"
"Why on earth did you want 'Terra Bound?'" burst out Dane, still seeking
an explanation for that one small mystery among the others.
Tau chuckled. "In the first place, that blasted tune has haunted us all
for so long that I knew its rhythm was probably the one you could keep
to without hardly knowing that you were beating it out. And, in the
second place, its alien pattern was a part of our particular background,
to counteract Lumbrilo's native Khatkan music, which was certainly a big
factor in _his_ stage setting. He must have believed that we would not
find out about the drugged water and so would be prepared for any
fantasy he cared to produce. When they saw us coming out over the swamp
they counted us easy takings. His practice had always been with
Khatkans, and he judged us by their reactions to stimuli he knew well
how to use. So he failed...."
Asaki smiled. "Which was good for Khatka but ill for Lumbrilo and those
using him to make mischief here. The poacher and the outlaw Hunters will
meet with our justice, which I do not believe they will relish.
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