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up."
"You don't have worry?" said Houk. "I would."
"Oh, what's the difference? He can't kill me and he knows it. Coral's a gentle
man, but his patience has limits. And yesterday Maiden came close to breaking
them."
Gesturing to the facial bruises, Lisele said, "He did that?"
181
"Who else would?"
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"But why? What did you do-?"
Mangentes made a rueful snicker. "Me? No. It's what you did. Or didn't,
rather. The commodore doesn't like rejection; he's not used to it."
"So he made you pay!" Even knowing that Maiden's cruelty was none of her own
fault, Lisele felt guilt. "He hit you in the face. And what else?" As the
woman raised her eyebrows but gave no answer, Lisele said, "You don't usually
walk like a cripple."
For moments Lisele expected to be hit, herself. Then the woman shrugged. "I
already told you the man likes his sex a little different. Well, to work
right, that way needs some extra lubrication. Always before, with me, at least
he's been good about that part. Yesterday, though-" Watching the face change
expression, Lisele felt relief that
Deryth's anger wasn't toward herself. "-yesterday, he opened the way with two
fingers, nails and all. Blood lubricates just fine.
"Especially if it's not your own."
Trying to find a better answer than a mere "I'm sorry," Lisele heard herself
say, "Have you ever killed anyone?"
"No. And didn't think I ever could. But-"
"Neither have I."
"With me, different," said deWayne Houk. "Holding the colony together or
not-Goral Craig's assessment of
Maiden, I cite-my fourth, he'd be. And after doing it, sleep well.
The concept stopped Lisele's thinking. Yes, she'd had violent urges, and they
disturbed her. But she hadn't acted on them; no. Bemused, she heard Deryth
Mangentes say, "I think Coral's wrong. The colony could survive
Maiden's death; what it may not survive is the turn his leadership's been
taking."
"Kill him, then, why not? Shrugging, Houk said it.
Her face showing grief, Mangentes said, "Because I can't."
Then, turning to Lisele, "You'd? better be ready to do that, though. Because-
"Because what?"
"Because afterward, in the next room cleaning my blood off me, I could hear
him muttering to himself. That he'd get you. That you'd tricked him, but next
time he'd have tricks
182
you've never heard of. And that compared to what he'd do to you, then, what
he'd done to me was nothing."
"I
see." Rearranging her thoughts, her feelings built on all her life's
experience: "I see," said Liesel
Selene Moray.
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Or do I?
Frightened and angry, she fell silent.
As they neared the scoutship, Lisele saw that the four colony women were
sitting outside the dining tent, shaded by its front canopy. Further, they
seemed to have their visiting-kits packed. "Oh, damn everything!" said
Mangentes. "I forgot."
Her hand on the woman's elbow, Lisele said, "Forgot what?"
"After Mr. Houk, here, has his final session in the tent today, I'm supposed
to take this batch home. Four more come out tomorrow."
"But what-?" Then Lisele realized. Cochrane! She and Deryth could keep their
mouths shut, but four women who knew nothing about the danger and might not
understand it?
Houk was ahead of her. "A story, quickly, tell them. To' stay this night, they
must."
"But the commodore-?"
Lisele's hand squeezed the elbow. "You'll have to take some blame, there. Tell
him you misunderstood. I
know it's-"
Mangentes nodded. "So do I. More than you can imagine. But you're both right.
It's my only out."
This time, "I'm sorry" was all Lisele could find to say.
Houk did better. "Tired, I am, and needing rest. Not until after sundown will
I be ready. It should justify.
My fault, not yours, the night's delay.'
Reluctantly leaving the woman to face her situation, then following Houk up
the scout's ramp. Lisele said, "Chief? I think that's two I owe you."
Pausing, he looked around to her. "And to collect, how many does it take?"
On the face of it his words were offensive. But somehow, his tone wasn't.
First, after minimal greetings to everyone who was in or near Control, Lisele
had a shower. Then, hungry, she went to the dining alcove, expecting to cook
something for herself.
183
But there Arlen met her. "Sit down and relax. I ve been waiting for you, and
our dinner's almost ready."
"Well-hey, thanks. She sat. "I appreciate it.
In only a few minutes, the two were eating. When they were finished and
drinking coffee, Anders Kobolak joined them. His presence stopped the halting
confidences Arlen wished to impart, so those would have to wait.
The scout captain said, Lisele? The Chief told me some of what happened at the
ship. Let's hear your version."
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As accurately as she could, trying to leave her feelings out of the account,
she told it. Including what she d learned on the walk back, but not how much
the future prospects frightened her. Looking deadly serious, Kobolak nodded.
"That's it, then, I cant let you go back there. It's too dangerous.
He was probably right, but she couldn't bring herself to say so. "I
have to go! Who else is there?"
"That's a problem," he said. "Until today I'd have thought we could substitute
anyone. But now it seems to boil down to you and to me. So I guess it's me.
Of all the objections that came to mind, only one could be stated first. What
came out was, "You're captain."
And not much good with a needle gun, and two men would be off the scout at one
time, and the tent and watch skeds would be messed up even worse than now, and
who could he leave in charge, and-!"
But surely Anders knew all those things, so she shut up and listened, as he
said, I ve let this mess keep me off balance! Haven t done some perfectly
sensible things I very well might have." He gestured toward Limmer.
"We've got navigation sims on here, including lifts and landings. You should
have been practicing those and it s my fault that you haven't. I-"
Lisele reached to clasp his wrist. Anders. Quit blaming yourself. You ve had
lots to worry about.
He shook free, then looked apologetic. But-guns, though. No reason we couldn t
have trained more people on needlers.
Thinking about the idea, Lisele said. Like who?
"Naomi Gray. Molyneux, maybe. Alina-? He shook his head. No. Guns scare her.
Always have. And-
"And using any of the men, she said, "would leave us with more of you off here
than we decided was a good idea.
184
He frowned. "Yes. You're right, of course. But that leaves us nowhere. What
should we do?"
The answer was easy. 'Just send one more person along with us. And do it the
way vou did before. With
Brower."
XXVII
Kobolak's brow wrinkled. "I don't understand."
"Sure you do," said Arlen Limmer. "First time we went groundside to meet those
people. Chief Brower doesn't know guns, so you told him, shoot if it comes to
that, but make sure not to hit any of us."
Lisele nodded. "That's what I meant, yes. Naomi Gray- she's steady enough."
Frowning again, Anders shook his head. "I need her here, to keep tabs on the
Drive when Drawer's groundside. How about Molyneux?"
Page 153 [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
up."
"You don't have worry?" said Houk. "I would."
"Oh, what's the difference? He can't kill me and he knows it. Coral's a gentle
man, but his patience has limits. And yesterday Maiden came close to breaking
them."
Gesturing to the facial bruises, Lisele said, "He did that?"
181
"Who else would?"
Page 150
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"But why? What did you do-?"
Mangentes made a rueful snicker. "Me? No. It's what you did. Or didn't,
rather. The commodore doesn't like rejection; he's not used to it."
"So he made you pay!" Even knowing that Maiden's cruelty was none of her own
fault, Lisele felt guilt. "He hit you in the face. And what else?" As the
woman raised her eyebrows but gave no answer, Lisele said, "You don't usually
walk like a cripple."
For moments Lisele expected to be hit, herself. Then the woman shrugged. "I
already told you the man likes his sex a little different. Well, to work
right, that way needs some extra lubrication. Always before, with me, at least
he's been good about that part. Yesterday, though-" Watching the face change
expression, Lisele felt relief that
Deryth's anger wasn't toward herself. "-yesterday, he opened the way with two
fingers, nails and all. Blood lubricates just fine.
"Especially if it's not your own."
Trying to find a better answer than a mere "I'm sorry," Lisele heard herself
say, "Have you ever killed anyone?"
"No. And didn't think I ever could. But-"
"Neither have I."
"With me, different," said deWayne Houk. "Holding the colony together or
not-Goral Craig's assessment of
Maiden, I cite-my fourth, he'd be. And after doing it, sleep well.
The concept stopped Lisele's thinking. Yes, she'd had violent urges, and they
disturbed her. But she hadn't acted on them; no. Bemused, she heard Deryth
Mangentes say, "I think Coral's wrong. The colony could survive
Maiden's death; what it may not survive is the turn his leadership's been
taking."
"Kill him, then, why not? Shrugging, Houk said it.
Her face showing grief, Mangentes said, "Because I can't."
Then, turning to Lisele, "You'd? better be ready to do that, though. Because-
"Because what?"
"Because afterward, in the next room cleaning my blood off me, I could hear
him muttering to himself. That he'd get you. That you'd tricked him, but next
time he'd have tricks
182
you've never heard of. And that compared to what he'd do to you, then, what
he'd done to me was nothing."
"I
see." Rearranging her thoughts, her feelings built on all her life's
experience: "I see," said Liesel
Selene Moray.
Page 151
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Or do I?
Frightened and angry, she fell silent.
As they neared the scoutship, Lisele saw that the four colony women were
sitting outside the dining tent, shaded by its front canopy. Further, they
seemed to have their visiting-kits packed. "Oh, damn everything!" said
Mangentes. "I forgot."
Her hand on the woman's elbow, Lisele said, "Forgot what?"
"After Mr. Houk, here, has his final session in the tent today, I'm supposed
to take this batch home. Four more come out tomorrow."
"But what-?" Then Lisele realized. Cochrane! She and Deryth could keep their
mouths shut, but four women who knew nothing about the danger and might not
understand it?
Houk was ahead of her. "A story, quickly, tell them. To' stay this night, they
must."
"But the commodore-?"
Lisele's hand squeezed the elbow. "You'll have to take some blame, there. Tell
him you misunderstood. I
know it's-"
Mangentes nodded. "So do I. More than you can imagine. But you're both right.
It's my only out."
This time, "I'm sorry" was all Lisele could find to say.
Houk did better. "Tired, I am, and needing rest. Not until after sundown will
I be ready. It should justify.
My fault, not yours, the night's delay.'
Reluctantly leaving the woman to face her situation, then following Houk up
the scout's ramp. Lisele said, "Chief? I think that's two I owe you."
Pausing, he looked around to her. "And to collect, how many does it take?"
On the face of it his words were offensive. But somehow, his tone wasn't.
First, after minimal greetings to everyone who was in or near Control, Lisele
had a shower. Then, hungry, she went to the dining alcove, expecting to cook
something for herself.
183
But there Arlen met her. "Sit down and relax. I ve been waiting for you, and
our dinner's almost ready."
"Well-hey, thanks. She sat. "I appreciate it.
In only a few minutes, the two were eating. When they were finished and
drinking coffee, Anders Kobolak joined them. His presence stopped the halting
confidences Arlen wished to impart, so those would have to wait.
The scout captain said, Lisele? The Chief told me some of what happened at the
ship. Let's hear your version."
Page 152
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
As accurately as she could, trying to leave her feelings out of the account,
she told it. Including what she d learned on the walk back, but not how much
the future prospects frightened her. Looking deadly serious, Kobolak nodded.
"That's it, then, I cant let you go back there. It's too dangerous.
He was probably right, but she couldn't bring herself to say so. "I
have to go! Who else is there?"
"That's a problem," he said. "Until today I'd have thought we could substitute
anyone. But now it seems to boil down to you and to me. So I guess it's me.
Of all the objections that came to mind, only one could be stated first. What
came out was, "You're captain."
And not much good with a needle gun, and two men would be off the scout at one
time, and the tent and watch skeds would be messed up even worse than now, and
who could he leave in charge, and-!"
But surely Anders knew all those things, so she shut up and listened, as he
said, I ve let this mess keep me off balance! Haven t done some perfectly
sensible things I very well might have." He gestured toward Limmer.
"We've got navigation sims on here, including lifts and landings. You should
have been practicing those and it s my fault that you haven't. I-"
Lisele reached to clasp his wrist. Anders. Quit blaming yourself. You ve had
lots to worry about.
He shook free, then looked apologetic. But-guns, though. No reason we couldn t
have trained more people on needlers.
Thinking about the idea, Lisele said. Like who?
"Naomi Gray. Molyneux, maybe. Alina-? He shook his head. No. Guns scare her.
Always have. And-
"And using any of the men, she said, "would leave us with more of you off here
than we decided was a good idea.
184
He frowned. "Yes. You're right, of course. But that leaves us nowhere. What
should we do?"
The answer was easy. 'Just send one more person along with us. And do it the
way vou did before. With
Brower."
XXVII
Kobolak's brow wrinkled. "I don't understand."
"Sure you do," said Arlen Limmer. "First time we went groundside to meet those
people. Chief Brower doesn't know guns, so you told him, shoot if it comes to
that, but make sure not to hit any of us."
Lisele nodded. "That's what I meant, yes. Naomi Gray- she's steady enough."
Frowning again, Anders shook his head. "I need her here, to keep tabs on the
Drive when Drawer's groundside. How about Molyneux?"
Page 153 [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]