Ryo moved on as Tor dropped back to assist the slowing Wuu. Noise sounded from ahead.

“They’re probably trying to shut down power and so forth to the affected area,” the hunter declared. “Maybe the maintenance workers can tell us something. I may be more cautious, but I’m as curious as either of you as to what’s happening.”

“I’ll ask.” Ryo sent a greeting whistle toward the hidden work crew. “Greetings, friends! Do you know what is happening? Did you hear the explosions? Can you tell us? …” He turned the corner and stopped.

The work crew he’d expected to find was not there, but something else was.

The horrors that turned to confront him held Thranx energy rifles in pulpy, pale fingers. Ryo could not understand how anything so soft-looking could hold even a drinking tankard. Each of the two upper limbs ended in five digits instead of the normal four, and only one was opposable.

They stared at each other, Thranx and monster equally surprised. Ryo wondered if the two were a mated pair. There were some superficial differences between them, but that was no assurance of mating or even gender. Certainly neither displayed anything like a pair of ovipositors, but then, he reminded himself, most mammals practice live birth.

Despite the presence of fur he couldn’t be certain they were mammals. Their bodies were heavily clothed and what fur he could see was restricted to their heads. So startled was he by the unexpected sight, he forgot to sound a warning.

It wasn’t necessary. “What is it, boy?” Wuu called. “Is something the matter?”

“Yes, do they know—” Tor pulled to a halt down the corridor. They did not round the bend as Ryo had in his haste, but remained out in the main tunnel.

One of the monsters made a throaty, gargling sound and raised its rifle. Tor and Wuu immediately turned and bolted back the way they’d come.

Whether out of desire to protect the elderly poet or from some unconscious urging (he never really knew), Ryo stepped in front of the rifle and dropped all four arms. The monster glared down at him out of tiny single-lensed eyes and hesitated. Ryo had confused it.

It did not run after the retreating Thranx. Ryo noticed that the energy rifle was similar to those the two barrier guards had wielded. Its tip dropped away from him, but as he took a step backward it came up again.

Ryo stood quietly, staring up at the monster, his antennae working furiously as he examined the creature. There was nothing remarkable about their smell. It was oddly familiar, in fact.

For their part, the monsters seemed puzzled by Ryo’s calm. They continued to make the strange gargling noises, clearly their method of communication.