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contacted us? They realize-even if you don't- that you can singlehandedly
alter the entire pattern of power on this planet. The ordinary junkman may
think of us as being only one step above the animals, but the leaders don't.
They know what we need and what we want. They could probably guess just what
it is I am going to ask you.
"Help us, Jason dinAlt. Get back among those human pigs and lie. Say you never
talked to us, that you hid in the forest and we attacked you and you had to
shoot to save yourself. We'll supply some recent corpses to make that part of
your story sound good.
Make them believe you and, even after you think you have them convinced, keep
on acting the part because they will be watching you. Then tell them you have
finished your work and are ready to leave. Get safely off Pyrrus, to another
planet, and I promise you anything in the universe. Whatever you want you
shall have. Power, money-anything.
"This is a rich planet. The junkmen mine and sell the metal, but we could do
it much better. Bring a spaceship back here and land anywhere on this
continent. We have no cities, but our people have farms everywhere, they will
find you. We will then have commerce, trade on our own. This is what we all
want and we will work hard for it. And you will have done it. Whatever you
want, we will give. That a promise and we do not break our promises."
The intensity and magnitude of what he described rocked Jason. He knew that
Rhes spoke the truth and the entire resources of the planet would be his; if
he did as asked. For one second he was tempted savoring the thought of what it
would be like. Then came realization that it would be a half answer, and a
poor one at that. If these people had the strength they wanted, their first
act
would be the attempt destruction of the city men. The result would be bloody
civil war that would probably destroy them both.
Rhes's answer was a good one-his only half an answer.
Jason had to find a better solution. One that would stop all the fighting on
this planet and allow the two groups of humans to live in peace.
"I will do nothing to injure your people, Rhes-and everything my power to aid
them," Jason said.
This half answer satisfied Rhes, who could see only one interpretation of it.
He spent the rest of the morning on the communicator, ranging for the food
supRhes that were being brought to the trading site.
"The supRhes are ready and we have sent the signal," he said. "The truck will
be here tomorrow and you will be waiting for it.
Everything arranged as I told you. You'll leave now with Naxa. You must reach
the meeting spot before the trucks."
19
"Trucks almost here. Y'know what to do?" Naxa asked.
Jason nodded, and looked again at the dead man. Some beast had torn his arm
off and he had bled to death. The severed arm had been tied into the shirt
sleeve, so from a distance it looked normal. Seen close up, this limp arm,
plus the white skin and shocked expression on the face, gave Jason an unhappy
sensation. He liked to see his corpses safely buried. However he could
understand its importance today.
"Here they're. Wait until his back's turned," Naxa whispered.
The armored truck had three powered trailers in tow this time. The train
ground up the rock slope and whined to a stop.
Krannon climbed out of the cab and looked carefully around before opening up
the trailers. He had a lift robot along to help him with the loading.
"Now!" Naxa hissed.
Jason burst into the clearing, running, shouting Krannon's name. There was a
crackling behind him as two of the hidden men hurled the corpse through the
foliage after him. He turned and fired without stopping, setting the thing
afire in midair.
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There was the crack of another gun as Krannon fired; his shot jarred the
twice-dead corpse before it hit the ground. Then he was lying prone, firing
into the trees behind the running Jason.
Just as Jason reached the truck, there was a whirring in the air and hot pain
ripped into his back, throwing him to the ground.
He looked around as Krannon dragged him through the door, and saw the metal
shaft of a crossbow bolt sticking out of his shoulder.
"Lucky," the Pyrran said. "An inch lower would have got your heart. I warned
you about those grubbers. You're lucky to get off with only this." He lay next
to the door and snapped shots into the now quiet wood.
Taking out the bolt hurt much more than it had going in. Jason cursed the pain
as Krannon put on a dressing, and admired the singleness of purpose of the
people who had shot him. They had risked his life to make his escape look
real. And also risked the chance that he might turn against them after being
shot. They did a job completely and thoroughly and he cursed them for their
efficiency.
Krannon climbed warily out of the truck, after Jason was bandage Finishing the
loading quickly, he started the train of trailers back t ward the city. Jason
had an anti-pain shot and dozed off as soon as they started.
While he slept, Krannon must have radioed ahead, because Kerk was waiting when
they arrived. As soon as the truck entered the perimeter he threw open the
door and dragged Jason out. The bandage pulled and Jason felt the wound tear
open. He ground his teeth together; Kerk would not have the satisfaction of
hearing him cry out.
"I told you to stay in the buildings until the ship left. Why did you leave?
Why did you go outside? You talked to the grubbers-didn't you? With each
question he shook Jason again.
"I didn't talk to-anyone." Jason managed to get the words out. "They tried to
take me, I shot two-hid out until the trucks came back."
"Got another one then," Krannon said. "I saw it. Good shooting. Think I got
some too. Let him go, Kerk, they shot him in the back before he could reach
the truck."
That's enough explanations, Jason thought to himself. Don't overt it. Let him
make up his mind later. Now's the time to change the subject. There's one [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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