 What might lead the reader to think that Ashlew  is trying to draw Kolin into a trap?
By H. B. Fyfe THE TALKATIVE TREE Dang vines! Despite sour feelings for the space service of Haurtoz, steward Peter Kolin had to admit that casualties might have been far worse. Kolin made himself inconspicuous. It may be useful to discover temporary sources in this area of natural foods." Lack of complete loyalty to the state was likely to result in a siege of treatment that left the subject suitably "re-personalized." Kolin had heard of instances wherein mere unenthusiastic posture had betrayed intentions to harbor treasonable thoughts. "You will scout in five details of three persons each," Chief Slichow said. "Every hour, each detail will send one person in to report, and he will be replaced by one of the five I shall keep here to issue rations." (Too eager an attitude could arouse suspicion of disguising an improper viewpoint.) The maintenance of a proper viewpoint was a necessity if the Planetary State were to survive the hostile plots of Earth and the latter's decadent colonies. Kolin found himself in a group with Jak Ammet, a third cook, and Eva Yrtok, powdered foods storekeeper. Since the crew would be eating packaged rations during repairs, Yrtok could be spared to command a scout detail. Chief Slichow emphasized that the keepers of rations could hardly, in an emergency, give even the appearance of favoring themselves in regard to food. Ammet followed, and Kolin brought up the rear. To reach their assigned sector, they had to climb a forbidding ridge of rock within half a kilometer. Only a sparse creeper grew along their way, its elongated leaves shimmering with bronze-green reflections against a stony surface; but when they topped the ridge a thick forest was in sight. Yrtok and Ammet paused momentarily before descending. For all Kolin could tell, he and the others were isolated in a world bounded by the rocky ridge behind them and a semi-circle of damp trees and bushes several hundred meters away. He suspected that the hills rising mistily ahead were part of a continuous slope, but could not be sure. Once, a shrub puffed out an enormous cloud of tiny spores. "Be a job to find anything edible here," grunted Ammet, and Kolin agreed. Yrtok paused to examine some purple berries glistening dangerously on a low shrub. Fifty meters away, Ammet sat beside the bush with the purple berries, utterly relaxed. Ammet's head lolled loosely to one side. Kolin straightened up and beckoned to Yrtok. As he reached her, whatever Yrtok was examining came to life and scooted into the underbrush with a flash of greenish fur.
 The way in which he offers to talk to the powerful force about Kolin's history
 The way in which he offers to talk to the powerful force about Kolin's history  The holes strewn across Ashlew's back.  The fact that Ashlew assumed Kolin had been to Earth.  The fact that anyone would think a tree would be a good being to change into.