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couldn’t leave yet.
    “I am going to park the ship here in orbit while I return to the surface.”
    “Is there no fear in thee? To return is to become a Bban prisoner again. Why? Thou are a god with the ways of Beyond in thy keeping.”
    “You have a lot of confidence in the Bban’jen.”
    “It will win.”
    “Look, Saar,” said Asan, switching tactics. “Your elders refuse to trust me, but I am the one who released your people from Anthi’s oppression. I’m not interested in waging war with the Bban’n. Instead I want to organize this planet into utilizing its natural resources to the fullest. And I need Bban metallurgists and miners.”
    Saar growled. “I am a warrior, not a smith!”
    “The n’kai who came in this ship, why do you think they came here?” asked Asan.
    “It is not of reason. A n’ka surrendered his life to be the catalyst of thy resurrection. Perhaps these are also—”
    “No! They are not. They will make Tlar domination under Leiil Hihuan seem as nothing if they conquer Ruantl. They possess all the ways of Beyond. They have a whole fleet of ships such as these. And ships that are even larger. They are our enemy. We must fight them together if we are to preserve our world for ourselves.”
    Saar turned away, his jaw clicking. “This is talk for the elders.”
    “Then help me make them understand that we must ally ourselves together. Will you do that, Saar?”
    “What trick is this? Thou wish to go to the elders?”
    “Yes. And it is no trick.”
    Saar drew his jen-knife and held it at Asan’s throat. For a moment Asan did not even breathe. The sharp blade of green corybdium pressed against his jugular. Saar’s ugly face moved only inches from Asan’s. The stench of his musk hung between them.
    “Thou are full of tricks. Thou has killed all my men, and dishonored me. Thou has taken me off the sand of my fathers into the realm of the gods. I look into thy Tlar eyes, and all I see is deception.”
    “I could kill you with a glance, Saar.”
    The pressure on his throat increased just enough to break the skin. Blood tricked down into Asan’s collar, and for a moment the sting of the minor cut overcame the deeper ache in his shoulder. Then Saar moved away.
    “Kill me, great one. I am dishonored. I am nothing.”
    “I am going to seizert off this ship back to the planet’s surface,” said Asan, choosing his words carefully. “I can return to the Tchsco stronghold to fight beside my men. But I would rather appear in the dara of your elders. I wish to speak with Uxe Ookri and Uxe Ggil. Will you be dishonored if you bring me there? I cannot find it without a sharing of your mind.”
    Saar glanced sharply at him. “Share with me? A Tlar share minds with Bban? Lea’dl , what lie is this?”
    “No lie, Saar. Just true Tlar honor. Bban’n and Tlar’n must join together. Unless we do, we are all doomed. I need your help. Will you give it?”
    Saar drew himself to attention. “I will take thee to the elders. I will serve their decision. And if they say to kill thee, leiil, then I will do so. I do not help thee because thou has asked. And I shall never trust thee.”
    “That is your choice,” said Asan. “You’ll regret it.”

Chapter 4
    Torchlight flamed into the night sky, throwing the rocky foothills below the Tchsco Mountains into stark images of stone and shadow. The air was still as though the desert held its breath. Asan’s cloak hung limply from his shoulders as he trudged behind Saar. He panted inside his mask, hot from his exertions of crossing the Outerlands and climbing up into the foothills. Now and then, however, as they paused for Saar to take his bearings, the cold temperature of the night sank through Asan’s bones and he would shiver. His legs felt leaden and awkward. He knew it was the loss of blood that made him weak although he had closed the wound before they seizerted from the ship. Stumbling just before he crested a ridge, he bent his knees to keep his