“These are live bullets,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll be needing them. After this your gun will always be loaded.”

They came up to a heavy airlock, the only locked door Jason had seen in the center. While Brucco unlocked it and threw the bolts, a sober-faced eight-year-old with a bandaged leg limped up.

“This is Grif,” Brucco said. “He will stay with you, wherever you go, from now on.”

“My personal bodyguard?” Jason asked, looking down at the stocky child who barely reached his waist.

“You might call him that.” Brucco swung the door open. “Grif tangled with a sawbird, so he won’t be able to do any real work for awhile. You yourself admitted that you will never be able to equal a Pyrran, so you should be glad of a little protection.”

“Always a kind word, that’s you, Brucco,” Jason said. He bent over and shook hands with the boy. Even the eight-year-olds had a bonecrushing grip.

The two of them entered the lock and Brucco swung the inner door shut behind them. As soon as it was sealed, the outer door opened automatically. It was only partly open when Grifs gun blasted twice. Then they stepped out onto the surface of Pyrrus, over the smoking body of one of its animals. Very symbolic, Jason thought. He was also bothered by the realization that not only hadn’t he thought to look for something coming in, but he couldn’t even identify the beast from its charred remains. He glanced around carefully, hoping he -would be able to fire first next time.

This was an unfulfilled hope. The few beasts that came their way were always seen first by the boy. After an hour of this, Jason was so irritated that he blasted an evil-looking thorn plant out of existence. He hoped that Grif wouldn’t look too closely at it. Of course the boy did.

“That plant wasn’t close. It is stupid to waste good ammunition on a plant,” Grif said.

There was no real trouble during the day. Jason ended by being bored, though soaked by the frequent rainstorms. If Grif was capable of carrying on a conversation, he didn’t show it. All Jason’s gambits failed. The following day went the same way. On the third day, Brucco appeared and looked Jason carefully up and down.

“I don’t like to say it, but I suppose you are as ready to leave now as you ever will be. Change the virus filter noseplugs every day. Always check boots for tears and metal-cloth suiting for rips. Medkit supRhes renewed once a week.”

“And wipe my nose and wear my galoshes. Anything else?” Jason asked.

Brucco started to say something, then changed his mind. “Nothing that you shouldn’t know well by now. Keep alert. And … good luck.”