PRELUDE<br >CELEBRATION<br >It was a lumbering creature which had spotted Mistress Liennie.<br >Her 135 pounds would be no match for its eight tons.<br > In Liennie s hand was a two-qunee weapon. It would make up<br >for the difference.<br > The slim weapon， set correctS， was not deadly to the pre-<br >historie herbivore approaching Mistress Liennie. There was even<br >a possibility that the creature s poor concentration， exceeded only<br >by its poor eyesight， would forget the small human.<br > Liennie hoped for that. If the creature attacked， it would be in<br >error. Liennie would not be a source of food the creature could<br >use.<br > Liennie was an alien. Her daisy chain of protein would be of<br >no use to it. Besides， the mammal was considered a friend to the<br >human settlers. Its prime source of food was man s deadliest<br >enemy on the planet.<br > If necessary， she would render it unconscious. She hoped she<br >wouldn t have to. It was not her purpose to interfere with it.<br > The creature did not forget her. It approaehed slowly， with<br >purpose. Soon， it passed the imaginary line she had drawn.<br > She fired between its poor eyes.<br > It sank on the sand. It would<br >eighteen hours， Terran.<br >be out for half a Hobar day-<br > She moved toward it and stroked its huge head. That was a<br >gesture. The creature had no sensitivity which could be felt with<br >less than the blow of a sledgehammer.<br > Almost ritualistically， she apologized softly. She unstrapped<br ><br >