Slowly raising his head, Klyd searched Valleroy's eyes. "I promised I'd never hurt you again. If I wait too long, I might break that promise. Entran functions and shunts are one thing, serving need is entirely different. There aren't many Gens who have the capacity to deliver selyn at the rate I must demand."

"You're trying to scare me."

"No, warn. Remember what it felt like when I hurt you?"

"I'll never forget"

"I was being very gently then. Your fear upset me. You interfered with my control as only a Companion could. I miscalculated... not that I've had much practice at burning people... but I had a field-gradient driving that transfer at about one-one-hundredth the rate I'd normally use to satisfy need. The day after tomorrow, I won't be normal."

"Meaning, you might hurt me?"

"I wouldn't attempt to qualify a Companion under such circumstances."

"Are you suggesting that we get it over with tomorrow?"

"No, not while there's hope. We're a long way from home. There's no Householding infirmary closer than Zeor."

"For me, you mean."

"If necessary."

"All you might require would be a spade."

"Hugh! I've never killed and I never will. You've got to believe that. You've got to make it such a part of yourself that you can't possibly fear me. The worst that could happen would be that I'd break my promise to you. But we'd both survive it. You've tasted the sensations of rapid draw. If you could nerve yourself not to react to it-not to fight or retreat from that feeling- then you would be safe, and the sensation would not be unpleasant."

"It's as simple as that."

"It's not simple. I know. I felt what you felt that time. But, Hugh, you were hurt because for a fraction of a second, you wrenched control away from me... and you did not know what to do with it." He reached out to finger the starred-cross that dangled from Valleroy's neck. "Something in your ancestry has given you a natural aptitude for this work. One day, channels will fight over the privilege of your service. I believe you could serve me this time... if you want to. That's the important part. Wanting. Selyur nager and selur nager must be absolutely complementary. We almost had it a few minutes ago. I could have qualified you then... painlessly."

"Why didn't you?" Valleroy wondered just how much

Klyd really wanted to qualify another Companion in Zeor... especially one who might be as talented as Denrau. He remembered Householding Frihill. "There just isn't room for two really great Companions in one Householding."

"It wasn't in the bargain," said Klyd. "Besides, Grandfather wouldn't approve."

"It would have solved most of our problems."

"Maybe. Maybe not. You might not have been able to hold together long enough since you weren't expecting it. But you handled the shunt satisfactorily. I feel well enough to travel."

"Then let's go. It's not quite noon yet." Valleroy gathered his legs under him. The Sime rose with one of those incredibly graceful motions that always excited the artist in Valleroy.

"Naztehr, from now on, you must try not to touch me without preparation."

"Yes, Sectuib."

"Now, let's see what kind of day it is outside. Maybe we can put some distance behind us."

They both turned toward the door then; suddenly Klyd tensed. "There's a Sime"-he pivoted like a hunting dog -"there, about four hundred yards! He's not moving."

"That would be near the top of this ridge. Does he know we're here?"

"Might. Would be extreme range for an ordinary Sime, and these places are always well insulated... but... he might. There's nobody else... correction, there is a concentration of Simes and Gens! Far though. Maybe in the next valley. You're such high-field, I could hardly discern..."

"Never mind. We'll have to scout. How are your legs?"

"Sore, but adequate. The scratches are almost healed."

Hastily, they shrugged into their coats. Valleroy began gathering their bedrolls and riding cloaks.

"Leave them. We'll come back for them. Let's get out of this trap, and get some maneuvering room. That Sime might be Runzi."

"What do we do if he is?"

"Let me handle it." The channel led the way out into bright sunlight. "You go that away. Don't get closer than that twisted out-cropping up there. Your field will distract his attention while I close in from the other side."

"Maybe he's watching us now?"

Klyd squinted toward the crest of the ridge directly above the way station. "No. He's watching what's going on down in the valley."

"I can't see anybody." The sun stood at a southerly noon angle that etched the rocks black against the pale blue sky.

"I can barely make out what appears to be the back of his head," said Klyd. "It's just at the center of the selyn field. From the emotional nager, I infer he's watching a battle but feels safe and a bit frustrated. I'll have to get closer to see if he's wearing a Runzi uniform. Unless he's a Householder, he's a danger to us."

"Let's go." Once again, Valleroy wished fervently for a decent weapon... if not a rifle, at least a single-shot, homemade muzzle-loader! But he didn't even have a knife. He scrambled up toward the outcropping Klyd had indicated.

Before he'd gone ten yards, he lost sight of his partner. The channel proved phenomenally agile despite his wounds. Valleroy wondered if he was augmenting. That was one trick that he'd come to envy during the last few weeks. By increasing selyn consumption rate, any Sime could perform feats of speed, strength, and endurance that seemed beyond human limits. But he wondered if Klyd could afford it

Hauling himself up one last pile of boulders, Valleroy squirmed into position among the wind-carved convolutions of the outcropping. By squinting against the sun, he could barely make out a profile... the head and shoulders of a crouched figure, hands cupped around eyes, peering down into the far valley.

As a cloud drifted across the sun relieving the glare, Valleroy caught a glimpse of color. Bright red. The Runzi uniform was red like that Valleroy wondered what Klyd would do next

He didn't have long to wait As if sensing that somebody was watching him, the distant Raider turned toward Valleroy's position and then moved behind a twisted bush seeking cover. But that left his flank exposed to Klyd, and the channel wasn't slow in seizing the advantage.

With the swiftness of a racing cougar, Klyd flashed out of nowhere diving for the unsuspecting Sime. In the instant before contact, the victim whirled as if alerted by Valleroy's distant reaction. Then the pair of Simes rolled down out of Valleroy's sight.

Recklessly, Valleroy scrambled down off his pinnacle. Leaping from rock to rock, he made his way toward the battle. Loose gravel showered down the hillside in his wake, but his footing held firm. He arrived just in time to see Klyd step lithely aside to avoid a stiletto charge. Klyd finished his opponent with a neck-severing chop of his hand.

Dead in midair, the Raider's body thudded limply to the ground, jerked a few times, and was still. Valleroy watched the tension drain out of the channel's stance, leaving him stoop-shouldered and obviously exhausted. Now Valleroy was certain Klyd had been augmenting heavily.

Careful not to be seen by those in the next valley, the Gen picked his way toward the two Simes. "Klyd... is he..."

"Dead? Yes."

"Runzi?"

"Undoubtedly. He used a tenth-degree augmentation on me. Do you know anybody else who could afford that?"

"I wouldn't know a tenth-degree augmentation from a selur nager. But did you have to kill him? He might have known something about Aisha."