[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Oh, it's all right, Tari-it won't hurt for them to simmer a little before they
hear my offer. But I judge that the time's about right. So if you'll excuse
me? I've enjoyed talking with you. Oh, yes-you're staying where?"
She stood. "At the First Ever, near the edge of town."
"Good. But it isn't, you know-the first, I mean. The third built here, maybe.
But the others are gone now-burned or torn down. So I don't blame old Charling
for boosting his place a bit."
She extended her own left hand, so the handshake was less awkward. "When shall
I-?"
"I'll send word; wait for it. Meanwhile-get out and see the country, why don't
you? The worlds are so far apart-it's a shame to be on one and waste it."
"That is a good suggestion. Thank you, Osallin." Rissa turned and left. In the
lobby a man and woman argued. She waited a moment. The receptionist called a
name; the two rose, still bickering, and went to the staircase. She resisted
the urge to smile; the wait had softened them up for
Page 34
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Osallin, well enough.
IN the chilly twilight of Far Corner's short day she walked back to the First
Ever. The landlord greeted her. "Have a good stroll, Ms. Obrigo?"
"Quite enjoyable, Mr. Charling . . . you \iare\i Mr. Char-ling?"
"Well, well-somebody tipped my ident, eh?" "I mentioned the inn; someone told
me the owner's name."
\c" 58 "
\c"Well and good; it's no secret. Now-can I help you?" "Yes. I would like to
take dinner here this evening." "Sure. Dining room's around the corner there,"
and he motioned. "Dinner's served over two hours; you're about smack in the
middle of it, right now. Sign by the door tells the mealtimes." She nodded,
and he said, "Hey-you got a Far Corners watch?"
"No, I am afraid not."
"Rent you one, long as you want, while you're here. Tenth of a Weltmark per
day-rental applies on buying if you decide to stay." She initialed the
agreement on her account card and took the watch, then visited her room
briefly and went to dinner. Tired, for it was still her first day out
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...%20View%2002%20-%20Young%20Rissa
%20v1.0.txt (26 of 80) [7/14/2004 3:22:00 PM]
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%20F.%20M%20-%20L....%20M%20-%20Long
%20View%2002%20-%20Young%20Rissa%20v1.0.txt of freeze, she ate a light
meal-native meats and vegetables with pleasant but unremarkable flavors. Back
in her room she postponed thought and retired early.
FOLLOWING Osallin's advice, Rissa spent her next days exploring the
countryside within reach of
Second Site-on foot, by groundcar, and by air-flitter. She stalked gently
through forest and once saw a rare swarming of the furry hive-flyers. For
three days she trekked across the High Desert and inspected ruins left by an
unknown species that built its doorways approximately one meter high and two
wide. A tugboat, towing an ore barge, carried her half the length of the New
Amazon river. She rode a flitter to the Heavy Sea and walked its beaches,
inhaling the rich, pleasant aroma of the organic -and possibly living-body of
liquid.
Returning a day later to the First Ever, she found a message from Osallin.
"Come immediately. I
have two prospects."
ACROSS his desk Osallin handed her a package. "First, here's your new identity
kit-Laura Konig, per specifications. The eye-stickums are a darker blue than I
expected, but on such short notice I
had to take what was available."
\c\b" 59 "
\b
\c"I am sure they will be all right. What is the cost?"
He waved his hand. "Hardly a nibble off my commission on your shipment from
Erika. No charge-
just part of the service."
"I thank you, Osallin."
"Anytime, Tari. Now, then-two Escaped Ships are in. Or rather, one's down and
the other lands tomorrow. The question is, which do you want?"
She laughed. "How could I know, until you tell me of them?"
"The one at the port is called-renamed-\iRidgerunner;\i it's one of the first
to Escape. Good ship, good captain. Freeze-chambers in top shape. But its next
two stops are at pioneer worlds, sparsely populated. I doubt that's what you
have in mind."
"And the other?"
"Its destination's ideal-Number One, the first and most developed Hidden
World. The colony got a big lift some years back when a ship Escaped with a
cargo of frozen sperm and ova-and the artificial wombs to gestate
them-intended to grow cheap labor for UET's mines on Iron Hat. I guess it was
Page 35
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
rough for a while-the first settlers raising kids at a ratio of maybe fifty
children to one adult-but they made it." He looked down at his hand, then up
again. "And-I don't know much about it, but there's a Hulzein connection on
the planet."
Rissa waited but he said no more. "I gather, Osallin, that something about
this choice is less than ideal?"
"The ship-\iInconnu\i it's called, these days. Even among the Escaped-who all
raid UET colonies when they can, of course-it's considered a bit of an outlaw.
It's the only armed ship ever taken, and the captain-Tregare, his name is-took
command by mutiny \iafter\i Escape. Some say he takes on supplies and
forgets-at gunpoint-to pay for them. And it's known that at Freedom's Ring he
dispossessed the crew of another Escaped Ship and put his own cadre aboard. A
lot of people think he's trying to build a fleet-maybe take over \iall\i the
Escaped Ships."
\c
\cShe shook her head. "He cannot do it. Not in one man's lifetime. The
logistics of star travel are against him."
"Maybe. But the question is-do you want to ride with a man like that?"
Rissa stretched, leaned back and ran both hands through her hair. "A moment,
Osallin. Hmmm-I
will need a lock box, about this big-" She gestured, "-with a photolock keyed
to my-to Rissa
Kerguelen's retinal patterns. Can you provide one and code it?"
"I can have it done, sure. But-"
"Are there rumors of harm to Tregare's passengers? Deaths or disappearances?
Complaints?"
"Not that I know of."
"Then tomorrow, or whenever he is not busy, let us go and talk with Tregare."
Smiling, Osallin slapped his hand on the desk. "Somehow I knew you were going
to say that!"
TREGARE'S first day aground, he would not see them. Nor the second. On the
third day, Osallin took
Rissa aboard \iInconnu.\i
The two were shown to the captain's quarters. Tregare-a tall, sallow man with
curly black hair over a high forehead -did not impress Rissa greatly. His bony
face bore a milder expression than she had expected. His left cheek carried
the tattoo that denoted rank in UET's space fleet;
looking closely, Rissa saw that part of the pigments did not match, that his
rank at Escape had been Third Officer. The rest of the tattoo, upgrading him
to captain, had been added later and less expertly. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl freetocraft.keep.pl
Oh, it's all right, Tari-it won't hurt for them to simmer a little before they
hear my offer. But I judge that the time's about right. So if you'll excuse
me? I've enjoyed talking with you. Oh, yes-you're staying where?"
She stood. "At the First Ever, near the edge of town."
"Good. But it isn't, you know-the first, I mean. The third built here, maybe.
But the others are gone now-burned or torn down. So I don't blame old Charling
for boosting his place a bit."
She extended her own left hand, so the handshake was less awkward. "When shall
I-?"
"I'll send word; wait for it. Meanwhile-get out and see the country, why don't
you? The worlds are so far apart-it's a shame to be on one and waste it."
"That is a good suggestion. Thank you, Osallin." Rissa turned and left. In the
lobby a man and woman argued. She waited a moment. The receptionist called a
name; the two rose, still bickering, and went to the staircase. She resisted
the urge to smile; the wait had softened them up for
Page 34
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Osallin, well enough.
IN the chilly twilight of Far Corner's short day she walked back to the First
Ever. The landlord greeted her. "Have a good stroll, Ms. Obrigo?"
"Quite enjoyable, Mr. Charling . . . you \iare\i Mr. Char-ling?"
"Well, well-somebody tipped my ident, eh?" "I mentioned the inn; someone told
me the owner's name."
\c" 58 "
\c"Well and good; it's no secret. Now-can I help you?" "Yes. I would like to
take dinner here this evening." "Sure. Dining room's around the corner there,"
and he motioned. "Dinner's served over two hours; you're about smack in the
middle of it, right now. Sign by the door tells the mealtimes." She nodded,
and he said, "Hey-you got a Far Corners watch?"
"No, I am afraid not."
"Rent you one, long as you want, while you're here. Tenth of a Weltmark per
day-rental applies on buying if you decide to stay." She initialed the
agreement on her account card and took the watch, then visited her room
briefly and went to dinner. Tired, for it was still her first day out
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...%20View%2002%20-%20Young%20Rissa
%20v1.0.txt (26 of 80) [7/14/2004 3:22:00 PM]
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%20F.%20M%20-%20L....%20M%20-%20Long
%20View%2002%20-%20Young%20Rissa%20v1.0.txt of freeze, she ate a light
meal-native meats and vegetables with pleasant but unremarkable flavors. Back
in her room she postponed thought and retired early.
FOLLOWING Osallin's advice, Rissa spent her next days exploring the
countryside within reach of
Second Site-on foot, by groundcar, and by air-flitter. She stalked gently
through forest and once saw a rare swarming of the furry hive-flyers. For
three days she trekked across the High Desert and inspected ruins left by an
unknown species that built its doorways approximately one meter high and two
wide. A tugboat, towing an ore barge, carried her half the length of the New
Amazon river. She rode a flitter to the Heavy Sea and walked its beaches,
inhaling the rich, pleasant aroma of the organic -and possibly living-body of
liquid.
Returning a day later to the First Ever, she found a message from Osallin.
"Come immediately. I
have two prospects."
ACROSS his desk Osallin handed her a package. "First, here's your new identity
kit-Laura Konig, per specifications. The eye-stickums are a darker blue than I
expected, but on such short notice I
had to take what was available."
\c\b" 59 "
\b
\c"I am sure they will be all right. What is the cost?"
He waved his hand. "Hardly a nibble off my commission on your shipment from
Erika. No charge-
just part of the service."
"I thank you, Osallin."
"Anytime, Tari. Now, then-two Escaped Ships are in. Or rather, one's down and
the other lands tomorrow. The question is, which do you want?"
She laughed. "How could I know, until you tell me of them?"
"The one at the port is called-renamed-\iRidgerunner;\i it's one of the first
to Escape. Good ship, good captain. Freeze-chambers in top shape. But its next
two stops are at pioneer worlds, sparsely populated. I doubt that's what you
have in mind."
"And the other?"
"Its destination's ideal-Number One, the first and most developed Hidden
World. The colony got a big lift some years back when a ship Escaped with a
cargo of frozen sperm and ova-and the artificial wombs to gestate
them-intended to grow cheap labor for UET's mines on Iron Hat. I guess it was
Page 35
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
rough for a while-the first settlers raising kids at a ratio of maybe fifty
children to one adult-but they made it." He looked down at his hand, then up
again. "And-I don't know much about it, but there's a Hulzein connection on
the planet."
Rissa waited but he said no more. "I gather, Osallin, that something about
this choice is less than ideal?"
"The ship-\iInconnu\i it's called, these days. Even among the Escaped-who all
raid UET colonies when they can, of course-it's considered a bit of an outlaw.
It's the only armed ship ever taken, and the captain-Tregare, his name is-took
command by mutiny \iafter\i Escape. Some say he takes on supplies and
forgets-at gunpoint-to pay for them. And it's known that at Freedom's Ring he
dispossessed the crew of another Escaped Ship and put his own cadre aboard. A
lot of people think he's trying to build a fleet-maybe take over \iall\i the
Escaped Ships."
\c
\cShe shook her head. "He cannot do it. Not in one man's lifetime. The
logistics of star travel are against him."
"Maybe. But the question is-do you want to ride with a man like that?"
Rissa stretched, leaned back and ran both hands through her hair. "A moment,
Osallin. Hmmm-I
will need a lock box, about this big-" She gestured, "-with a photolock keyed
to my-to Rissa
Kerguelen's retinal patterns. Can you provide one and code it?"
"I can have it done, sure. But-"
"Are there rumors of harm to Tregare's passengers? Deaths or disappearances?
Complaints?"
"Not that I know of."
"Then tomorrow, or whenever he is not busy, let us go and talk with Tregare."
Smiling, Osallin slapped his hand on the desk. "Somehow I knew you were going
to say that!"
TREGARE'S first day aground, he would not see them. Nor the second. On the
third day, Osallin took
Rissa aboard \iInconnu.\i
The two were shown to the captain's quarters. Tregare-a tall, sallow man with
curly black hair over a high forehead -did not impress Rissa greatly. His bony
face bore a milder expression than she had expected. His left cheek carried
the tattoo that denoted rank in UET's space fleet;
looking closely, Rissa saw that part of the pigments did not match, that his
rank at Escape had been Third Officer. The rest of the tattoo, upgrading him
to captain, had been added later and less expertly. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]