Mzepps Prisoner, Dover, England

Nikeaa Infantry officer outside Pskov, USSR

Oyyag Prisoner,gulagnear Petrozavodsk, USSR

Ppevel Assistant administrator, eastern region, main continental mass, Peking

Pshing Atvar’s adjutant, Cairo

Ristin Prisoner, Hot Springs, Arkansas

Saltta Psychological researcher, Canton, China

Straha Tosevite propagandist, Hot Springs, Arkansas

Strukss Tosevite liaison officer, Cairo

Teerts Killercraft flight leader, Florida

Tessrek Researcher in tosevite behavior

Ttomalss Researcher in tosevite behavior, Peking

Uotat Atvar’s interpreter, Cairo

Ullhass Prisoner, Hot Springs, Arkansas

Ummfac Aircraft armorer, Florida

Ussmak Mutineer outside Tomsk, USSR

Zolraag Negotiator with Jewish guerrillas, Jerusalem

I

In free fall, Atvar the fleetlord glided over to the hologram projector. He poked the stud at the base of the machine. The image that sprang into being above the projector was one the Race’s probe had sent back from Tosev 3 eight hundred local years earlier.

A Big Ugly warrior sat mounted on a beast. He wore leather boots, rusty chainmail, and a dented iron helmet; a thin coat woven from plant fibers and dyed blue with plant juices shielded his armor from the heat of the star the Race called Tosev. To Atvar, to any male of the Race, Tosev 3 was on the chilly side, but not to the natives.