Earthsmith

just now rendered. Itis, I feel, a good one. Talk."

  "Then I agree, it is a good one." Smith did not want to get involved. Hewanted to be a good, quietly efficient student. Nothing more. But heforgot that the instructor could read minds.

  "You lie, Smith of Earth. I won't go into it any further, because it isyour privilege if you want to lie. But you are not to listen for theremainder of this lecture. Do not listen."

  Smith nodded, cursed himself mentally because he had made such a mess ofthings here at his very first lecture, and headed for the door.

  "Smith of Earth! Just where under the red sun do you think you aregoing?"

  "You told me not to listen, so--"

  "I didn't say talk. Talk now."

  "--so I'm leaving the room."

  "No one leaves until the lecture has been concluded. Sit if you will, orstand, but stay here. And do not listen."

  Smith nodded, turned back to the row of benches dumbly. He found a placenext to Brandog of Hulpin, sat near the albino woman. Down the bench, hesaw Jorak grinning broadly. Smith did not know how he was going to sitthere without listening, but he decided he'd better not ask thatquestion now.

  * * * * *

  "This is your course in Wortan fighting," boomed the giant of aninstructor. "Dominants only, or such Receptives as question theirclassification." The instructor's massive face was beefy, the color ofnew-spilled blood, and the muscles rippled and bulged and seethed underhis black uniform.

  "Me for this!" confided Kard of Shilon, slapping Smith's back. "PerhapsJorak has told you that I am not without ability on the Wortan mats."

  Smith hardly heard him. Two dozen paces across the room, on the otherside of the circle that surrounded the instructor, stood Geria, hands onhips, lips soft-smiling when she saw Smith, silver tunic to her knees,yellow hair hanging free to shoulders.

  "Join me, Smith of Earth?" she called, and knees watery again, Smithmade his way around the circle.

  While Jorak gaped, Geria took Smith's hand when they met half way aroundthe circle, and she smiled up at him. "I wouldn't have believed it, butyou're blushing again. Earth trait, Smith?"

  "No, not really," he stammered.

  The slim girl was about to say something, but the instructor cleared histhroat ominously, and the room became silent again. "Now, then,"declared the giant, "there's no trick to fighting with psi-powers.Anyone can do that, and the women of Bortinot, as you know, areparticularly adept. But the people of Wortan have no such powers, andthey must depend on tooth and nail, on sinew and bone and animalcunning. Such is the way the Wortanians do battle--and, purely forsport, such is the way of Wortan fighting. Any questions?"

  "Yes," Geria told him, "I have one. Are we not permitted to use anypsi-powers?"

  "None. They disqualify you."

  "Well, then I suppose I must withdraw from the course. I can't beexpected to stand up to a man physically. I'm not built that way--andvery few women are, Dominant or Receptive."

  Smith had not expected this, but now he felt a warm glow in his breast.He almost wanted to put his arm about the woman's shoulders,protectively. How could such a delicate beautiful thing be expected tofight?

  The instructor said, "I won't argue with you. I can't remember a womanever lasting in Wortan fighting, but if they're Dominants they'reautomatically entered. The rest of you can do like--"

  The words came out before Smith could stop them. "In that case, cananyone tell me the difference between a Dominant and a Receptive?"

  There was a lot of laughter in the room, and Smith thought it would havebeen the same had he, as a child, asked the difference between boy andgirl. "Ah, old Earthsmith!" he heard Jorak's voice. "Everytime he openshis mouth new wisdom spews forth."

  Pale eyes looked out of the instructor's blood-red face. "Obviously,you're joking. I'm here to answer questions, among other things, but youcouldn't be serious."

  And Smith heard his own dull voice reply:

  "No, certainly not. I was only joking."

  Said Geria, "Silly, a Dominant has more psi-powers, that's all. But youreally didn't know, did you?"

  "There are no psi-powers on Earth to speak of," Smith reminded her.

  "Hmm, very true. In that case, maybe you're all Receptives--male andfemale. But don't feel too badly, Smith; Wortan's the same way, andWortan has a first-rate culture. Look: they even have an instructor hereat the school."

  The instructor of Wortan fighting was a Wortanian, of course. And here,in Wortan fighting, Smith might feel at home. But he hardly expected toexcel at the school by breaking someone's back, or pinning himhelplessly to the Wortan mat. Suddenly he found himself thinking ofEarth, thinking of the trust that had been put in him as Earth's firststudent at the school. But his thoughts did not remain there long--hiseyes took in the soft yellow of Geria's hair, and Earth faded far away.

  "--volunteers," the instructor was saying. "Does anyone want to step onthe mat with me for a fall or two?"

  "I recommend Earthsmith," came Jorak's voice. "Positively--Earthsmith'syour man."

  Smith felt his face becoming very red again, but Geria nudged him withan elbow. "Go ahead, Smith--why not? You told me once you didn't fearanyone in the room of the registrar, not in physical combat. Go ahead."

  "I know, but--"

  "Go ahead, Smith. Show me."

  He could do that. Yes, he could show her. But what if he werewrong--they might know a trick or two that would make him look foolish.And he wouldn't want that, not in front of Geria. "I am tired," he said."I didn't sleep well last night."

  The instructor rescued him. "I didn't ask you to recommend. I asked forvolunteers. But you who spoke, what's your name?"

  "I am Jorak of Gyra," said Jorak, purple face paling.

  "You'll do. On the mat, man of Gyra."

  Jorak stepped forward, slowly, in no hurry to meet the giant. Smithheard Kard's mocking laugh. "Ho, Jorak--he'll tear you in half. Now ifhe had asked for a man of Shilon ... a real man...."

  And still laughing, the Shilonian heaved mightily with both his handsand sent Jorak stumbling out onto the mat. The man of Gyra fell andskidded on his stomach, turned over once and finally came up into asitting position at the instructor's feet. Kard was grinning, but Joraksaw nothing funny in what had happened. He stood up slowly, wheezing,and his gaze raked the circle. It flicked past Kard rapidly, kept going,poised a moment on Geria, then reached Smith. Jorak shook his fist. "Allright, Earthsmith, I'll get you for this."

  Geria smiled. "I would say that you have an enemy there."

  The instructor bellowed a warning and came for Jorak.

  * * * * *

  For some reason Smith found he couldn't keep his eyes off the fray, andhe found his own breath coming in ragged gasps. Geria watched with adispassionate interest. "Poor man of Gyra," she said. "It might be adifferent story if he could use some of his psi-powers. The men of Gyrahave a little of that, you know."

  "Well, why can't he?"

  "He'd be disqualified, shamed--and maybe worse. I never knew thatpsi-powers were not permitted on the Wortan mat, but I did know that therules must be adhered to rigidly."

  The instructor's massive body stood between them and Jorak, and one ofthe great arms circled the man of Gyra's neck. Jorak's purple faceglared straight at Smith, and his body thrashed and wriggled furiously,like a snake, head held fast by a forked stick. Abruptly, the instructorstepped back and let go. Jorak fell and lay writhing on the mat, legsand arms pounding.

  "Brute strength is what we want in Wortan," said the instructor,smoothing his black uniform.

  Said Kard of Shilon: "You outweigh Jorak, but I see your point. I wonderhow you would do with a man of Shilon."

  The instructor smiled. "Well, we will pair off now. You can select me,if you wish. Those who want to drop out of the course, step back fromthe circle. We need room--"

  All the women moved away, slowly, reluctantly. They were Dominants,every one, and Smith sensed they lon
ged to use their psi-powers. Some ofthem trembled nervously from the exhibition they had seen, some wipedsweat from white and pink and green brow. One tall albino woman seemedhesitant, stepped back toward the circle, but she backed away again whena gold man big as Kard of Shilon strode forward eagerly.

  Against the wall stood the dozen women, rapt eyes intent on the men asthey paired off. And this, Smith thought bitterly, is culture. This iswhat Earth had missed by closing its star lanes. Well, Earth....

  "Don't sulk, Smith