[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
amount of talk on our part is going to convince them to put off their journey homeward for another six
months or whatever in order to help you resolve a dispute about some variance in the weather hundreds
of kilometers southeast of Arsudun."
Hwang's eyes dropped to the floor. "I understand. You must also understand that we had to ask.
Milliken said it would be difficult."
This is crazy, Ethan thought. Why do I stand here listening to this? What difference does it make what is
causing the rise in temperature far to the south? They've already admitted it was probably due to
volcanism.
But if it wasn't due to volcanism, what was responsible?
It was none of his business. He was a trader, a man of commerce, not a scientist. It wasn't his business
to intercede with the Tran on behalf of Cheela Hwang and her associates. He had enough problems of his
own to worry about.
She wasn't finished. "We have neither the right nor the power to compel you. We know that you and
Mr. September have endured a great deal these past months. We won't impose on you any further. But
we had to ask." She spread her hands in a gesture of helplessness. "We had to ask because we had no
other choice."
What a terrific way to begin his relationship with the rest of the outpost's permanent staff, Ethan thought.
Not that he was likely to ever need their help. If only they wouldn't be so damn gracious in defeat! Why
didn't they yell a little and curse him? What the hell did they expect?
Even if he did confess to temporary insanity and agree to go off with them, didn't they understand there
was just no way he could convince Hunnar and Captain Ta-hoding and the rest of theSlanderscree's
crew to do likewise?
Because Hunnar and his friends had to return home. Even if Hunnar was in no hurry to assume the
mantle of Landgrave's heir and even if he and his people were interested in exploring still another
unvisited region of their world, he was technically on his honeymoon. Did Tranhave honeymoons?
Maybe newlyweds were expected to go out and butcher a Droom or something equally adventurous.
It made no difference. They had to return to Sofold if only to inform their friends and relations of their
continued existence. For all Elfa Kurdagh-Vlata's father knew his daughter was dead and the crew of the
icerigger with her, the great ship destroyed, the bones of her crew gnawed by scavengers. Regardless of
how they might respond personally to Cheela Hwang's request they were obligated to return home if only
to convey news of their survival. The citizens of Sofold were unaware they were now members of a great
and growing union of city-states. Hunnar and Balavere Longax were obligated to inform them of their
future. There were relationships to be renewed, songs to be sung, deeds to be told. No choice in the
matter.
He said as much to Cheela Hwang and her colleagues, hoping it would satisfy them and put the matter to
rest in a manner which would preclude any need for future defensive recriminations on his part. He forgot
he was dealing with people who were used to extracting answers from meager data. Blanchard found
one before Ethan could excuse himself.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"What you're saying, then, is that if you could convince them to take us, they'd be prohibited from doing
so because of their need to report back home."
Ethan nodded vigorously. "Circumstances beyond my control, or Skua's, or anyone else's."
Blanchard looked gratified. "Not necessarily. What's the minimum crew for a ship like your icerigger?"
"I don't know," said Ethan, taken aback. "I never really thought about it. I was just a passenger. If you're
talking i about sailing, you don't need near as many as theSlander-scree normally carries. If you're talking
about exploring a ' new part of the planet and defending yourself while you're doing it, that's something
else again."
"This would be a journey purely for research," Blanchard argued. "We don't anticipate any fighting."
"You never do," Ethan told him, "but Tran-ky-ky isn't exactly a benign world. There's plenty of hostile
fauna around besides uncontacted Tran."
"We would go properly equipped," said another of the scientists. "No advanced weapons because that's
strictly forbidden, but we could take other equipment which would be of help. And if you're trying to
frighten us you're wasting your time. We've discussed this among ourselves and we know what we'd be
letting ourselves in for. We've traveled on and around Arsudun. We're not entirely innocent of the
dangers of this world."
Ethan didn't bother trying to explain that a jaunt of a few days around a relatively stable, civilized island
like Arsudun bore no relation to a journey of many weeks into unexplored regions of a hostile world.
Why waste the time? They weren't going anywhere anyway. But Blanchard wasn't through.
"What we could do is hire a merchant vessel to take the elderly, the injured, and the chronically
homesick back to this Sofold. We have some discretionary income in our budget and we know how
starved the Tran are for metal. I'm sure we could find a captain willing to undertake the trip. Those of
your friends who insisted on returning wouldn't have to work or fight on the trip back. They could relax.
They've earned it. And we'd still have plenty of funds left to hire your icerigger."
"This Balavere Longax, the senior soldier you speak of in your report, could be put in charge of the
returnees," Hwang added. "As a respected member of the court of Wannome his report would be
believed and honored. In fact, you could argue that it's his place to deliver such a report and not the
younger knight you call Redbeard. The remaining crew could sail us to the southern continent."
"Let this Longax person," Blanchard went on, "assure the people back home that all is well. He can tell
them about this union you've instigated, about the exploits of his comrades and friends, and of the royal
marriage you attended recently. He can also explain the delay in theSlan-derscree's return and the
importance of this journey we have to undertake. As to payment, we want to be sure we don't offend the
dignity of this Redbeard person."
"There ain't a Tran alive adverse to taking money," September said, "but you won't hire theSlanderscree
and its sailors for a few chunks of iron."
Hwang smiled. "The outpost has its own compact smelter, Mr. September. There's ore deep in Arsudun
which the natives cannot make use of but which we can. The smelter is here so that we can build and
repair outpost facilities. That doesn't mean we can't use it to turn out ingots, bars, tubes, nails and bolts,
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
swords and arrow points, and whatever else would please your Tran. We can fill the hold of their ship for
their return journey. They can give us a detailed shopping list and we'll fill it."
Hwang had just made the closest thing to an irresistible offer one could propose to a Tran. Trade in
sophisticated goods like electronics was still forbidden on Tran-ky-ky save for a few simple devices
which would eventually break down. Nails and swords would last on a world where steel was more
valued than gold. Even one as homesick as Hunnar would find it hard to turn down the offer.
jg^M
"You can also tell them," Blanchard continued, "that they would be expanding their knowledge of their
own world and extending the hand of friendship and union to new peoples."
That was as much an appeal to him as to the Tran, Ethan knew. By going along he would be doing
business, making new trading contracts, perhaps finding new goods to buy. In a civilization like that of the
Commonwealth, where electronics and goods and services were available cheaply and readily, exotic
handicrafts and artwork were among the most highly prized of new goods.
Why the hell not? He was stuck here anyhow. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl rafalstec.xlx.pl
amount of talk on our part is going to convince them to put off their journey homeward for another six
months or whatever in order to help you resolve a dispute about some variance in the weather hundreds
of kilometers southeast of Arsudun."
Hwang's eyes dropped to the floor. "I understand. You must also understand that we had to ask.
Milliken said it would be difficult."
This is crazy, Ethan thought. Why do I stand here listening to this? What difference does it make what is
causing the rise in temperature far to the south? They've already admitted it was probably due to
volcanism.
But if it wasn't due to volcanism, what was responsible?
It was none of his business. He was a trader, a man of commerce, not a scientist. It wasn't his business
to intercede with the Tran on behalf of Cheela Hwang and her associates. He had enough problems of his
own to worry about.
She wasn't finished. "We have neither the right nor the power to compel you. We know that you and
Mr. September have endured a great deal these past months. We won't impose on you any further. But
we had to ask." She spread her hands in a gesture of helplessness. "We had to ask because we had no
other choice."
What a terrific way to begin his relationship with the rest of the outpost's permanent staff, Ethan thought.
Not that he was likely to ever need their help. If only they wouldn't be so damn gracious in defeat! Why
didn't they yell a little and curse him? What the hell did they expect?
Even if he did confess to temporary insanity and agree to go off with them, didn't they understand there
was just no way he could convince Hunnar and Captain Ta-hoding and the rest of theSlanderscree's
crew to do likewise?
Because Hunnar and his friends had to return home. Even if Hunnar was in no hurry to assume the
mantle of Landgrave's heir and even if he and his people were interested in exploring still another
unvisited region of their world, he was technically on his honeymoon. Did Tranhave honeymoons?
Maybe newlyweds were expected to go out and butcher a Droom or something equally adventurous.
It made no difference. They had to return to Sofold if only to inform their friends and relations of their
continued existence. For all Elfa Kurdagh-Vlata's father knew his daughter was dead and the crew of the
icerigger with her, the great ship destroyed, the bones of her crew gnawed by scavengers. Regardless of
how they might respond personally to Cheela Hwang's request they were obligated to return home if only
to convey news of their survival. The citizens of Sofold were unaware they were now members of a great
and growing union of city-states. Hunnar and Balavere Longax were obligated to inform them of their
future. There were relationships to be renewed, songs to be sung, deeds to be told. No choice in the
matter.
He said as much to Cheela Hwang and her colleagues, hoping it would satisfy them and put the matter to
rest in a manner which would preclude any need for future defensive recriminations on his part. He forgot
he was dealing with people who were used to extracting answers from meager data. Blanchard found
one before Ethan could excuse himself.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"What you're saying, then, is that if you could convince them to take us, they'd be prohibited from doing
so because of their need to report back home."
Ethan nodded vigorously. "Circumstances beyond my control, or Skua's, or anyone else's."
Blanchard looked gratified. "Not necessarily. What's the minimum crew for a ship like your icerigger?"
"I don't know," said Ethan, taken aback. "I never really thought about it. I was just a passenger. If you're
talking i about sailing, you don't need near as many as theSlander-scree normally carries. If you're talking
about exploring a ' new part of the planet and defending yourself while you're doing it, that's something
else again."
"This would be a journey purely for research," Blanchard argued. "We don't anticipate any fighting."
"You never do," Ethan told him, "but Tran-ky-ky isn't exactly a benign world. There's plenty of hostile
fauna around besides uncontacted Tran."
"We would go properly equipped," said another of the scientists. "No advanced weapons because that's
strictly forbidden, but we could take other equipment which would be of help. And if you're trying to
frighten us you're wasting your time. We've discussed this among ourselves and we know what we'd be
letting ourselves in for. We've traveled on and around Arsudun. We're not entirely innocent of the
dangers of this world."
Ethan didn't bother trying to explain that a jaunt of a few days around a relatively stable, civilized island
like Arsudun bore no relation to a journey of many weeks into unexplored regions of a hostile world.
Why waste the time? They weren't going anywhere anyway. But Blanchard wasn't through.
"What we could do is hire a merchant vessel to take the elderly, the injured, and the chronically
homesick back to this Sofold. We have some discretionary income in our budget and we know how
starved the Tran are for metal. I'm sure we could find a captain willing to undertake the trip. Those of
your friends who insisted on returning wouldn't have to work or fight on the trip back. They could relax.
They've earned it. And we'd still have plenty of funds left to hire your icerigger."
"This Balavere Longax, the senior soldier you speak of in your report, could be put in charge of the
returnees," Hwang added. "As a respected member of the court of Wannome his report would be
believed and honored. In fact, you could argue that it's his place to deliver such a report and not the
younger knight you call Redbeard. The remaining crew could sail us to the southern continent."
"Let this Longax person," Blanchard went on, "assure the people back home that all is well. He can tell
them about this union you've instigated, about the exploits of his comrades and friends, and of the royal
marriage you attended recently. He can also explain the delay in theSlan-derscree's return and the
importance of this journey we have to undertake. As to payment, we want to be sure we don't offend the
dignity of this Redbeard person."
"There ain't a Tran alive adverse to taking money," September said, "but you won't hire theSlanderscree
and its sailors for a few chunks of iron."
Hwang smiled. "The outpost has its own compact smelter, Mr. September. There's ore deep in Arsudun
which the natives cannot make use of but which we can. The smelter is here so that we can build and
repair outpost facilities. That doesn't mean we can't use it to turn out ingots, bars, tubes, nails and bolts,
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
swords and arrow points, and whatever else would please your Tran. We can fill the hold of their ship for
their return journey. They can give us a detailed shopping list and we'll fill it."
Hwang had just made the closest thing to an irresistible offer one could propose to a Tran. Trade in
sophisticated goods like electronics was still forbidden on Tran-ky-ky save for a few simple devices
which would eventually break down. Nails and swords would last on a world where steel was more
valued than gold. Even one as homesick as Hunnar would find it hard to turn down the offer.
jg^M
"You can also tell them," Blanchard continued, "that they would be expanding their knowledge of their
own world and extending the hand of friendship and union to new peoples."
That was as much an appeal to him as to the Tran, Ethan knew. By going along he would be doing
business, making new trading contracts, perhaps finding new goods to buy. In a civilization like that of the
Commonwealth, where electronics and goods and services were available cheaply and readily, exotic
handicrafts and artwork were among the most highly prized of new goods.
Why the hell not? He was stuck here anyhow. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]