Secret of the Stars Read Online Free PDF

believe that they had been. Every stark detail of what could happen to a runaway was there in three-dimensional color: blanket storms, lamby on the prowl, poison springs, and half a dozen other terrors native to this wolf world. Even breathing without any protection meant that the icy crystals in the winds could bring a quick and fatal lung disorder. As a lesson against escape the show was very forceful. But the pictures did not in the least modify Joktar’s private plans to stage a break-out at the first opportunity.
    “Now you’re going up for auction,” the guard told them. “You’ll probably be mine fodder. Play along with the rules, don’t try any tough stuff, and you can maybe buy your time someday. First ten of you, this way.”
    By chance, Joktar was numbered among that ten. He was hustled on into a larger room, standing with his group on the platform facing a small audience of perhaps a dozen or so. Most of them were seated at ease, their outer furs slung back. But there were three or four others to the rear of the room who did not look so much at home.
    “. . . certified fit and able for labor . . .” someone droned. A man in E-service uniform was reading from the ship record.
    The Fenrian guards thrust their charges into line again. One by one, they took a man by the shoulders, turned him slowly about for the inspection of the buyers. As they reached him, Joktar heard a voice rise from the bidders.
    “What’s that kid doing here? Nobody could get a full week’s worth out of a skinny little worm like that!”
    “I dunno, Lars, those skinny ones sometimes are tougher than you think.” Another man arose and came forward to the edge of the platform. “Let’s see your paws, kid.”
    The guard didn’t give the Terran time to obey on his own. Clamping a grip on the captive’s elbows, he swung his arms out. The bidder stabbed critically at the nearest palm.
    “Soft. Well, that’ll harden up using a digger. Might make a sorter of him. Only they’d better take a mark down on his price.”
    Joktar was shoved back into line and his neighbor brought out. The bidding began and, when they reached Joktar once again, he saw one of the men by the doorway move forward.
    “Ten skins, prime lamby,” the words broke through the monotonous offers of credits. The man who had examined Joktar’s hands swung around in his seat, scowling.
    “Who let this woods beast in?” he demanded.
    The newcomer continued to thread a way between the seats until he stood by the E-officer.
    “E-auction, right?” he asked, his tone holding much the same bite as had that of the mine man.
    “Yes.” The officer was plainly bored by it all.
    “No privileged bidders, at least the notice didn’t say so.”
    “No privileged bidders.”
    “Then I offer ten prime lamby skins.” He stood there, his feet in their fur-lined, fur-cuffed boots, slightly apart, his body balanced as if he were about to issue a call out for a blaster meeting.
    “Ten prime lamby skins bid,” repeated the E-officer.
    “Fifty credits!” snapped the challenging company man.
    “Fifteen skins.”
    “One hundred credits!” a second of the miners cut in.
    The E-officer waited a moment and then spoke to the other. “You still interested?”
    Joktar watched the newcomer glance to his fellows by the door as if in appeal. When there came no answer from them, he shrugged, walked back. A snicker arose from the company men.
    “Stay out in your mountain dens and freeze!” called the victorious bidder. Then he turned to the business at hand. “Well, do I get him for a hundred?”
    The E-officer nodded and Joktar became the property of one of the companies.
    They were sorted out into company groups at the end of the sale, fed, given quarters for the night, and each a suit of thermo clothing. Joktar listened eagerly to the guards, treasuring every scrap of information. He was now owned by the Jard-Nellis Corporation and their holdings were in a newly opened sector