, holding in one hand a kicking thing of many legs and thick claws. Zicti accepted the captive, being careful not to encounter the claws, and examined it critically.
"But how strange! This might almost be a distant cousin of a Poltorian. But it is not intelligent — "
"None of the water dwellers appear to be," agreed his wife. "However, we should be glad of that, for they are excellent eating!"
Kartr had seen few Zacathan women, but his long companionship with Zinga had accustomed him to the difference between human and Zacathan features and he could understand that both Zacita and her young daughter, Zora, would be considered attractive by others of their race. As for young Zor — like an impish young male of any species, he was enjoying every minute of this wilderness life.
Zacita made a graceful gesture to suggest that the company seat themselves again. Kartr noted that Smitt and Dalgre had been as quick to rise to greet the Zacathan ladies as the others. Their feelings concerning Bemmys had certainly undergone a change.
Kartr awoke early the next morning and lay still for a long moment frowning up at the slant roof of the lean-to. There was something Then his mouth straightened into a thin hard line. He knew now what it was he had to do and soon. Meanwhile, he crawled out of his bedroll. Above the drowsy quiet of the sleeping camp he could hear the murmur of the river not too far away.
A little unsteadily at first and then firmly as he gained balance he made his way down to its edge. The water was chill enough to bring a gasp out of him as he waded in. Then he lost touch with the sands of its bed and began to swim.
"Ah — the supreme energy and recuperative powers of the young!"
The booming voice was drowned out by a splash. Kartr raised his head just in time to receive a face full of water as Zor passed him at full swimming speed. And Zicti was sliding cautiously down over a flat rock, allowing the stream to engulf him by inches.
The dignified Zacathan blinked in mild benevolence over the wavelets at the ranger sergeant. With two lazy strokes Kartr joined him.
"Pretty primitive, I'm afraid, sir — "
The former hist-techneer of the Galactic University of Zovanta gave a realistic shudder but answered calmly:
"It does one good at times to be shaken out of the comfortable round of civilized life. And we Zacathans are not so physically breakable as you humans. The general idea now held by my family is that this is a most delightful holiday, showing much more imagination on my part than they had believed possible. Zor, for one, has never been so happy — " He grinned as he watched that small scaled body shoot across the current of the stream in pursuit of a water creature.
"But this is not a holiday, sir."
Zicti's large grave eyes met Kartr's. "Yes, there is that to take into consideration. Permanent exile — "
He looked away, over the tumbled rocks, the bluffs beyond the river, the massed greenery of the wilderness. "Well, this is a rich world, and a wide empty one — plenty of room — "
"There is the city, partly in working order," Kartr reminded him.
And in that instant he felt a warmth of reassurance close about him, a mental security he had not known for a long, long time. Zicti was not replying with actual mind speech, but answering the ranger in his own way.
"I believe that those in the city must be left to work out their own destiny," the hist-techneer said at last. "In a manner of thinking that choice is now a retreat. They wish life to remain as it always has been. But that is just what life never does. It goes up — one advances — or it goes down — one retreats. And if one tried to stand still — that is retreat. We are now following the path our whole empire is taking. We have been slowly slipping back for the past century — "
"Decadence?"
"Just so. For example — this spread of dislike for those who are not human. That is increasing. Luckily we Zacathans are sensitives — we are ready to meet situations such as that which ensued after the X451 set down — "
"What did you do then?" asked Kartr, momentarily distracted.
Zicti chuckled. "We landed, too — on a lifeboat. There was a promising tract of wilderness not too far away. Before they got over the surprise of seeing us pop out of the escape port we were safely beyond their reach. But — had we not been able to sense Cummi's attitude — it might have ended differently —
"We came in this direction and established a camp. And I must tell you, sergeant, I was the most amazed being in this solar system when I accidentally contacted Zinga. Another Zacathan here! It was as if I had met a sootacl face to face when I was not wearing a wrist blaster! After we joined forces with your party everything was, of course, satisfactorily explained. They were hunting you — you are very well regarded by your men, Kartr — "
Again that warmth of security and reassurance flooded the sergeant's mind. He colored. "Then, when they found me — "
"Yes, when they found you — well, they loaded you on the lifeboat and brought you here. And your adventure has taught all of us an important lesson — not to underrate an opponent. I would never have believed Cummi capable of such an attack. But, in turn, he was not as strong as he thought himself to be, or you would not have been able to escape from his control after you left the city — "