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。 When we start thinking with our muscles again we are on our way right back to those caves。 Isn't that what you Pyrrans are？ A bunch of cavemen hitting animals on the head with stone axes。 Do you ever stop to think why you are here？ What you are doing？ Where you are going？〃
Jason had to stop； he was exhausted and gasping for breath。 Brucco rubbed his chin in thought。 〃Caves？〃 he asked。 〃Of course we don't live in caves or use stone clubs。 I don't understand your point at all。〃
It was impossible to be angry； or even exasperated。 Jason started to answer； then laughed instead。 A very humorless laugh。 He was too tired to argue anymore。 He kept running into this same stone wall with all the Pyrrans。 Theirs was a logic of the moment。 The past and future unchangeable； unknowable…and uninteresting。 〃How is the perimeter battle going？〃 he asked finally； wanting to change the subject。
〃Finished。 Or in the last stages at least。〃 Brucco was enthusiastic as he showed Jason stereos of the attackers。 He did not notice Jason's repressed shudder。
〃This was the most serious breakthrough in years； but we caught it in time。 I hate to think what would have happened if they hadn't been
detected for a few weeks more。〃
〃What axe those things？〃 Jason asked。 〃Giant snakes of some kind？〃
〃Don't be absurd；〃 Brucco snorted。 He tapped the stereo with his thumbnail。 〃Roots。 That's all。 Greatly modified； but still roots。 They came in under the perimeter barrier； much deeper than anything we've had before。 Not a real threat in themselves as they have very little mebility。 Die soon after being cut。 The danger came from their being used as access tunnels。 They're bored through and through with animal runs； and two or three species of beasts live in a sort of symbiosis inside。 Now we know what they are we can watch for them。 The danger was they could have pletely undermined the perimeter and e in from all sides at once。 Not much we could have done then。〃
The edge of destruction。 Living on the lip of a volcano。 The Pyrrans took satisfaction from any day that passed without total annihilation。 There seemed no way to change their attitude。 Jason let the conversation die there。 He picked up the log of the Polhwc Victory from Brucco's quarters and carried it back to his room。 The wounded Pyrrans there ignored him as he dropped onto the bed and opened the book to the first page。
For two days he did not leave his quarters。 The wounded men were soon gone and he had the room to himself。 Page by page he went through the log； until he knew every detail of the settlement of Pyrrus。 His notes and cross…references piled up。 He made an accurate map of the original settlement； superimposed over a modem one。 They didn't match at all。
It was a dead end。 With one map held over the other； what he had suspected was painfully clear。 The descriptions of terrain and physical features in the log were accurate enough。 The city had obviously been moved since the first landing。 Whatever records had been kept would be in the library…and he had exhausted that source。 Anything else would have been left behind and long since destroyed。
Rain lashed against the thick window above his head； lit suddenly by a flare of lightning。 The unseen volcanoes were active again； vibrating the floor with their rumblings deep in the earth。
The shadow of defeat pressed heavily down on Jason。 Rounding his shoulders and darkening； even more； the overcast day。
14
Jason spent one depressed day lying on his bunk counting rivets； forcing himself to accept defeat。 Kerk's order that he was not to leave the sealed building tied his hands pletely。 He felt himself close to the answer…but he was never going to get it。
One day of defeat was all he could take。 Kerk's attitude was pletely emotional； untempered by the slightest touch of logic。 This fact kept driving home until Jason could no longer ignore it。 Emotional reasoning was something he had learned to mistrust early in life。 He couldn't agree with Kerk in the slightest…which meant he had to utilize the ten remaining days to solve the problem。 If it meant disobeying Kerk； it would still have to be done。
He grabbed up his noteplate with a new enthusiasm。 His first sources of information had been used up； but there must be others。 Chewing the scriber and thinking hard； he slowly built up a list of other possibilities。 Any idea； no matter how wild； was put down。 When the plate was filled； he wiped the long shots and impossibles…such as consulting off…world historical records。 This was a Pyrran problem and had to be settled on this planet or not at all。
The list worked down to two probables。 Either old records； notebooks or diaries that individual Pyrrans might have in their possession； or verbal histories that had been passed down the generations by word of mouth。 The first choice seemed to be the most probable and he acted on it at once。 After a careful check of his medikit and gun； he went to see Brucco。
〃What's new and deadly in the world since I left？〃 he asked。
Brucco glared at him。 〃You can't go out； Kerk has forbidden it。〃
〃Did he put you in charge of guarding me to see if I obeyed？〃 Jason's voice was quiet and cold。
Brucco rubbed his jaw and frowned in thought。 Finally he just shrugged。 〃No； I'm not guarding you…nor do I want the job。 As far as
I know； this is~etween you and Kerk and it can stay that way。 Leave whenever you want。 And get yourself killed quietly someplace so there will be an end to the trouble you cause once and for all。〃
〃I like you too；〃 Jason said。 〃Now brief me on the wildlife。〃
The only new mutation that routine precautions wouldn't take care of was a slate…colored lizard that spit a fast nerve poison with deadly accuracy。 Death took place in seconds if the saliva touched any bare skin。 The lizards had to be looked out for； and shot before they came within range。 An hour of lizard…blasting in a training chamber made him proficient in the exact procedure。
Jason left the sealed buildings quietly and no one saw him go。 He
followed the map to the nearest barracks； shuffling tiredly through the …
dusty streets。 It was a hot； quiet afternoon； broken only by rumblings
from the distance； and the occasional crack of his gun。 It was cool inside the thick…walled barracks building； and he collapsed onto a bench until the sweat dried and his heart stopped pounding。 Then he went to the nearest recreation room to start his search。
Before it began； it was finished。 None of the Pyrrans kept old artifacts of any kind and thought the whole idea was very funny。 After the twentieth negative answer； Jason was ready to admit defeat in this line of investigation。 There was as much chance of meeting a Pyrran with old documents as finding a bundle of Grandfather's letters in a soldier's kit bag。
This left a single possibility…verbal histories。 Again Jason questioned with the same lack of results。 The fun had worr~ off the game for the Pyrrans and they were beginning to growl。 Jason stopped while he was still in one piece。 The missary served him a meal that tasted like plastic paste and wood pulp。 He ate it quickly； then sat brooding over the empty tray； hating to admit to another dead end。 Who could supply him with answers？ All the people he had talked to were~ young。 They had no interest or patience for storytelling。 That was an old folks' hobby…and there were no oldsters on Pyrrus。
With one exception that he knew of； the librarian； Poli。 It was a possibility。 A man who worked with records and books might have an interest in some of the older ones。 He might even remember reading volumes now destroyed。 A very slim lead； indeed； but one that had to be pursued。
Walking to the library almost killed Jason。 The torrential rains made the footing bad； and in the dim light it was hard to see what was corn…
ing。 A snapper came in close enough to take out a chunk of flesh before he could blast it。 The antitoxin made him dizzy and he lost some blood before he could get the wound dressed。 He reached the library； exhausted and angry。
Poli was working on the guts of one of the catalogue machines。 He didn't stop until Jason had tapped him on the shoulder。 Switching on his heating aid； the Pyrran stood quietly； crippled and bent； waiting for Jason to talk。
〃Have you any old papers or letters that you have kept for your personal use？〃
A shake of the head； no。
〃What about stories…you know； about great things that have happened in the past； that someone might have told you when you were young？〃 Negative。
Results negative。 Every question was answered by a shake of Poli's head； and very soon the old man grew irritated and pointed to the work he hadn't finished。
〃Yes； I know you have work to do；〃 Jason said。 〃But this is important。〃 Poli shook his head an angry no and reached to turn off his hearing aid。 Jason groped for a question that might get a more positive answer。 There was something tugging at his mind； a word he had heard and made a note of； to be investigated later。 Something that Kerk had said。 。
〃That's it！〃 It was right there…on the tip of his tongue。 〃Just a second； Poli； just one more question。 What is a 'grubber'？ Have you ever seen one or know what they do； or where they can be found？〃
The words were cut off as Poli whirled and lashed the back of his good arm into Jason's face。 Though the man was aged and crippled； the blow almost fractured Jason's jaw； sending him sliding across the floor。 Through a daze； he saw Poli hobbling toward him； making thick bubbling noises in his ruined throat； what remained of his face twisted and working with anger。 …
This was no time for diplomacy。 Moving as fast as he could； with the high…G； foot…slapping shuffle； Jason headed for the sealed door。 He was no match for any Pyrran in hand…to…hand bat； young and small or old and crippled。 The door banged open； as he went through； and barely closed in Poli's face。
Outside the rain had turned to snow and Jason trudged wearily through the slush； rubbing his sore jaw and turning over the only
fact he had。 Grubber was a key…but to what？ And who did he dare ask for more information？ Kerk was the man he had talked to best； but not anymore。 That left only Meta as a possible source。 He wanted to see her at once； but sudden exhaustion swept through him。 It took all of his strength to stumble back to the school buildings。
In the morning he ate and left early。 There was only a week left。 It was impossible to hurry and he cursed as he dragged his double…weight body to the assignment center。 Meta was on night perimeter duty and should be back to her quarters soon。 He shuffled over there and was lying on her bunk when she came in。
〃Get out；〃 she said in a flat voice。 〃Or do I throw you out？〃
〃Patience； please；〃 he said as he sat up。 〃Just resting here until you came back。 I have a single question； and if you will answer it for me I'll go and stop bothering you。〃
〃What is it？〃 she asked； tapping her foot with impatience。 But there was also a touch of curiosity in her voice。 Jason thought carefully before he spoke。
〃Now try not to shoot me。 You know I'm an off…worlder with a big mouth； and you have heard me say some awful things without taking a shot at me。 Now I have another one。 Will you please show your superiority to the other people of the galaxy by holding your temper and not reducing me to ponent atoms。〃
Her only answer was a tap of the foot； so he took a deep breath and plunged in。
'What is a 'grubber'？〃
For a long moment she was quiet； unmoving。 Then she looked at him with disgust。 〃You do find the most repulsive topics。〃
〃That may be so；〃 he said； 〃but it still doesn't answer my question。〃
〃It's。 。 。 well； the sort of thing people just don't talk about。〃
〃I do；〃 he assured her。
〃Well I don't！ It's the most disgusting thing in the world； and that's all I'm going to say。 Talk to Krannon； but not to me。〃 She had him by the arm while she talked and he was half dragged to the hall。 The door slammed behind him and he muttered 〃Lady…wrestler〃 under his voice。 His anger ebbed away as he realized that she had given him a clue in spite of herself。 Next step； find out who or what Krannon was。
Assignment center listed a ma