And all this Inter-Solar man would do now was to bow out and try
poaching elsewhere.
But the I-S man appeared to be in no haste to follow that only possible
course. He was seating himself with arrogant dignity on that unoccupied
stool, and a younger man in I-S uniform was putting before him the same
type of equipment Dane had produced for Van Rycke. The Cargo-master of
the Solar Queen showed no surprise, if the Eysies' appearance had been
such to him.
One of the younger warriors in Paft's train got to his feet and brought
his hands together with a clap which echoed across the silent gathering
with the force of an archaic solid projectal shot. A Salarik, wearing the
rich dress of the upper ranks, but also the collar forced upon a captive
taken in combat, came into the enclosure carrying a jug in both hands.
Preceded by Paft's son he made the rounds of the assembly pouring a
purple liquid from his jug into the goblet before each chieftain, a
goblet which Paft's heirs tasted ceremoniously before it was presented to
the visiting clan leader. When they paused before Van Rycke the Salarik
nobleman touched the side of the plasta flask in token.
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