The Weakling

This story was published in Analog Science Fact & Fiction , February 1961. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
A strong man can, of course, be dangerous, but he doesn’t approach the vicious deadliness of a weakling—with a weapon!
Illustrated by van Dongen
aran Makun looked across the table at the caravan master.
“And you couldn’t find a trace of him?”
“Nothing. Not even a scrap of his cargo or so much as the bones of a long-neck. He just dropped out of sight of his whole train. He went through this big estate, you see. Then he cut back to pick up some of his stops on the northern swing. Well, that was all. He didn’t get to the first one.” The other waved a hand.
“Weird situation, too. Oh, the null was swirling, we know that, and he could have been caught in an arm. It happens, but it isn’t too often that an experienced man like your brother gets in so deep he can’t get out somehow—or at least leave some trace of what happened.” The man picked up his cup, eying it thoughtfully.
“Oh, we’ve all had close ones, sure. We’ve all lost a long-neck or so, now and then. Whenever the null swirls, it can cover big territory in a big hurry and most of that northern swing is null area at one time or another. One of those arms can overrun a train at night and if a man loses his head, he’s in big trouble.” He sipped from his cup.
“Young caravan master got caught that way, just a while back. A friend of mine, Dr. Zalbon, was running the swing after the null retracted. He found what was left.”
“Told me he ran into a herd of carnivores. Fifteen or twenty real big fellows. Jaws as long as a man. He killed them off and then found they’d been feeding on what was left of Dar Konil’s train.”
He shook his head. “It’s not a nice area.”
“Hold everything.” Naran leaned forward. “You said my brother went through this big estate. Anyone see him come out?”