Rissa and Tregare (27 page)

"Could I see them? I mean-if it's all right?"

After a pause, Limmer nodded. "Sure." He stood. "Come with me. Maybe it's time I looked again, too." He took her arm as she rose and led her out. At the doorway he turned and said, "Long as you don't need me on those hull plates, Tregare-" Rissa shook her head. "I fear she pushes him too fast, Bran -as she did the controls in the practice turret." Tregare smiled. "People are more flexible than computers.

If he couldn't face up to it, he wouldn't have agreed." He drank the last of his coffee. "You want to come see how we cut hul plates?"

"Not especially. But if that is what you must do, I will join you."

tregare erased a marking and redrew it. "It's not as simple as it looks," he said. "The hole has to match the trumpet-shaped funnel that seals to the projector's pivot mount. The funnel's not symmetrical-you've seen one?" She nodded. "So we set it for lefthand or right-simpler than making two models-and I have to compensate." He grinned. "The missiles, now-that's simpler. But for al of it we'l need duplicate covers-in case we have to use the camouflage trick more than once."

"And my idea, for extra turrets on
No Return,
makes it no easier."

"Worth it, though-if they surprise the hell out of some-body at the right time." She touched his arm. "Time, Bran-will there be enough?"

He shrugged. "Who knows? We'll keep pushing, as if we did know. Two more ships, though-I wish we had them already. That costs me sleep, some nights."

"I know-I wake to hear you breathing as no sleeper does."

His arm hugged her shoulders. "Next time, say hello."

Before she could answer, two men brought a drawing, argu-ing over its interpretation. Looking, Tregare found the flaw. "That circle's from somebody's coffee cup. Don't try to work on your break time-not with a sepia print." When the men had left, he said, "More likely they were sneaking breaks into work time-but the way I said it, they'll listen better." She nodded. "Yes. You have a good touch, Bran, with such matters."

"Maybe; I hope so. Hey-I'm done here! Let's
us
take the aircar down the hills." 

tregare flew it; Rissa pointed and said, "There-toward the water, the Big Sink!"

"Al right, if you want-but we can't get al the way there and back before dark. How about the hummocks off there to the south? Want to see those?" She agreed.

The pattern of hummocks covered miles-each mound roughly fifty feet high and three hundred across, spaced irregularly and densely covered with short grasslike growth.

"Bran? Shall we land on one?"

"No. There's some odd stories from the early days-I don't know how true, and 1 don't want to find out the hard way. I'l set us down in that gap-looks like a river used to run there."

Aground, they walked along the dry canyon and looked up at the hummocks to either side. The sun's heat warmed them. They came to the edge of a cliff, where the canyon floor dropped, looked down into the shadows for a time, then turned back. Rissa's foot caught against a rock; she stumbled. Tregare caught her arm; momentum swung her to face him squarely. She broke the kiss. "Here? The ground is rough." A mo-ment later she laughed and said, "With our clothes on, Bran?"

"Why not?"

"All right-but wait! There is a rock under me!

"Now-that is better."

she lay, his face against her shoulder, and looked into dis-tance; she felt joy that they shared peace. Then she saw it.

"Bran!"

"What?"

"Look!" She pointed; he lifted his head and turned to see. From the nearest hummock something had raised-long and thin, shockingly swift. It lashed the air, then swept the ground around the hummock. Rissa smelled a stench like stagnant swamp. The thing raised itself again, emitted a harsh, clacking sound, then retracted and was gone. Rissa said, "I am glad you knew not to land us there." He whistled, a short, tuneless burst. "I never saw that before. Don't know anyone who has-it was just Backhills talk. Wel, now we know."

As they got up, she said, "But we do not, Bran. We know it is big and
looks
dangerous. We have not seen it do any harm."

Now they walked; he reached to stroke her hair. "Let some-one else find out about that. You and I-we'll just leave it alone."

"Yes, Bran." And a few steps further; "I would like to fly the car now."

"Sure." When they got in, she lifted it and flew over a few hummocks, not high. Twice the ground split and something reached for them, but each time she sped away.

"What do you think?" she said. "Is the reaction defensive or predatory? And in either case, what possible natural target could there be?"

He shook his head. "I've got no idea, and I'm not inclined to investigate."

"Yes-we face enough dangers without seeking new ones."

Now she flew faster, rising to clear the ridge above, and the next. Her angle of approach was unfamiliar, but soon she located the peak with the slanted tip, then the half-circle ridge, and finally the crater. She landed near
Lefthand Thread.
As they stepped outside, Felcie came down the ship's ramp to greet them. Rissa said, "Are you ready to go upslope with us? Or are there things yet to be discussed here, first?"

"Well-I-"

Tregare said, "If we're invited to stay for dinner, I accept."

"That's not-well, maybe so-" said Felcie. "But let
me
say something." She took a deep breath. "I'm staying here-with Derek."

Rissa looked at her, then at Tregare. "Derek?"

"Limmer," said Tregare. "I hadn't heajd his first name in years."

Rissa said, "Felcie! What has happened?"

The girl laughed. "Well-I'm married, I think. Not that it matters-but is it valid, a ship's captain and all, you're in bed with him and he stops in the middle and says the ceremony -and
then
you finish?" Rissa stepped forward and cupped the girl's face between both hands, looking up into her eyes. "And is it-yes, of course-I
see
it is right for you. But I am surprised-that all has moved so quickly." 

Felcie grinned. "I guess I'm shameless. When I cut him out from you after lunch, I knew what I wanted. Sure didn't ex-pect to get
married,
though-or not so soon, anyway."

Tregare moved and clasped her to him. "Somebody should kiss the bride."

When he was done, Rissa said, "I think you have done the job completely."

"And who better?" It was Limmer, descending the ramp. "Tregare-Tari-stay and help us celebrate, wil you?" Tregare gripped his shoulder tightly. "I'll celebrate you under the table, you old war dog. You may be prettier, but I'm the better drinker."

they went to Limmer's quarters. Dinner was late, sketchy, and fragmented, but drink and drugsticks abounded. Rissa en-joyed the euphoria and heightened sensations, but realized she paid for them in a shortened, fragile attention span. Once she found herself hugging Felcie, both of them laughing and cry-ing at the same time. Then they sat side by side, solemnly listening as Limmer and Tregare sang. The song began, "When I was a boy at U.E.T., twice a week they maybe let you pee-" Then the two men's versions differed, and Rissa could make out none of the worlds until the chorus line, twice repeated.

Yes, THAT is the reason, you can plainly see, Why there's only one latrine in all of U! E! T!

Laughing and breathless, the men pummeled each other's shoulders. Tregare said, "You got the middle wrong, Limmer! It goes 'Some time later, when we were men, they told us we could hold it twice as long again.' Now let's try it once more." Rissa shook her head and missed Limmer's protest as she retreated to the bathroom. For a moment she closed her eyes; when she opened them, she had forgotten where she was.

She heard loud voices and opened the door. Limmer and Felcie, nude, were embracing. Tregare clapped his hands and chanted.

"Don't wait-celebrate! Don't wait-
celebratel"

She went to him; he kissed and held her, mumbling words she could not understand. He laughed and pointed; she turned and saw the newlyweds coupling. "Us too?" he said.

She shook her head. "Not here. And-Bran, I do not feel well."

"You lie down, then. Next cabin's empty." He led her to it; she sat heavily on the bed, then lay on one side, drawing her knees up. He touched her shoulder. "You all right?"

"I-will be." She closed her eyes, heard the door close, and could not summon purpose to open them, to see if he had gone or stayed. Then another door slammed and she knew he had rejoined the revel. After a time, she slept. she woke to find herself not on but in the bed, and unclothed. Beside her lay Tregare. She yawned, stretched, and decided that except for residual nervous overexcitement, she had re-covered fully. Her clothes hung neatly over the back of a chair; she got up and began dressing.

Tregare opened his eyes, sneezed once and sat up. "How are you, Bran?"

"I've been better. Worse, too, though-I'll manage." "Thank you for putting me to bed. I do not remember it." "Thank Felcie-she put us
both
to bed, after I helped her with Limmer." He grinned. "I
told
him I could outdrink him." He looked around. "I guess I left my clothes in there. No robe here, either."

"I will get them, if anyone is awake to open the door." For a moment he looked at her. "You want to know what happened?" "I did not ask."
"Well-nothing did."
"I am sorry if you were disappointed." "Oh, peace drop off a cliff! It was my own choice." She went to him. "I would not have minded, Bran, if all were willing. We have said, remember, that outside our bed we each are free. But this time I am glad you did nothing, for it is not well to make such decisions when drugged."

"That's what I thought-with what little brains I had work-ing." "I will go see about your clothing." felcie, wearing a robe, answered her knock. "Derek's still asleep. I guess you're after Tregare's clothes? I just plain forgot to take them along last night."

"Bran says you got me into bed. Thank you."

Felcie gathered Tregare's things and handed them over. "Tari-"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Oh-nothing." Rissa nodded and returned to the other cabin. Tregare dressed; after they had washed, they went to the galley.

His appetite had not suffered, she noticed, and hers was normally hearty. They were drinking coffee when Limmer and Felcie entered. Neither said anything beyond greetings; Rissa thought they seemed embarrassed. Well, that was
their
prob-lem.

Then Limmer said, "I guess we got a little tipped up last night. And I noticed you left early, Tari-everything all right?"

She looked at the scarred, sneering face, and her resolve

melted. "Quite all right. It was only that I had much more

drink and drug than usual and reacted poorly-so I went to let

my mind clear without disturbing your celebration." She

smiled. "As I left, it seemed your wedding night proceeded

wel."

"She told you, did she now? The ceremony, I mean? Well, I couldn't think of a better time for it."

"It was most fitting." Then, to Tregare; "Should we not go upslope this morning? There are calls to make, and-"

"It wouldn't be," said Limmer, "that you're uncomfor-table here, about anything?" She shook her head. "No-truly not." He did not look con-vinced, so she rose and went to him. "Men always kiss the bride. I think that is most unfair to the other women-and to the groom." She bent down, and the kiss was long and firm. When she straightened again, she smiled and said, "Now we have had our due also, you and I." He laughed. "All right-whatever my question was, that answers it." Then; "Tregare-any special instructions to-day?"

"Just that you could expand weapons training, if you haven't already-set up some simulations so people can practice on their own ships in as many turrets as are handy to rig."

"Carcharodon's
already in the business; I'll get onto
No Return
today. And you've got the hul plates marked?"

"Yes, and numbered. Not duplicates, though. Have some-body take care of that-two spare sets al around."

"All right." They shook hands. "If anything needs it, I'll cal on scramble." Tregare and Rissa left the ship. At first they did not see the aircar; then it emerged from behind a building and taxied toward them, Deverel driving. He came alongside them, leaned out, and said, "Thought I'd fuel her while I thought of it. We going back to the scout today?"

"Yes," said Tregare. "And right now, unless you've some-thing more to do here." Deverel shook his head; they entered and he took the car up. His piloting was competent and cautious; Rissa wondered about his inward reaction to some of her and Tregare's maneuvers. Well, he had never com-plained. ...

at the cabin they found that Kenekke had completely re-paneled the door and cut away the burned wood from the front wall, exposing blackened metal. The men went to the scout, Rissa into the cabin. She made coffee, bathed, and changed her clothing, putting the discarded garments to launder. As she turned the machine on, Tregare entered.

"Word from Hawkman, Rissa! Sten Norden's agreed to sell
-Valkyrie's
on her way here. Hawkman stayed and sold the frozen gas contract to-I forget the name-it's a ship I don't know." He poured them coffee and sat. "One problem-Nor-den wants off. Says he's too old to change-to command an armed ship that means business." He scratched his cheek where the tattoo had been. "So who do I put in charge? I know Norden personally, but none of his officers."

"And if you install one of your own, there might be trouble?"

"Using the truth field? Not hardly. And my man-or woman-would have a cadre along, too, for coordination. But-"

"Who are you thinking of? Do I know any?"

"You've met a couple; you may not remember them.

Gonnelsen, my First on
Inconnu-"

"I remember him, though we did not speak together. A very-
contained-
man.''

"That's him. Well, he'd be ideal-but he doesn't
want
com-mand. He had first offer of
Left hand Thread-
Limmer was new with me then-and turned it down. So-next in line is Zelde M'tana, my Second. She could handle it."