"We're going to get them out of there," I said, "and take them back to the ship. I didn't come all this way for nothing." I drew one of the controls toward me, fastened the clips to my antennae, advanced the gain and thought into it. There was a stir of movement inside and a huge form came stumbling out. It stood there clad in loose cloth coverings, reeking with halogen. I looked up at the dark bulk and shivered. "That smell!" Ven said. * * * * * "We can help it a bit," I replied and turned to the control. With its massive fore-limbs the brute ripped the cloth from its body as it moved down-wind. I made it stand and took the other control. "Let me do it," Ven said. "You can't handle both of them in your condition." "All right," I said, "but be careful." "I will. Now what do I do?" "Advance the intensity knob and think what you want it to do." There was a flurry of movement inside the tent, the thrashing of a huge body, and the second mammal burst through the opening and staggered clumsily to a stop. "Reduce the intensity," I said. "You're projecting too strong a stimulus. Now uncover it and send it over with the other one to cool off. They're more bearable when they're cold. They exude the scent from their skin glands to compensate for temperature." "I know," Ven said. "I studied biology." She did as I instructed and then dropped beside me. We relaxed, gathering our strength for the climb ahead. But I didn't recover rapidly. I could move, but the exertion made me dizzy. The excitement was over and reaction had set in. "I'll never make it," I said dully. "I can help," Ven said--"a little." "It won't be enough. You don't have the strength to carry me." I looked at the huge bodies of the mammals gleaming pallidly in the darkness, and suddenly I had an idea. The Slaads on Valga domesticated mammals. They were quadrupedal, true enough, but they were still mammals. Why couldn't I ride one of these as they did? Those great masses of muscle should carry me easily. "I think I have a solution," I said. "What?" "I'll have one of them carry me." "You can't!" "Why not? They're controlled. And they're the only way I'll be able to get back to the ship." I picked up the nearest controller. "Let's see what happens." Ven squeaked as the monster lifted me in the air and set me across its neck. I crossed my pads and hung on. The ground seemed terribly far away. "How is it up there?" Ven asked. "A little unstable," I said, "but I'll manage. Shall we go?" We moved up the trail to the rocky abutment and turned up the hill. The brute beneath me climbed strongly and easily. "Wait a minute," Ven said as she turned the corner behind me, "you're going too fast." "Why don't you ride?" I called down to her. "This one moves easily enough. It's much better than walking." "I think I will," Ven replied. * * * * *