Spacial Delivery

In the good old days when you were dispatched to rescue a maiden distressed by monsters, they usually gave you a suit of armor and a mighty steed.

Well, times have changed: John Tardy didn't volunteer to do battle for maiden fair; he didn't know about the battle until he was in it. And no suit of armor either on Dilbia, it's bare hands even when your opponent has the size, strength and temperament of a hungry Kodiak bear.

John Tardy, a very competent Earthman, figured all that could have been worked out, if only he could have arrived at the fight aboard a magnificent charger, or on his own two feet, or any way other than Spacial Delivery.