"You wish of me?" Plainly he was one who believed in getting down to
essentials at once.
Kallee could not be overawed. "These Free Traders have introduced among
your people a powerful drug which will bring much evil," he spoke slowly
in simple words as if he were addressing a cub.
"You have evidence of such evil?" countered the storm priest. "In what
manner is this new plant evil?"
For a moment Kallee was disconcerted. But he rallied quickly. "It has
not been tested--you do not know how it will affect your people--"
The storm priest shook his head impatiently. "We are not lacking in
intelligence, Trader. This plant _has_ been tested, both by your master
of life secrets and ours. There is no harm in it--rather it is a good
thing, to be highly prized--so highly that we shall give thanks that it
was brought unto us. This speech-together is finished." He pulled the
loose folds of his robe closer about him and walked away.
"Now," Van Rycke addressed the I-S party, "I must ask you to withdraw.
Under the rules of Trade your presence here can be actively resented--"
But Kallee had lost little of his assurance.
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