-
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
grouped and ran steadily off to her right.
She swerved and dipped for a closer look-they were tan, like the grass, and
slightly dappled.
Some had three horns; the rest had none. Satisfied, she returned to her
previous course. She looked back once; the herd had stopped running.
The sight of two half-eaten carcasses told her of carnivores, but she saw
none. Something dark brown, looking like a small rhinoceros but without a
horn, waddled seli-importantly across her course and did not deign to look up
or hurry as she passed. She knew of no birds on Number One-
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when she thought she saw a flock, a closer look showed her a cloud of large,
brightly colored insects.
\r3
\rShe looked at her watch. It was nearly time to turn back, but she went a
little farther-for on the horizon she saw a shimmer. She lifted for better
view and kept course for several minutes, until she saw it was a vast lake-or
ocean, perhaps? No-above ground level of the far side of the
Hills it could not be an ocean. Yet she could see no farther shore.
Still curious-but resigned to remaining so, this day-she turned back, holding
altitude and pushing the car near to top speed. As she neared the Hills she
climbed farther, until in the distance she discerned Tregare's plateau; then
she leveled off, as near its height as she could determine. She held steady-
course, speed, and altitude-until she approached Base One. She had guessed a
bit low-she had to lift a few feet to clear the edge, then touched ground
almost immediately and taxied to a stop near the cabin. The door was a few
inches ajar; as she climbed the steps, Tregare opened it. His right hand held
the big energy gun.
"What-?"
"The way you came in, Rissa-from below and then straight at me-it could have
been anybody, and not wanting to give warning."
"I had not thought-I am sorry, Bran, if I alarmed you."
He grinned. "That's all right; it does me good to pull the string tight once
in a while. I was only explaining why this hand cannon." He put it back in its
place and bent to meet her kiss.
Then, "Well, did you get a good look at the plains?"
"Not long enough-far enough, I mean-but good, yes." She reported what she had
seen. "That body of water, Bran-do you know what it is?"
"Sure. That's Big Sink-sort of an inland sea, and mostly a dead one. Think of
Great Salt Lake on
Earth-only twice as salty and maybe the size of Australia."
She thought back, recalling. "Yes. I would not be able to swim in it, would I?
The water so much heavier-I would float too high."
"That's right. I tried once; you can almost crawl on it." He looked
thoughtful. "Those grassrunners-that herd you saw. If we have time we should
go out and bag a couple, while they're in this close. Good eating, the few
times I've tasted that meat."
"I am not sure whether I have had any. Except for bush-
54
stomper I do not know what animals I have eaten from, on this world."
He paused. "We haven't had grassrunner-of course I don't know what all you've
eaten, other times. But Deverel has a couple in freeze, and-I forgot to
mention, we're invited to eat with Hain and Anse on the scout, a little later.
All right?"
"Yes. Of course."
"I'll call, then-and if the menu's not already planned ..." "Yes. But,
Bran-how much later, do we go there?" "What? Oh-well, enough, I'd say. If I'm
reading you right."
"I think you are. I will be back in a few moments." She was, and in the bed
felt herself closer to completion than before-but still not enough to strive.
To his look of inquiry, she answered, "It will happen, Bran-and this waiting,
now, is not unpleasant." "If you say so. Well, let's go to
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...2004%20-%20Rissa%20and%20Tregare
%20v1.0.txt (26 of 117) [7/14/2004 3:25:20 PM]
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%20F.%20M%20-%20Lon...20-%20Long%20V
iew%2004%20-%20Rissa%20and%20Tregare%20v1.0.txt dinner."
IF Tregare had not told her, she thought, she could not have guessed the
relationship of Deverel and Kenekke. Yet obviously they were a team of long
standing; in preparing and serving the meal they worked together without
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getting in each other's way, cramped though the space was, and with hardly a
word about the operation. Instead the talk concerned ships and their
people-Inconnu, Carcharodon, Lefthand Thread, and others.
"How do you like grassrunner steak?" Tregare asked.
She was chewing a bite and could only nod. Then she swallowed and took a sip
of wine. "I like it-
it has a gamy tang that bushstomper lacks. I see why it must be cooked
well-done; a rare cut, I
think, might be rather tough."
"That's right," said Deverel. "Oh, you can age it, but to my mind it loses
something that way."
"At any rate, it's very good. Thank you for sharing it."
"Any time," said Kenekke. "Lots more where this came from." He poured more
wine for the other three; his own glass held water.
"I wish we'd hear from Gonnelsen," Tregare said. "He
\r " 55
\rshould be picking up more signals by now if the others are on time-or coming
at all."
Deverel spoke. "What do you figure for the minimum?"
"Eight's best, but I'll try with six if I have to. Less than that, we're
forced to give it up this time."
"This time?" It was Kenekke. "Look, skipper-when will we be lucky enough to
get another advance schedule? And be able to meet the timing?"
Tregare shrugged and drained his glass. "We could always go back to the first
plan-though I
admit I like this one a lot better."
Well, he was not going to tell her-there was no point in asking. She stood.
"Suddenly I am very tired. Will you excuse me, please? And thank you again,
gentlemen." They said their goodnights, and she returned to the cabin.
AN hour later, when Tregare entered, she was soaking in the tub. "Rissa? You
feeling all right?"
"Yes, I feel well. Would you hand me a towel, please?" She stood and began
drying herself.
"Then why leave so early?"
"I did not like it, Bran-that you talked over my head, of things you all knew
and I did not, as though I were a schoolgirl."
"Oh, hell-I'm sorry. It's just that it would have taken too long, there, to
fill you in-
repeating, as you say, things they do already know."
Wrapping the towel around her, she moved to sit in the kitchen and poured
coffee for herself. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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