Nimisha's Ship
- Автор: Маккефри Энн
- Язык: английский
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «Nimisha's Ship». Краткое содержание книги:
When Nimisha takes an experimental ship on a solo test flight, something goes horribly awry, marooning her light-years from home on a planet as deadly as it is beautiful. Now the ruthless members of a rival branch of the Rondymense family are given the chance they've been waiting for: to reclaim the Ship Yards by any means necessary.
Only Nimisha's ingenious child, Cuiva, stands in their way. But for how long? For just when her daughter needs her most, Nimisha is in a precarious situation herself--and unable to help. But Nimisha has never given up in her life--and she's not about to start now . . .
"Still is," Jon added, for Timmy's voice could be plainly heard. "He hasn't had much chance to… socialize. Only barely remembers the others."
Nimisha thought of the society into which her daughter had been reared, with all its restrictions and traditions. "I don't think Tim has suffered any neglect you could have avoided. I'm a parent, too, you know."
Syrona blinked. "No, I didn't realize."
Nimisha laughed. "The subject never came up. Cuiva should be just over twelve now. My mother has her in keeping-" She stopped speaking for a moment, gave a little sniff, and went on. "We'll have to get Timmy to do the pantomiming."
"Is there a chance the aliens will think he's in charge?" Syrona asked, startling herself at the notion.
"Not when they both see us handling the gig on its return, with Timmy safely belted in a passenger seat," Jon said with a grin.
Being escorted with Timmy to the gig after they had toured the Fiver did not surprise Ay and Bee. They did not resist when they were belted into seats just as they had seen Tim do. On the other hand, their ship awed Tim when he saw it.
"Looks like a gigantic bird-nicer than the ones that dive-bomb you, though. Ah, its head got broke."
Jon had explained to Tirnmy what he wanted to communicate to the aliens. Timmy did a good job, pointing to the setting sun in the west and then to the east, making a circle with his hands and passing it twice around the sky. Ay nodded, with Bee as quick in comprehension.
"Two days. We meet. Here. Your people…" Tim swung his finger to indicate the adults.
That caused Ay and Bee to communicate with each other with oo's and uu's and other unheard noises. Then they both nodded.
Bee took a half step forward, bending at its midsection, and raising a glass to its lips with one hand, and then miming food in the other that it chewed lustily.
"I getcha," Timmy said, clapping his hands. Again the reflex action of the two aliens was to recoil from the noise. "Does it hurt their ears or something?" he asked Ion.
"Could be. They hear in a different range than we do."
"Oh." It took a moment for Timmy to digest that information. "Like the whistlers?"
"Like them." Jon nodded. "He's referring to a flier we've encountered, not as large as some, but when it dives it emits a whistle. Only if you hear it, it's homing in on you and you'd better find cover fast. We think the noise is used to paralyze some of the indigenous creatures." He turned to the aliens and mimed drinking and eating.
Neither Ay nor Bee moved as the others went back to the gig.
"You better move back," Timmy said, leaning out of the hatch and flipping his hands at them.
"I'll take off vertically, Tim," Jon said from the pilot's seat. "Don't worry."
Timmy watched the two figures, who braced themselves against the slight wind of uplift, as long as he could on the rearview screen. Then he took a seat and very shortly was fast asleep.
"Hard day's work when you're only six," Casper said with great pride and affection.
CHAPTER 6
There were two malicious attempts to injure Lady Cuiva, so clumsy that Lady Rezalla was outraged.How could anyone think a message bomb or a poisoned plant sent to her granddaughter would reach its intended victim?
The Residence Manager had, in any case, been programmed to investigate any package or hand-delivered formal invitation sent to the House. The RM detected the dangerous message immediately and disarmed it. The RM then informed Lady Rezalla, the Acclarkian Peace Guardians, and Commander Caleb Rustin of the incident.
The message folder was similar to any of hundreds manufactured on the planet; when opened, it was set to detonate an explosive.
"For a younger child," the APG said, examining the now-impotent device, "it would have caused serious injuries. Your granddaughter would have sustained only minimal damage."
"That," Lady Rezalla said scornfully, "is not much comfort. I want the perpetrators caught and punished to the full extent of the law."
"Dear lady," the APG said ruefully shaking his head. He had been chosen for this assignment because he knew First Family protocol and how to deal with indignant members of that society. "We shall certainly do our best to arrest the perpetrators. But, in fact, this," and he jiggled the disarmed message envelope, "was useless as well as stupidly contrived since, obviously, your granddaughter's age and size were ignored. I do, however, respectfully suggest that this House go on an alert status against subsequent invasions of its privacy and/or the causing of injury or distress to its residents. I shall instruct the patrols that they should keep an especial watch on your House, Lady Rezalla."
She repeated her first demand in an even more disapproving manner, which he took with the grace for which he was noted.
"Be assured, Lady Rezalla, that my department does not treat this matter lightly. The Peace Guardians consider the protection of members of Acclarke's illustrious First Families the most important aspect of their many duties. May I comment on your wisdom in employing Perdimia Ejallos as Lady Cuiva's constant companion."
Lady Rezalla regarded him with an expression of displeased surprise.
"Oh, yes, Lady Rezalla, we have already investigated the young woman's background and family. She will guard her charge with her life."
"That's what she's been employed to do."
Commander Rustin's response was to rig about the House the most sensitive alarm system the Vegan Fleet possessed. He got permission to install a repeller shield in the ground vehicle that was generally used by Lady Rezalla, Cuiva, and Perdimia for their social activities and other excursions. He presented both Lady Cuiva and Perdimia with a top-secret personal alarm. His presentation was as offhand as he could manage, considering the necessity for keeping Cuiva ignorant of the malicious message.
"Cuiva, I've a little gift for you today," he said, displaying the golden band in its velvet case.
"A Coskanito?" Lady Cuiva exclaimed, noticing the name discreetly printed in gold on the cover. "Oh!" she cried, examining the deiicate bracelet within.
Coskanito was not only the maker of the special body-heir Necklaces for the First Families but also of elegant adornments with unusual, hidden facets. This bracelet, which fastened snugly around the wrist, immediately detected any increase in pulse, consonant with its wearer's alarm or excitement. Perdimia recognized what it was instantly but connived with the commander to exclaim over its charm so that Cuiva would not realize she was wearing a personal alarm. Contained in the circuitry was a homing device, so that Cuiva's location could be traced anywhere on Vega III.
When the commander later, and privately, gave Perdimia a silver bracelet from the same maker, she was both pleased and even more concerned.
"You don't think…"
"That Lord Vestrin will try again? I certainly do, Perdimia," Caleb said. "He's known to be a vindictive sort."
"I'd look to his dam more than him, sir," Perdimia said, her expression angry.
"Vescuya?" he asked. Perdimia nodded. "That's a point. Especially since it is Lord Vestrin who has seen Cuiva whereas I doubt his dam has."
He took that suggestion more seriously when the second attempt was made: An exotic flowering plant was sent by an "unknown admirer" after Lady Cuiva's appearance-well guarded-at the ballet. The leaves of the plant had been coated with a contact poison, and the blooms had been treated with a dust that would have badly affected the lungs of anyone sniffing the fragrant blossom. The RM had detected the poison and reported it.
"Poison is generally a woman's choice," Lady Rezalla remarked, circling the dangerous plant on the table where it had been set until the AGP could arrive.
"Would Lady Vescuya…" Commander Rustin said. He had been close enough to answer the RM's emergency pulse in moments. He had not mentioned to anyone that he had, in fact, taken new quarters in a nearby building where a naval security unit had been set up for permanent surveillance of the Boynton-Chonderlee Compound.