Chapter 13, Starseed Lure Summary

Louis realizes that the natives had thought the crewmembers were gods. He shouldn't have laughed, but he thinks it's funny that the people have forgotten they live on a ring and believe the distant ring is an arch. At least they can run from their mistakes on the cycles. Louis also realizes that the puppeteers' "cowardice" in turning from danger is an instinct to use their most powerful weapon.

As Louis is piloting the cycles, he begins ruminating about the starseed lure that Nessus mentioned. He thinks about the Man-Kzin war. Could the puppeteers purposely have attracted the Outsiders to the human settlement with a starseed lure, so the humans would buy advanced technology and defeat the kzinti, curbing their warlike people and forcing them to evolve into more peaceful people? Speaker overhears Louis talking to himself and has...