The Stones of Nomuru
- Автор: Де Камп Лайон Спрэг
- Серия: Viagens Interplanetarias #7
- Язык: английский
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «The Stones of Nomuru». Краткое содержание книги:
Mild-mannered Terra archeologist Keith Salazar was just minding his business, digging up the alien past on an out-of-the-way site on the planet Kukulcan, when suddenly he was beseiged by intruders on his scholarly peace: hostile natives, an indifferent ex-wife, and a demon developer with rapacious eyes glued on both his site and his true love.
In the course of protecting his dig, regaining his loved one and vanquishing his rival, Salazar will fight a giant reptilian predator bare-handed, leap into snake-filled pits, engineer the planet's first imperial conquest, lead and train a battalion of alien riflemen, and hold a séance. Pretty exciting work--but then maybe Keith Salazar wasn't such a milquetoast after all...
When at last it halted, Salazar wondered what to do next. If he slid off, he would be devoured on the spot. Although the creature had tired, it could still outrun a man on those long, ostrichlike legs.
At last Salazar shouted: "Back to Neruu, you!" and hit the porondu on the side of its head. As it shied away from the blows, it gradually turned around. Relieved, Salazar whacked its rump until it lurched into motion.
A quarter-hour later, Salazar guided his unruly mount into Neruu's athletic field. Every time it tried to turn away or to peck at its rider, Salazar yelled and struck it. When the pair were within the enclosure, he called out in Shongo:
"You, in charge of the beast! Come and get it!"
The handlers ran out, secured their leashes, and led the cowed monster away, its two slight wounds still oozing crimson blood. Salazar slid off the tail and fell in a heap. The porondu's wide body had spread his legs so far apart that now his hip joints ached and he could barely stand. Bergen helped him to his feet, saying:
"You okay, Professor?"
"Still sore where you kicked me."
"Sorry about that, but you know how it is in a fight. I'm land of battered myself, where that thing butted me in the ribs. What was it the old Kook with the ribbon said that I couldn't understand? Oh, here he comes!"
The aged justiciar assumed a formal stance before the Terrans and intoned: "His Highness has decreed that you twain have earned acquittal of all charges. You shall go free, on condition that you do the High Chief a small favor."
"What is that?" said Salazar.
"He knows that you aliens must have some ceremony corresponding to our Intromission Day. He wishes to observe it."
"What's he say?" demanded Bergen.
Salazar translated, adding: "I could give him a song and dance about our very different customs; but to keep our heads in place, I'd better offer him something."
"Jesus!" said Bergen. "I can't ask my people to demonstrate for him. I could give him a card to Erika's Place in Suvarov. You know it?"
"I've heard about it," said Salazar. "It wouldn't do. He might want to take part in the activities, and that's impossible. He would injure the girl terribly."
"Well then, I'll get him a table at Nasr's Club. His floor shows run right up to the whole bit; I've warned Nasr to clean up his act or lose his lease. But for this one time ..."
Salazar conveyed the promise to Kanini, who nodded and marched off. Bergen exulted: "Say, that was a close call! Where'd you get the idea of jumping on the creature's back?"
"I read adventure stories as a kid," said Salazar. "Where are our people?"
"There!" Bergen pointed to a knot of worried-looking Terrans pressed against the fence.
The justiciar came back with two Kooks, who ceremoniously returned the men's pistols to them. Salazar looked ruefully down at himself. His jacket was tattered from the porondu's claws; his half-bared torso bled from several deep, stinging scratches, while every joint and muscle throbbed like a toothache.
"You okay to walk?" asked Bergen. "We've got to figure out what to do next."
"We!" said Salazar. "If you're going to fly off the handle any minute and start slugging, we—Miss Sheffield and I—intend to get the hell away and stay there."
"Aw, don't worry! We saved each other's lives; that ought to cancel out any grudges. What say?" Bergen thrust out a hairy paw.
"Very well," said Salazar without enthusiasm, taking the proffered hand. "What are you doing here? I thought you were bound for Kinyobi Valley."
"Chung told us about this Intromission Day ceremony, and we wanted a look at it," said Bergen with a naughty-boy grin. "What's intromission, anyway?"
"Literally, insertion; also used as a synonym for copulation."
"Oh, you mean fucking!"
As the crowd of Kooks streamed back into Neruu, Salazar and Bergen rejoined a white-faced Kara clutching her bicycle, and a subdued pair of Bergen's hunting companions guarding Salazar's bike.
"Keith!" cried Kara. "Are you all right?"
"Feel as if I'd just lost a theological argument with the Chief Inquisitor," said Salazar, "but I'm still ambulatory."
"I'd like you to meet Conrad's friends, Derek Travers and Oleg Pokrovskii. Dr. Keith Salazar, the archaeologist."
"I remember you from bridge," said the bearlike Pokrovskii. "You hero! Like Sviatogor in old Russian myth, riding de wild monster."
"Me? Shucks. I just couldn't think what else to do."
Pokrovskii chuckled. "Is old proverb, every dog have wolf inside, trying to get out."
Bergen asked: "Where's Chung?"
Travers answered: "He took off as soon as he saw you were safe. Said he'd send his substitute."
"Slant-eyed son of a bitch!" growled Bergen.
"Well," said Travers, "you did bully and bellow at the little chap. I'm surprised he stuck as long as he did."
"Let me handle the help, Derek. What the hell do we do meanwhile? No one can really talk to the Kooks, though Derek knows a few words. Except ..." He swiveled around and stared from narrowed eyes at Salazar. "Except you, Professor. You speak their bone-in-the-throat language and know the country. How'd you like a temporary job as guide, to fill in until this guy Ma arrives?"
"Nope," said Salazar. "Why not?"
"Not my line, and I've got my own work."
"Look. Chung said the Kooks go vacationing after this grand screwarama. So there won't be any around to dig for you. I'll make it well-worth your while. You big-brains are never paid what you should be, because your minds are all clogged up with theories. So you can use some extra cash, and from what I saw today you'd be a good man to have on our side in a pinch. What would you ask?"
"Don't like killing things for fun."
"Oh, one of those! Just show us the way and talk to the Kooks, and we'll do the killing. With the whole planet swarming with animals, we're not endangering any species." Bergen paused. "Five hundred a day?"
Salazar hesitated. The sum equaled the whole daily allowance from his appropriation, including his own modest compensation. "Well—ah—"
"Six hundred," said Bergen. "No more, though."
Salazar took a deep breath. "Okay, but I won't let anyone push me around."
"Fine," said Bergen. "Ask the Kooks where we can camp tonight. It's too late to start for the valley."
"First I shall have to take Miss Sheffield back to my camp, to leave her in charge of my students."
"Oh, bring her with us!" said Bergen. "She'll get a story out of it."
"Good idea," said Kara. "How—"
Salazar interrupted: "Good Lord! I'll have enough to handle without the emotional explosions of a once-engaged couple. Forget it; I wouldn't touch the job."
"Not to worry," said Bergen. "Kara and I will act like—like two old friends."
"I'll believe that when Miyage joins the Maravilla—"
"Keith!" said Kara. "Don't nitpick. You and Conrad can watch each other to make sure neither one gets out of line."
"Eh?" said Bergen, cocking his head and looking sharply at Kara. "What's the professor to you?"
"He's my former husband, that's all."
"What?"
Pokrovskii roared with laughter. "Woman, ex-husband, and ex-fiancé all on same trip? Bozhe moi! Is makings of big Russian tragedy. If anybody shoot anybody, don't point de gun toward me!"
"Shut up, Oleg," said Bergen. "Everything will be on the up-and-up. I won't make passes at Kara if the professor won't. Okay?"
"Jeepers, what a prospect!" said Salazar. "I'd have to be a damned fool—"
"Oh, come on Keith!" begged Kara. "We need you. I need you."
"But—" Suddenly realizing how much he wanted Kara, the archaeologist felt his resolve melt like a snowflake in May. Kara continued:
"And I'll make you a deal. If you'll fetch my sewing kit along with my pack from your camp, when you get your stuff, I'll sew up the rips in your jacket."