-
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Lastwell continued in the same even tone of voice, I wouldn t have
left that Quwanga village until I d gutted every last one of the sneaky
four-fingered bastards.
Simna commented with his usual dryness. That is hardly a scientific attitude,
Frank.
It s not how they work it here, Captain. Prentice adjusted his own rug.
Remember what we decided after Cody died?
Assume that nothing here is quite what it seems? That goes for the
Pendju and the Quwanga as much as for the rest of the fauna and flora.
No shit. Lastwell punctuated his understanding with a sardonic smile.
When we go to help the Quwanga, Mahd ji informed them, you could come with
us. I am sure they could help you as much as we have.
Carnavon shifted until he was sitting on his knees. But they killed your
mate. They killed Boutu. How can you be friends with them, much less work
alongside them?
Her response was somber. There are not that many Pendju or Quwanga. We
must help each other. This is an important principle.
I agree, I agree, Carnavon replied impatiently. So why kill each other and
make fewer of each tribe?
Because it stimulates and&
We know. A thoroughly vexed Simna interrupted her as readily as he
would have one of his own colleagues. I don t know if we re ready to meet
the Quwanga, Mahd ji. I don t know if I
want to meet the people who killed Boutu.
Why not? She was genuinely perplexed. I know they would greet you as we
have and try to help you in your work. We have already spoken to them of you.
Lastwell caught enough of her declamation to sit away from the trunk of the
tree and look around nervously. The Quwanga know that we re here?
Certainly. We would not keep such fine news secret from them.
Alien sociology. Expect the unexpected. Nothing s what it seems.
Halstead nodded to no one in particular. I think I m starting to get
the hang of it.
Simna rose and walked to stand close to Mahd ji. She looked up at him
expectantly. Mahd ji, don t you miss
Boutu?
Of course, she replied softly. I miss him very much.
Maybe we can find her a new husband among her good pals the Quwanga,
Lastwell snorted. Prentice shot him a warning look, and the captain raised his
hands innocently. Hey, I m just trying to see things from their perspective.
Isn t that what we re supposed to be doing? Why don t you ask her if she
thinks that s a good idea, Salvor?
Prentice considered, but quickly decided he d rather not know the answer.
X
Page 76
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Over the next three days they discovered and rapidly catalogued
forty-two new species of arthropod, half a dozen new, large, warm-blooded
creatures, and as many more of
Octixica
, the new order Simna and Halstead had devised to include certain
extremely odd creatures that seemed to fit into no recognizable
class. Simply gathering and assembling their boundless cornucopia of specimens
kept them too busy to dwell on developments within the village.
Simna was alone in one of their two assigned huts. Seated at a portable lab
table, he was struggling to bottle a cross between a legless lizard
and a millipede, when Mahd ji gave him a serious start by sneaking
up behind him and slipping both fluid, limber arms over his shoulders.
Her body temperature was lower than his own and her skin was cool to
the touch. An understandable adaptation to the Xican climate, but one
that could be disconcerting when encountered in person.
It was not the difference in temperature that startled him, however,
so much as the familiarity suggested by the gesture.
Putting aside specimen and holding bottle, he whirled around in
the chair so fast that she retreated. There was uncertainty in her
expression and her voice.
Did I hurt you, J ac? Fathomless orbs of magenta spilled their concern
into his own.
No. You didn t hurt me. He punctuated his denial with a native gesture to
further reassure her. I was concentrating on what
I was doing and you just surprised me, that s all.
I did not mean to.
It s all right. His damnable sharp tone again, he cursed himself.
With care he explained, It s just that ever since our friend died we ve all
been a little jumpy, a little on edge.
We sorrow for your lost companion.
That s good of you, but you needn t concern yourselves. You have your own
dead to mourn. Though I admit I haven t seen you doing much of that.
We celebrate those who are no longer with us, friend J ac.
We do not mourn them.
We re trying to understand that. He found himself drawn to the very human
folds and ripples of her lightly clad form, still feeling the
coolness of her arms against his bare neck. If you squinted a
little so that the sui generis face blurred, and made yourself blot
out the strange hands and feet& he was suddenly apprehensive.
Surface semblances, perceived equivalences. They were admittedly
striking, and in some ways the differences could be viewed as exotic
rather than alien. There was a striking symmetry about the Pendju that had
been apparent from the first time they had been observed bathing in the stream
near the village or at the beach. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
- doc.pisz.pl
- pdf.pisz.pl
- zambezia2013.opx.pl