Changelings
- Автор: Маккефри Энн, Скарборо Элизабет
- Серия: The Twins of Petaybee #1
- Язык: английский
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «Changelings». Краткое содержание книги:
CHANGELINGS
They are Ronan Born for Water Shongili and Murel Monster Slayer Shongili. Twin brother and sister. Children of Yana and Sean. Children of Petaybee. As such, theirs is a destiny deeply intertwined with the sentient planet that is their home. For Ronan and Murel are more than human. Like their father, each can transform into a seal and converse telepathically with the planet’s creatures–such as the friendly otter whose life they save one day from a pack of ravenous wolves.
But the twins’ bravery has unforeseen results when a visiting scientist witnesses their startling metamorphosis and becomes obsessed with their capture. To protect their children, Sean and Yana send them to stay with a powerful family friend on an orbiting space station. But no one realizes that Ronan and Murel hunger to discover the origins of their shape-shifting talent–and that their search for knowledge will place them squarely in the path of peril.
Meanwhile, Petaybee is changing–and much faster than an ordinary planet’s natural evolution. It appears that portions of the sea are heating up and a landmass is suddenly rising from the depths. To investigate the startling occurrence, Sean heads out to the open water in his seal form. But the newly unstable region holds untold mysteries–and the potential for disaster.
By then it was quite late, and the professor said, "We can leave it there for now. Tomorrow afternoon we'll try electrical stimuli and a few other methods to see if we cannot persuade the specimen to display its alternate form."
Not if I can help it, Ronan thought, and Murel answered.
Huh?
Professor Mabo locked up the lab with the old-fashioned key, grumbling because she didn't have access to the high-tech facilities of the station guarded with "proper" retinal scan locks.
The flitter waited for them in the corridor outside.
Climbing into the vehicle beside the professor, Ronan sent his sister images of the turtle, telling her, We have to help it escape.
Where does a turtle escape to on a space station? she asked.
Eventually back to its home world, if we can manage.
Where's that?
I dunno, but he said something about a place called Honuania.
That's on Ke-ola's world! Murel said. Remember his holo? I think he even mentioned the turtles, come to think of it. Called them "the sacred Honu."
Great, I wonder if he'd have some idea how we can get the turtle back where it belongs.
Marmie could make Professor Mabo return it, couldn't she?
Maybe, but I'm not sure it would be good to try to make her do anything. She thinks the turtle is her personal property and refers to it as "the specimen." She might just kill it if Marmie told her she couldn't have it here. She plans to "stimulate" it with electric shock tomorrow, Murel. She's trying to make it change into another shape, but the turtle doesn't understand what she's talking about. I have to help it get away.
No, you were right the first time, bro. We have to help it get away.
Just because we're not together all the time anymore doesn't mean I don't still care about the same things you do. I haven't ever met a sea turtle before, but I'm sure Yd like him. And I'd help him escape torture and maybe death even if I didn't. You used to know that.
Aw, sis, I still do. I'm just worried. And the professor is right here next to me in the flitter so I can't think straight.
I can. Has she got the key to the lab on her? Can you nick it?
Yeah, as a matter of fact, I think I can. It's in the pocket of her lab coat. Sometimes you're really quite brilliant, you know. I suppose that's why I keep you around.
Yeah, yeah. Now all you have to do is sneak the keys away from her.
Oh, well, if that's all. His thought was accompanied by an image of him rolling his eyes.
Look, when the flitter lands, Murel said, I'll create a diversion. I've been watching lots of vids.
Creating diversions is how people always manage to swipe things. There's an accomplice or two, and while one person creates a diversion, another one does the actual stealing.
Mum and Da are going to be really pleased to know they've sent us here so far from home just so you can study how to lead a life of crime.
Do you want to save the sea turtle or not?
As the flitter set down, Murel ran up to it. Her eyes were red as if she'd been crying, though Ronan suspected an onion had more to do with it, and she seemed very upset. "Professor Mabo," she whined, poking her head into the flitter and blocking Ronan's exit. The professor leaned forward to hear her over the flitters motor.
"What is it, Murel?"
"When do I get to be your assistant? Ronan and I always share everything, and now he gets to do all this interesting stuff and- and-you don't let me do anything. It's not fair! I'm just as smart as he is. I'd be just as much help." Murel reached in and grabbed the professor's hands.
Now, she told Ronan.
The old-fashioned keys were outlined by a bulge in the lab coat pocket nearest Ronan's fingers. The way Professor Mabo was leaning toward Murel, the pocket was practically in his fingers. He slipped the key from her pocket as easily as he slipped through the water in seal form.
When the professor snatched her hands away from Murel's grasp with a cutting remark, Ronan jumped out of the flitter.
CHAPTER 17
Johnny Green knew something was wrong the moment he saw Yana Maddock-Shongili waiting at the dock, her hands folded behind her at parade rest, her eyes first on the ground, then looking up as he climbed off the gantry. Her jaw was set and her eyes were blazing.
"Yana, how good it is to see you. And how is Sean? Busy as always, I imagine." He always talked too much when something made him nervous, and women wearing that look-especially women with advanced training in sophisticated weaponry-definitely made him nervous.
"He's not here at the moment, Johnny," she said, her voice as tense as her jaw looked.
"What a shame. I've a message for him from the children."
"They sent their father a message, but not me? Why? Is it in seal-speak or something?"
"Worse. It's about biology and genetics and such."
"I know a bit about that too after all these years on Petaybee. And I am their mother."
"Yes, Yana-"
"Whatever anyone thinks, I am their mother. Petaybee may have given them to me, but it's a planet. If it had children, they're-let's not get into that right now, actually. But my kids are mine too, and they're half human. I never meant, in sending them off to Marmie, that they should stay three years. I would never have agreed to that."
The normally taciturn Yana was babbling like a brook let loose from the winter ice. He knew something else was bothering her too, though. It wasn't just the kids' absence.
"You can send for them at any time, Yana, you know that. Marmie would never keep them from you. She is only trying to help you keep them safe."
"Well, their father and I have a disagreement about that. I thought, after they'd been attacked by wolves and almost snatched by those otter-napping biologists, that they'd be safer away.
But the truth is, Johnny, I can take care of my children better than anyone else. I'm trained to be able to care for the people under my-you should pardon the expression-command. They are safer with me than anywhere else."
"I'm sure they'll be glad to hear you feel that way. You see, the message I had for Sean concerns their own worries about some security issues. I don't know if you can answer for him, but once the kids are back here, they can ask him themselves."
"Fine. But we have to find him first."
"Where is he?" Johnny asked.
"He went for a long swim. Out to the coast, and then to explore a new volcanic mass building up at the equator. He's been gone ten days now and we've heard not a word. That little otter the kids are so fond of seemed to come looking for him, but I am the only member of my family who doesn't speak otter, so I haven't a clue what he wants."
"I don't speak otter either, Yana, but I do fly helicopters. Has anyone gone out to have a look?"
Yana nodded. "Scads of people. I've gone out there too. But the ash and steam are so bad out that way you can't see anything. Divers can't get near the place. I don't know why the man thinks that just because he's a man who turns into a seal and vice versa that it makes him superseal or something. He's a mortal man and a mortal seal, and I am mortally afraid he's got himself into more than he can handle."
"He's been in scrapes before, I'm sure. Superseal he may not be, and mortal man he may, but he is a most resourceful fellow and wise in the ways of this world."