The ululating cries were closer now, ringing up the valley. He could see lights flashing back and forth in the trees as the pack cast about for the fugitive's trail in the dark.
Matt stood in the round port, the passage behind him jammed with the curious members of the expedition.
All at once, the shouting below fell silent, the lights winked off.
"What is it? Do you see anything?" Trigg called nervously.
"Nothing." Matt realized that he was silhouetted against the light in the passage. "Turn off the lights."
In an instant they blinked out. Matt found that he could see better. He could make out the black circle charred bare by the jets when they had landed, the ringing wall of pines.
"There's something moving in the trees!" he informed the others. He could feel a shudder pass over them. "Where's that man?"
Lynn answered, "Back in the messroom, gibbering. Barb's trying to get sense out of him, but he seems terrified of her."
Matt caught a flash of white from the trees below and stiffened.
Then, dainty as a wolf, a woman stepped into the bare moonlit circle surrounding the Argus. She threw back her head to stare up at the towering spaceship. She was dressed in boots and breeches, but they couldn't conceal her sex.