Dinosaurus Planet Survivors
- Автор: Маккефри Энн
- Серия: Dinosaur Planet #2
- Язык: английский
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «Dinosaurus Planet Survivors». Краткое содержание книги:
“Perhaps,” and there was a wicked gleam in Sassiness’ sparkling eyes, “they had to digest them to find out?” She leaned forward and tapped instructions in to her console. Immediately the screens came to life: the Great-Big Bears had not moved, nor had the Medium-Size ones. The three small ones had disappeared. The fourth screen showed the site on which the Thek had been attacked by the fringes. It was unoccupied. Just then a buzzer alerted Commander Sassinak. “Yes? Oh, really?” She made another adjustment and Kai half rose from his seat in astonishment. A myriad of Thek forms inhabited the plain below the campsite.
“Muhlah! Every fringe on Ireta will be homing in on us.”
“I doubt it. Nor would they pose you a problem if they did. Between Thek and the globe, you couldn’t be better protected.”
“But what are they doing there? I’m here. Tor knows that. Muhlah! Kai’s startled reaction was shared by everyone in the room. For the Thek were spinning off in all directions, nearly thirty small Thek pyramids were hurtling skyward and disappearing with astounding speed.
“Now what?”
“Now what, indeed?” Sassiness’ expression sparkled with amusement and speculation.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Sassinak adjourned the discussion to the wardroom where off-duty officers were enjoying a noon meal. When Sassinak apologized that the lunch was made of processed foods, Kai, mindful of his praise for the previous night’s dinner, forbore to mention that he was better suited to it. But after his first mouthful of the protein, he wondered if his eating preferences had been undermined by circumstance. While the cruiser’s mess was appetizing and well served, Kai for the first time recognized the faint after taste that Varian had always complained of.
“I suppose you were too busy with the geological aspects of the mission,” Anstel was saying, his gaunt face animated as he addressed Kai across the table, “to have much time for the dinosaurs?”
“Unfortunately, I was,” Kai said as he belatedly caught the end of Anstel’s comments and realized that some response was due. “We did have an orphan hyracotherium for a pet-” Kai broke off, then finished as if his pause had been to swallow, “but that was before we went cryo.”
“A hyracotherium?” Anstel’s eyes bulged with excitement. “Really? You’re certain? Why, that creature evolved into the equine species an Old Terra. Did you know that?”
Feeling unequal to a lecture on the matter, Kai tried a diversion.
“We also have furred avian creatures…”
“Furred?” Anstel was entranced.
“Actually,” Fordeliton began with so bland an expression that those who knew his ways became alert, “Varian, whom you must concede is a reliable source, said that most of the dinosaurs she observed suffered from overweight, bad nutrition, parasites of remarkable tenacity and variety, and were not affectionate by nature.”
“One does not expect dinosaurs to be lovable,” Anstel said with quiet dignity. “They fascinate by their size and majesty. In their diverse species, they dominated the Mesozoic era of Old Terra for several million years before a shift in the magnetic fields of the planet traumatically changed their environment.
“Nonsense! A cosmic cloud obscuring the sun caused the climatic change,” Pendelman corrected firmly.
“My dear Pendelman, there is absolutely no proof of that theory whatsoever-”
“Oh, indeed there is, Anstel. Indeed there is! Bothemann of the New Smithsonian of Tyrconia has documentation, both-”
“Bothemann’s hypothesis is shaky at the very best since the geological area in Old Terran Italia that allegedly supported the contention, was engulfed in the mid-European plate shift in the early twenty-first century-”
“Ah, but records from the Central Repository, made by that Californian group, are-”
“As suspect as many other theories from that neck of the woods-”
“Gentlemen, how or why Old Terran dinosaurs met their end is not pertinent,” Sassinak declared. “What is germane is that dinosaur like creatures are alive and in relatively good health on Ireta. Enjoy that reality for however long you are able to indulge your fascination. Save the great debates for the long watches of the night!”
A yeoman caught her attention. She beckoned him over and listened to his message. Turning to smile at Kai, she murmured a quick answer. The yeoman speedily retraced his steps.
“Varian has arrived. She’ll join us here.”
“Would she remember where you found the hyracotherium, Kai?” Anstel asked.
“Yes, but I must remind you that that would have been forty-three years ago.”
“Surely, it was not an isolated example of the species?” Clearly Anstel would not rest until he had seen one.
“She’s concentrating on a study of the golden fliers who could well be an emerging species,” Kai said, to give Varian room to maneuver if she didn’t wish to get involved with Anstel.
“I must look up my references disks. Hyracotheriums I recall in perfect clarity, but I’m not certain about…”
“Trizein has identified the golden fliers as the pteranodon.”
“Pteranodon!” Once again Anstel’s eyes widened in shock.
“Yes, my dear fellow, exactly like pteranodons,” Pendelman said, delighted to contribute to Anstel’s confusion. “I saw a whole flock of them rise from the cliffs and soar. Quite a feat, I assure you, on a storm-tossed planet like Ireta.”
At that point the yeoman returned with Varian who greeted Kai with undisguised relief.
“Sorry it took me so long to get here,” she said to Sassinak. “I see the Thek found you?”
“It was Kai they wished to find and addressed in their inimitably succinct fashion.”
“So, what has happened? Or…” Varian glanced around her, mindful of discretion. Only a few officers remained, most chatting quietly at a wall table on the far side of the mess hall.
A gesture of Sassiness’ hand gave Varian immediate reassurance and the commander’s glance gave Kai the office to explain.
“Tor has returned.”
“With company to ward off our great big beasties?”
Kai grinned. “Tor has returned. It and the other Thek are in the process of verifying.”
“Verifying what?”
“They did not specify.” Sassiness’ dry tone put Kai and Varian strongly in mind of Lunzie.
“Oh.”
“They dismissed us, in a word,” Sassinak went on, “and ‘will contact’.”
“They do have a way with them, don’t they?” Varian turned to Kai. “Not one of us thought to dismantle that old distress beacon Portegin rigged. Kenley has it down now. I’d rather not subject the giffs to further invasions especially ones conducted by the Thek. I didn’t know there were that many of the critters. And thanks be to Krims, they didn’t attempt to land on my cliff, considering what they’ve done to Aygar’s landing grid.” Varian giggled then.
“It’s entirely possible,” Fordeliton said into the thoughtful pause that followed, “that the Thek have made a mistake.”
“Thek? Making mistakes? How refreshing!”
Kai felt compelled to set the problem out properly in simple justice to the Thek, who were so very seldom mistaken in their dealings with other planets and sentient species. “Now, Varian, that old core is of Thek design. It’s got them in a scramble. You know how Thek transmit knowledge, from generation to generation-”
“And there’s been a generation gap?” Varian asked, her voice bubbling with a laughter shared by the others at the table.
“Evidently. Though the Thek way is supposed to prevent the total loss of knowledge in any line.”
“Well, Ireta would be the right place for that, wouldn’t it?” Varian quipped, then became thoughtful. “Though, I can’t see why that would call for the presence of so many heavy-duty Thek. I mean, Ireta is extremely rich in the transuranics but… Or have they been monitoring planet piracy, too?”