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“You better come along,” Lin said, turning.

Ri rubbed his hands along his thighs; he sighed, a tiny sound, ineffectual. He followed Lin beyond an outcropping of shale to where Extrone was seated, petting his rifle.

Extrone nodded genially. “The farn beast hunter, eh?”

“Yes, sir.”

Extrone drummed his fingers on the stock of the blast rifle. “Tell me what they look like,” he said suddenly.

“Well, sir, they’re ... uh....”

“Pretty frightening?”

“No, sir.... Well, in a way, sir.”

“But you weren’t afraid of them, were you?”

“No, sir. No, because....”

Extrone was smiling innocently. “Good. I want you to do something for me.”

“I ... I....” Ri glanced nervously at Lin out of the tail of his eye. Lin’s face was impassive.

“Of course you will,” Extrone said genially. “Get me a rope, Lin. A good, long, strong rope.”

“What are you going to do?” Ri asked, terrified.

“Why, I’m going to tie the rope around your waist and stake you out as bait.”

“No!”

“Oh, come now. When the farn beast hears you scream—you can scream, by the way?”