Gordon R. Dickson by Space Winners

Author:Space Winners [Winners, Space]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Once upon the quay, however, and out of earshot not only of Llalal, but of any other Mauregs, he told the others of the conversation.

“… And what 1 think, after hearing Llalal say we’re plainly strangers,” he wound up, “is that any place but an inn full of Mauregs is the.best place for us. We may look just like them, but the real Mauregs seem to sense a difference when they have too much to do with us at close quarters. I think we’re safest among the other two races, myself. What do the rest of you think?”

“I think we’re in trouble among any Aliens!” grumbled Curt. “After all, if that Alien spaceship hadn’t broken down and stranded us here—”

“Well, I think Jim’s right about the Mauregs sensing we’re different,” said Ellen, unexpectedly. “We may move and talk and dress like Mauregs, but our attitudes and opinions are human and they feel the difference. Where else could we stay besides a waterfront inn, Peep?”

“There is a Walat-operated inn right by the aardart pens,” said Peep. “And the aardarts are a form of riding animal we will have to hire to ride across to Joffo, the trader’s port on the other side of this rather large island of Hekko. Shall we go there?”

They did. The inn, when they got to it, was very similar to the one in which Llalal had been staying in Chyk, except that the ceilings were higher, and the tables and benches in the common room on the ground floor were bigger. They had come in on the evening tide and night had fallen by the time they reached the inn. A female Walat lighted them upstairs to their rooms, which were wide and clean, but except for the strips of carpet used for sitting and sleeping, without furniture. The rooms were on the second floor, and as the landlady left them, there drifted up from the common room below the voice of an apparently drunken, male Walat, trying to sing some kind of song.

“I didn’t know they had wine or anything like that,” said Curt.

“It has not been alcohol that has brought the individual downstairs to such a state,” said Peep, “although alcoholic drinks are not unknown on Quebahr. It is a local plant, the sap of which has a particularly strong effect on Walats. Our singer is, in effect, drugged.”

“I should think… oh!” said Ellen. “Did that landlady or whatever she was leave? There was something I wanted to ask her.” She hurried out into the darkened second-floor corridor.

“I’d better follow and make sure she doesn’t become lost,” said Peep. He trotted after Ellen. Jim and Curt started after them, then gave it up, took off their weapons and sat down by the lamp that the landlady had left them. They began to discuss getting the ends of their quarterstaves capped with metal before leaving Hekko Port for Joffo.

They were still at this when Ellen burst back into the room.

“Quick, Jim!” she said. “It’s Peep! That drugged Walat’s trying to make him do bundii tricks downstairs.

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