"What was Sonig's plan that Narf told Lyla about?" He asked. "Oh, he not terr _her_. I hear Sonig terr Rord Narf when I spy. Sonig say, 'Tomorrow we be friendry and we ret those two go for another wawrk in the woods. And we have cameras with terescope rens and when they kiss and hug we take moving pictures.'" "Why, the gutter-bred rat--" "And Rord Narf say, 'That is what we wirr do. And then I wirr kirr him as soon as we have the pictures and she wirr have to toe the mark from then on because if I pubricry show the pictures of what she did, she wirr be ashamed to show her face anywhere on Vesta.'" "Why, the--" He could not think of a suitable expression. "And then Sonig say, 'To make sure she go out tomorrow, you bawr her out good so she wirr want to cry on the rootenant's shourder again.' And Rord Narf say, 'I wirr be very grad to terr the two-timing hussy what I think of her, don't worry.'" "Why, she was only a scared girl and that rat thinks she--" * * * * * "_... Your promise to your dying father_," Narf's voice came in accusation. "_He's gone, now, and you can betray him, too! Why don't you go all the way in your deceptions ... your father will never know...._" Alonzo said, "I think I go back and stay croser to her cabin, Rootenant." It was an hour later, and Narf's voice had settled to a low, steady growling, when Hunter heard a helicopter settle down near the camp. A minute later, Val Boran was outlined momentarily in the doorway of the cabin he shared with Sonig. There followed the exchange of a few words--interrogation in Val's tone--and then the sound of Sonig's voice alone, which continued for minute after minute. _Sonig is telling him all about it_, Hunter thought, _including my walking into that tree. But there won't be one word in sympathy with Lyla._ Sonig's story ended and Hunter saw Val leave the cabin. He came straight up the path toward Hunter, looming tall in the darkness as he stopped before him. There was the pale gleam of metal in Val's belt--a blaster. His voice came cold and flat: "I want to talk to you, Lieutenant." Hunter sighed, thinking, _I suppose he wants to kill me, too_. He got up and said, "We'll go inside. Shut the door behind you--I don't want your friend straining his ears to hear us." Val sat tall even in the chair, his face like a carving in a dark granite and his eyes as bright and hard. "I understand that you took Princess Lyla into the tiger forest today." Val's hand was very near the blaster. "I understand you then played the role of affectionate rescuer." "Do you believe that story?" Hunter asked. "Do you have a different one?" "You might ask Lyla. Or Alonzo. Alonzo is the one who came to me for help when he saw she was going out to die." "To die?" A startled expression came into the black eyes. "She _wanted_ to die?"