Dinosaurus Planet Survivors
- Автор: Маккефри Энн
- Серия: Dinosaur Planet #2
- Язык: английский
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «Dinosaurus Planet Survivors». Краткое содержание книги:
“Report, Varian.”
As Lunzie’s words dissipated the barrier, Varian-Rianav sank against the back of the contour chair, her mind reeling as one identity still impinged on the other.
“Slight miscalculation on our part, Varian. We now have more help than we can use. Are you okay?”
“A scratch on the scalp and a distinct feeling that I’d lost my memory. Portegin’s still unconscious but they say he’ll be fine. Lunzie, did you know that this cruiser is the ZD-43?”
“So I’m told. Nice coincidence, isn’t it? Did you pick up that all-frequencies hail on your way to the plateau?”
“Who was that?” Rianav-Varian remembered everything now.
“That was our friendly Ryxi rescue mission. No Ryxi, by the way.”
Lunzie chuckled. “Nearly blew Commander Sassiness’ little surprise party. Kai’s Tor gave the alert but the Ryxi had to wait for the vessel to return from a supply run before they could dispatch it to our assistance. And Dimenon reported to Kai that the Thek have arrived in strength.”
“In strength?”
“Dotting the landscape, thirty strong by the latest count. That’s a lot of Thek.”
“Any of them Tor?”
“Don’t know. Dimenon filed in the report and then Kai lost the connection. Captain Godheir has sent a sled out after him and Margit. And I’ve got a lot to tell you about your precious giffs when you get back. After Commander Sassinak has had her chat with you. I didn’t know about the cruiser when I filed a mutiny charge with Captain Godheir. I wanted that on record as soon as possible. Sassinak will want to have details from you. I’m reviving the rest of the sleepers now. Their reports are going to be needed, too. And they might as well wake up. We’ve got enough help now to complete the original mission.”
“Lunzie, how’s Kai?”
“In Godheir’s sick tank. We can improve his condition. As I said, I didn’t know about the cruiser. Its medical team can help if Godheir’s doesn’t come up with an answer.” Behind Varian, someone was noisily clearing his throat. “I’ll join you as soon as I can arrange transport, Lunzie. Just continue as you think best.”
“Well, that gives me plenty of latitude.”
“You don’t need any more,” Varian said in an ironic tone. Lunzie gave her a sardonic grin as she broke the connection. Then Varian rose to face the lieutenant.
“My wits have been rattled, Lieutenant, I don’t know your name.”
“Borander.” He smiled. “Commander Sassinak is waiting for you.”
Borander now exuded an air of urgency. “You look a lot better now, you know. I was a bit worried about you for a while. You didn’t seem yourself.”
“You could say I wasn’t.”
Borander escorted her from the pinnace which had landed near the cruiser by one of the open air locks. From her vantage point in the pinnace’s lock, Varian had a good view of the heavy gunsleds in position around the massive hulk of the Heavyworld transport. Cruisers were scarcely small but the ZD-43 looked almost puny as it faced the colony ship. Only one of the transport’s huge locks was open, but none of the Heavyworld contingent was visible. Varian hoped that the cruiser’s weaponry was trained on the transport. It looked so menacing, just sitting there, as if it meant to stay. She was only slightly reassured by the fact that most colonists were shipped in cold sleep to their new destinations.
“These guys built a proper strip, I’ll give ’em that much,” Borander said, gesturing to their right.
Aygar and his friend were squatting on their haunches beside the pinnace, and the friend scowled at her. Aygar was staring into the distance, indifferent to his surroundings and the marines’ weapons.
“Borander, why are these men being guarded?”
“Why, because they’re mutineers,” Borander replied.
“These two men are not mutineers, Lieutenant Borander. They were born here on Ireta and they had nothing to do with the mutiny. There is no need to keep them under restraint.”
“Now, look, your people registered a mutiny charge first with Captain Godheir and then with Commander Sassinak-”
“Which still has nothing to do with Aygar and anyone in his generation or even his parents.”
“And I suppose they didn’t help build that grid to assist an illegal landing…” Borander switched from surprise to open scorn.
“I think the judicial will find that Aygar was acting on misinformation and could be excused from a conscious violation of EEC regulations.”
Borander held himself stiffly. “That is not for me to decide. Now, Commander Sassinak is waiting for you.”
“Then Aygar can accompany us and I’ll sort the matter out right now.”
Aygar maintained his air of indifference but his companion was staring at Varian, his jaw had dropped open and his face bore a surprised expression that put Varian in mind of Tardma.
“Why, I can’t just walk into the commander’s office with these two-”
“I can.” Varian put the steel of Discipline into her voice. “I’ll remind you, Lieutenant, that as co-leader of an authorized expedition to Ireta, I have the rank of planetary governor pro-tem. Who outranks whom, Lieutenant?”
Borander swallowed, arching his back to attention. “You do… ma’am. But that doesn’t mean the commander’s going to like it.”
Varian ignored that remark and turned to the Iretans. “Aygar, if you and your friend would be good enough to accompany us?” She stared pointedly from the marines to Borander who signaled them to sheathe their stunners. Aygar rose from his haunches with graceful ease.
“You’d be one of Tardma’s grandchildren?” she asked the unknown Iretan.
“I’m Winral,” the man replied in a surly voice, eyeing her with growing anxiety.
Borander stepped out quickly toward the cruiser’s gang plank. Aygar fell in beside her while Winral tagged behind. Varian noticed but did not comment on the fact that Borander signaled the marines to bring up the rear.
“Lieutenant, would you know how much damage my sled sustained? I’ll need transport to return to my base camp as soon as I’ve seen the commander.”
“Apart from the crumbled nose, I’d say the bolt just drained your power pack,” Borander replied in a formal tone. “I’ll order it retrieved and repowered.”
Varian received the distinct impression that Borander did not think she’d survive her interview with his commander. They were halfway to their destination when one of Ireta’s sudden downpours caught them. It afforded Varian some amusement that she, Aygar, and Winral paid no attention to the rain though even the marines flinched.
“Let ’em have the place, I say,” someone muttered behind Varian in a voice meant to be overheard. “I’ve smelled stinks-”
Borander whipped around, hoping to identify the speaker. His annoyance was increased as he noticed Aygar’s sublime indifference to the elements.
Varian was not attached to any service unit, so the usual boarding salute to the flag was not required of her. Nevertheless, when she reached the top of the gangplank, she had to exert a conscious effort not to follow Borander’s example. The duty officer immediately stepped forward objecting to the presence of Aygar and Winral.
“As planetary governor pro-tem, I wish to redress a wrong with Commander Sassinak. These men are here at my express invitation.”
“Commander Sassinak has already interviewed the mutineers.”
“Mutineer,” and Varian laid firm stress on the singular. “These people cannot be held guilty of the transgressions of their grandparents. Have I made my position clear, Lieutenant?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Now, if you will take me to your commander?” Varian turned to Borander.
The manner in which Borander escorted her revealed to Varian just how much the young man wished to be through with her. It had irritated her, or perhaps Rianav, to see Aygar held at stun-range. Rianav-Varian both could believe that Aygar had indeed been on his way to look for the sled’s survivors. What his intention would have been after the rescue, was moot. But she felt required to seek fair treatment for him.