Morten ceased his struggles and looked about at the captors. Some of them he recognized. Some had been in his long-ago class. “Why have you come here?” he demanded in their own language.
Then, from the outer edge of the crowd, Werk came forward. “We cannot let you go, Mr. Bradwell. We cannot let you take the Star Prince.”
“You’re insane! This crazy story of Free’s has you all deluded. He is from Earth, a planet so far from here you could never understand the distance. We leave tomorrow for our own worlds and our own people.”
“We are Free’s own people,” said Werk obstinately,” and this is his world. We have waited lifetimes for his coming. The fathers of our oldest fathers spoke of the coming of the Star Prince and we will not let you take him from us.” Werk came close, his eyes hard and
