Randall examined the man pityingly. "Apparently nothing very serious," he said. "Because our new companions over there are still very much alive."
However, Randall didn't know the full extent of the Kralons' inhumanity. Zor Ala hadn't had time to tell him that not all the human arrivals in the world of the Kralons were still in the stockade. There hadn't been time to discuss the fate of sixteen humans who had never come back from their appointments with their strange captors!
Just then the stockade door opened and a harsh voice rasped: "First human will come now."
The companions looked at each other, then Randall started to step forward, but Blake Garnet was ahead of him. The hunter stepped through the door, head held high, a saturnine grin on his rugged features.
"Just my meat," he called back. "An ant with Elephantiasis should be fair prey for a big game hunter."
When the door had closed behind Garnet, Angus McClellan grinned a little wryly at Randall.
"A great a'nt is sometimes okay," he drawled, "if her name is Sarah, and she leaves you a pile of jack."
Randall grinned back at him. He recognized the other's wisecracking as an attempt to keep up the morale of the party.
"Which species do you prefer?" he asked.
The lanky Australian squinted. "Wa—al," he said. "Don't know but what I'd prefer the Kralons to Aunt Sarah, when she had her dander up."