So, he thought, it must be Reiloc that she's crazy about. Reiloc!
He could see the giant Nehogan leave the cavemen, hurry toward the girl. They met on the level valley floor between the ship and the wild Kagans who were still debouching from among the trees.
Jupiter's blood ran suddenly cold. A flock of web-birds had appeared over the crest of the hill.
He leaped for the keys of the needle gun.
"Reiloc!" he yelled through the P. A. "Tabak! Watch out! The birds!"
He got three of the ungainly flying webs with the needle ray. Then he couldn't shoot any more.
"Oh, hell," he said.
The web-birds had dropped onto the pair in the open. Jupiter could see neither Reiloc nor Tabak. Only the monstrous fluttering of the creature's wings. Then the flock lifted slowly into the air bearing the Nehogan and the Caligan girl aloft. Jupiter didn't dare fire for fear of hitting either the one or the other.
They rose higher, higher, then straight as wild bees they lined out for the distant city by the Dra Dur.
Jupiter was beside himself with helpless rage and consternation. He couldn't chase them in the starship. It would be like attempting to follow a school of fish in an ocean liner.