[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Page 32
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
got to wait here?" As he talked, Vanois briefly scanned the contracts Tregare
had brought, and in large, bold handwriting he signed them.
He kept one copy and returned the other two.
50
"In-oh, about twelve days-the ship should be here with the stuff. Has to
refuel at the port first, as you did. But the wait's not all waste. I see
you've got some plates skinned off the nose already-that's good. I've brought
blueprints for all the auxiliary work-bulkhead changes, turret mountings and
gunners' positions, conduit and power cables-so you can turn your people loose
on
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...2004%20-%20Rissa%20and%20Tregare
%20v1.0.txt (24 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 some of the preliminary
changes ahead of time."
"I likes that. Now-does I get you or someones to oversee, and for if I has
questions?"
Tregare frowned. "I can't be here myself much, until later -too much else to
do. But we have duplicate prints at Base One, and can confer over the
viewscreen. If you run into real trouble, which I don't expect, Deverel and
Kenekke can look in and help."
"Shoulds be enough. So-blueprints, you says?"
"In here." Tregare held out the briefcase; Vanois took it and began to pull
out the thick sheaf of drawings. "No-keep the case, too. It's handier."
"I thanks you." Abruptly he put out his hand, again first to Tregare and then
to Rissa. "Now it's work I needs to do."
He turned away. Rissa said, "Captain Vanois! I-I'd like to ask you about the
Shrakken, the aliens at Charleyhorse."
The man's brows lowered until she could hardly see his eyes. He nodded toward
Tregare. When he spoke, his voice was lower and quiet. "All I know, I told
him-when we were drinking. I'm not drunk now and don't have time for it-and to
talk of those creatures, I need to be." He turned and walked up Carcharodon's
ramp.
RISSA looked after him; Tregare took her arm. "Ready to go? Unless you want to
look around here some, we might as well."
"I am ready." They entered the aircar, Rissa leading. "Bran? May I take the
controls?"
"Sure, if you want. Certain you can find your way back?"
"I believe so-if not, you can instruct me. Is there time to swing down and see
a little of the plains, the edge of them?"
He looked at his watch. "Well-I'm expecting a call back at One. We'd be
cutting it a little fine, and there'd barely be time
51
to reach the plains and return. If you want, though-''
"No. As you said earlier, I can take the car myself, a longer time, when you
do not need it."
She took them up, looked for landmarks, and turned upslope at an angle. To see
farther ahead she went high; after a time, she recognized the plateau and
steered toward it.
"What did you think of Vanois?"
"He surprised me. At the end, when he was shaken, he dropped the strange
speech patterns he had used previously. Why-?"
"Vanois grew up on a colony planet-pretty rustic, I gather. When UET took him
into space training he was ridiculed and punished for talking like a
backwoodser. So since he Escaped he's made a point of using his childhood
argot- and people can like it or not."
"A strange form of pride-and not without its costs."
Page 33
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"What do you mean?"
"It makes his dealings more difficult-if the affectation irritates others as
much as it irritated me."
Tregare nodded. "I hadn't thought of it before because I've known him so long
it doesn't bother me any more-but maybe that's why a smart man like Raoul is
on such a tight money string. I mean, annoying people for no good tactical
reason."
"Will he be a handicap to your operation?"
"No. He knows better than to play games in a tight spot.''
"Good." They came over the plateau, still high above it because Rissa wanted
to see around it in full panorama. Then she dropped the car, fast and swooping
from side to side, halting the headlong fall close to the ground. She landed
gently; they got out and walked into the cabin.
Rissa was thirsty; she poured cold fruit juice for herself, and at Tregare's
nod, for him also.
Standing across the table from her he said, "That was a real blue streak
landing you made there."
"Was it not satisfactory? I like to try my skills occasionally."
"No, it was fine. I thought you might cut it too close, but you didn't. I just
wondered why all the flash. Well, keeping in practice is a good enough
reason."
"And perhaps I wished to remind myself that I can do some things well."
52
"What-" The intercom's buzz cut him off; he went to answer. From where she
sat, Rissa could not make out the words. Then he crossed to the door and
opened it. "View-screen call; I'll take it on the scout-like to see who I'm
talking to when I can. I wish I'd thought to bring a portable to use in here."
He smiled. "This shouldn't take long."
The door closed behind him; Rissa poured his juice back into the pitcher and
put it away to stay cool. She waited, and finally Tregare called her. "I'm
stuck here for longer than I thought. You
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...2004%20-%20Rissa%20and%20Tregare
%20v1.0.txt (25 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 may as well go ahead and have
some lunch; I'll snack here from ship's stores. If you want the aircar this
afternoon I won't be needing it after all. All right?"
"Yes. Perhaps I will." She cut the circuit, thinking that the only way to hold
this man to her was to make herself more of a part to his great project. And
the doing, she decided, would not be as easy as the thinking.
SHE made a light meal. Afterward she took the aircar down-slope, cruising at
medium speed, skimming crests and dipping into valleys. An hour later, she
crossed the last ridge-at its foot, the plains began. She flew straight out
across their beginnings.
She saw few trees, mostly grouped around occasional ponds. A tall grasslike
growth covered the gently rolling ground; now it waved in a light breeze. At
first she sighted no animals, but after a few minutes a herd-thirty or forty,
she guessed-sprang up from concealment among the grass- [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl rafalstec.xlx.pl
Page 32
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
got to wait here?" As he talked, Vanois briefly scanned the contracts Tregare
had brought, and in large, bold handwriting he signed them.
He kept one copy and returned the other two.
50
"In-oh, about twelve days-the ship should be here with the stuff. Has to
refuel at the port first, as you did. But the wait's not all waste. I see
you've got some plates skinned off the nose already-that's good. I've brought
blueprints for all the auxiliary work-bulkhead changes, turret mountings and
gunners' positions, conduit and power cables-so you can turn your people loose
on
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...2004%20-%20Rissa%20and%20Tregare
%20v1.0.txt (24 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 some of the preliminary
changes ahead of time."
"I likes that. Now-does I get you or someones to oversee, and for if I has
questions?"
Tregare frowned. "I can't be here myself much, until later -too much else to
do. But we have duplicate prints at Base One, and can confer over the
viewscreen. If you run into real trouble, which I don't expect, Deverel and
Kenekke can look in and help."
"Shoulds be enough. So-blueprints, you says?"
"In here." Tregare held out the briefcase; Vanois took it and began to pull
out the thick sheaf of drawings. "No-keep the case, too. It's handier."
"I thanks you." Abruptly he put out his hand, again first to Tregare and then
to Rissa. "Now it's work I needs to do."
He turned away. Rissa said, "Captain Vanois! I-I'd like to ask you about the
Shrakken, the aliens at Charleyhorse."
The man's brows lowered until she could hardly see his eyes. He nodded toward
Tregare. When he spoke, his voice was lower and quiet. "All I know, I told
him-when we were drinking. I'm not drunk now and don't have time for it-and to
talk of those creatures, I need to be." He turned and walked up Carcharodon's
ramp.
RISSA looked after him; Tregare took her arm. "Ready to go? Unless you want to
look around here some, we might as well."
"I am ready." They entered the aircar, Rissa leading. "Bran? May I take the
controls?"
"Sure, if you want. Certain you can find your way back?"
"I believe so-if not, you can instruct me. Is there time to swing down and see
a little of the plains, the edge of them?"
He looked at his watch. "Well-I'm expecting a call back at One. We'd be
cutting it a little fine, and there'd barely be time
51
to reach the plains and return. If you want, though-''
"No. As you said earlier, I can take the car myself, a longer time, when you
do not need it."
She took them up, looked for landmarks, and turned upslope at an angle. To see
farther ahead she went high; after a time, she recognized the plateau and
steered toward it.
"What did you think of Vanois?"
"He surprised me. At the end, when he was shaken, he dropped the strange
speech patterns he had used previously. Why-?"
"Vanois grew up on a colony planet-pretty rustic, I gather. When UET took him
into space training he was ridiculed and punished for talking like a
backwoodser. So since he Escaped he's made a point of using his childhood
argot- and people can like it or not."
"A strange form of pride-and not without its costs."
Page 33
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"What do you mean?"
"It makes his dealings more difficult-if the affectation irritates others as
much as it irritated me."
Tregare nodded. "I hadn't thought of it before because I've known him so long
it doesn't bother me any more-but maybe that's why a smart man like Raoul is
on such a tight money string. I mean, annoying people for no good tactical
reason."
"Will he be a handicap to your operation?"
"No. He knows better than to play games in a tight spot.''
"Good." They came over the plateau, still high above it because Rissa wanted
to see around it in full panorama. Then she dropped the car, fast and swooping
from side to side, halting the headlong fall close to the ground. She landed
gently; they got out and walked into the cabin.
Rissa was thirsty; she poured cold fruit juice for herself, and at Tregare's
nod, for him also.
Standing across the table from her he said, "That was a real blue streak
landing you made there."
"Was it not satisfactory? I like to try my skills occasionally."
"No, it was fine. I thought you might cut it too close, but you didn't. I just
wondered why all the flash. Well, keeping in practice is a good enough
reason."
"And perhaps I wished to remind myself that I can do some things well."
52
"What-" The intercom's buzz cut him off; he went to answer. From where she
sat, Rissa could not make out the words. Then he crossed to the door and
opened it. "View-screen call; I'll take it on the scout-like to see who I'm
talking to when I can. I wish I'd thought to bring a portable to use in here."
He smiled. "This shouldn't take long."
The door closed behind him; Rissa poured his juice back into the pitcher and
put it away to stay cool. She waited, and finally Tregare called her. "I'm
stuck here for longer than I thought. You
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...2004%20-%20Rissa%20and%20Tregare
%20v1.0.txt (25 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 may as well go ahead and have
some lunch; I'll snack here from ship's stores. If you want the aircar this
afternoon I won't be needing it after all. All right?"
"Yes. Perhaps I will." She cut the circuit, thinking that the only way to hold
this man to her was to make herself more of a part to his great project. And
the doing, she decided, would not be as easy as the thinking.
SHE made a light meal. Afterward she took the aircar down-slope, cruising at
medium speed, skimming crests and dipping into valleys. An hour later, she
crossed the last ridge-at its foot, the plains began. She flew straight out
across their beginnings.
She saw few trees, mostly grouped around occasional ponds. A tall grasslike
growth covered the gently rolling ground; now it waved in a light breeze. At
first she sighted no animals, but after a few minutes a herd-thirty or forty,
she guessed-sprang up from concealment among the grass- [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]