He glanced along
the board and saw that Van Rycke had noted that stake and was calling
their Captain's attention to it.
But such side issues were forgotten as the duelists vaulted into the
circle rimmed by the table, a space now vacated for their action. They
were stripped to their loin cloths, their cloaks thrown aside. Each
carried his net in his right hand, his claw knife ready in his left. As
yet the Traders had not seen Salarik against Salarik in action and in
spite of themselves they edged forward in their seats, as intent as the
natives upon what was to come. The finer points of the combat were lost
on them, and they did not understand the drilled casts of the net, which
had become as formalized through the centuries as the ancient and now
almost forgotten sword play of their own world. The young Salarik had
greater agility and speed, but the veteran who faced him had the
experience.
To Terran eyes the duel had some of the weaving, sweeping movements of
the earlier ritual dance. The swift evasions of the nets were graceful
and so timed that many times the meshes grazed the skin of the fighter
who fled entrapment.
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