by F. M. Busby
"I'll do that." They separated-Kenekke to a warehouse, Deverel to the scout, Rissa and Tregare to the cabin. Inside, he took off his boots and lay down.
"No getting around it," he said. "I'm still not up to much."
"Are you sure you wish to do what you said, tomorrow?"
"Have a start, anyway. I won't take the scout up unless I'm certain of myself. If I start to poop out-at Base Two, say, or in town-that's where we stay. Al right?"
"Very wel. I wil tel Ami Gustafson that we may be there tomorrow, or perhaps not until the next day. Then I wil come back and we can have lunch."
Aboard the scout she made her cal. Ami Gustafson agreed to have the equipment ready for moving the next day, and to arrange for a vehicle and loading crew either then or the day after, as needed. "At the port, then?" she said.
"Yes, I believe that is best,'' said Rissa. ''And thank you.''
She returned to find Tregare cooking lunch. They ate with-out talk. Afterward he said, "Not much company, am I? I need to rest a bit more; then I have to go through some schedules. So feel free to go walking, take the aircar out-whatever you want."
"Yes. I wil walk-the car gives me no exercise." She kissed him and left. But once outside she ran, not walked, the length of the plateau and back. Then she began climbing the uphil trail-an animal track, barely discernible. She lost al sense of time. When she saw the sun near the horizon ahead, she had almost reached the top of the great ridge. Regretfully, she decided the remaining daylight was not enough for her to top the crest and return safely. She turned and stood a few moments, savoring the fal of hillside, the plateau tiny below her, the next ridge and the sweep of plain beyond-then she ran downhil.
Pell-mell, she ran-too fast for caution, leaping boulders and ditches-until dimming light forced her to slow her pace. The rest of her descent was anticlimax, but she had exerted her body's strength more than in a long time, and the effort re-laxed and calmed her. She found Tregare asleep in the cabin; she showered and changed clothes before waking him.
During dinner she confirmed her guess that the scout should land at the port rather than in the city. "Oh, it'd be safe enough," Tregare said, "to set her down in Gustafson's side lot. But there's rules, so no point in shaking anything when it's not needful."
"And can I begin learning to handle the scout?"
"Not between here and Two-it's a short, low haul, and the projector makes an unbalanced load. But crossing the Big Hills I'll take her high, and you can try your hand. Whether we go there tomorrow, or next day."
"I look forward to that learning."
"I'll bet you do."
when the scout lifted next morning, Rissa saw the effect the projector made; Tregare kept the smal ship tilted at an angle, to compensate. All four were aboard; he had left the cabin locked, its alarms set, but unguarded. Remembering the previous flights, she watched him closely; now his control was deft and sure, and he landed alongside Lefthand Thread almost gently. His scheme, she saw, had worked. Near the southeast crater wall, clear of the other ships, lay Deuces Wild. Limmer had a crane ready. With much signaling and a few clangs, the heavy projector swung against the rim of the cargo hold, the entrance, and then the ramp. But no damage was done; as the load swung free and was grounded, Tregare waved the operator a salute of congratulation.
Leaving Deverel and Kenekke aboard, Rissa and Tregare followed Limmer to his galley. Vanois and Gowdy joined them. Over coffee, Tregare stated his plans. "I'll have the equipment here today or tomorrow. Then we check out the ones that fought for Peralta and see if we can trust any."
Limmer spoke. "I say test everyone-and I'll go first, if you like."
Hilaire Gowdy nodded. "I've already said I want my loyalty proved out."
"No!" Vanois shook his head. "I lets no machine see my mind. Is my word not enough, Tregare, then you buys me out. Not like Peralta-I wants no part of command except how we's already agreed. But I doesn't do that thing you say." Tregare looked at him, then smiled. "Raoul? You have any objection if we all say you took the test and passed?"
"I-it's not-I'm not understanding you, Tregare."
"Clear enough to me," said Limmer. "He trusts you, same as I do, but he doesn't want you setting a bad example for peo-ple who maybe need checking out."
"Tregare-you means what he says?"
"That's right, Raoul."
The man shook his head again, frowning. "Then I changes my mind. I does what you asks." He laughed. "Tregare-sometime you drives someone crazy!"
with its lopsided burden removed, the scout lifted straight and true. Tregare took it high-into black sky, stars shining-then gave Rissa the controls.
At first she over controlled badly, but less each time, as she adjusted to the machine's speed and power. Turning the scout, changing speed and altitude, she recognized the truth of Tregare's cautions to her and realized how litle the aircar had tested her abilities. Hardest, she found, was changing thrust gently enough to avoid hard, jarring lurches. Finaly she tried two "landings," dropping the scout to a halt at arbitrary heights. After the se-cond, Tregare laughed. "You might have walked away from that one, but maybe two inches shorter from the impact!" He resumed control. "You're doing damned wel, realy. Couple more sessions like this, with the same grade of improvement, and I'd turn you loose with her."
"You were right, Bran-it requires practice. But must the power control be quite so sensitive? It is like a gun with a hair-trigger-I do not see the necessity."
"Yeah-well, this one's jury-rigged. Couple of circuits burned out, and we had to make do with nonstandard parts. Before that, it wasn't quite this touchy. Maybe Limmer's got spares."
Now they descended; Rissa watched One Point One expand and slide away to one side. Tregare touched ground at a corner of the port, near the administrative offices. Leaving Deverel and Kenekke in charge of the scout, he and Rissa walked to the building, where she caled Ami Gustafson. After exchang-ing greetings and confirming their agreement, she reported their location.
"Nearest corner, eh? Fine. Expect the stuff in about an hour." Rissa thanked her and terminated the cal. She turned to Tregare. "There will be time for us to have lunch. It is past noon and I am hungry."
"Me, too. We could eat with Main and Anse on the scout, but there's a cafeteria in the building. Then, again-about half a mile down the line, alongside the aircar rentals, there's a restaurant that knows what food's al about."
"Bran, are you sure you feel like so much walking, yet?"
"Sure-I haven't even started to get tired today. Don't worry-I won't strain anything." She let him set the pace, somewhat more slowly than usual but without the obvious caution of recent days. Clouds passed overhead; for a time they walked in shade, then once again the sun shone bright around them.
The restaurant pleased Rissa; simple and somewhat rustic inside and out, it reminded her of the cabin's design. Service was prompt and the food well prepared; she ate quickly. "I am glad you chose this place, Bran. Cafeterias-serving office workers-I have eaten in some of those."
He grinned. "So have I. Well-shall we go?"
they strolled lazily, except for the last of it when a brief shower caught them; as they reached the scout, it ended. Rissa pointed toward the city. "The groundcar coming-towing the cargo flat-it must be what we wait for." The flat carried a stack of crates, and three men rode it also.
"Could be," said Tregare. "I'l go up and make sure things are cleared away for loading in the scout." Rissa stayed; she sat on the ramp and watched the vehicle approach. The driver brought it near, then turned to back the cargo flat toward the ramp. Rissa stood and beckoned until it almost touched, then raised her palm to signal stop. The driver, face shadowed by a floppy leather cap, jumped out. "Tari! I thought it was you. Haven't seen you since-wel, you look every bit snooky again. But-different."
"Yes?" Then the cap came off, and with the eyes unshaded and the short fair hair revealed, Rissa recognized Felcie Parager.
"Felcie! Yes-I am fully recovered."
She decided not to mention the disguise components she no longer wore. "It is good to see you again."
The girl looked at the scoutship. "I've never ridden one of those before. What is it? Not a real starship, is it? Of course, I've never ridden that kind either. Do they make little ones, too?" She turned back to Rissa. "You've been having it more peaceful lately?
But Ami said-"
Laughing, Rissa grasped the girl's shoulders and shook them gently. "One thing at a time, Felcie-or perhaps two. I would not say I have had a peaceful time, but the trouble is past. Now, though-this scoutship-armed starships carry them. But what do you mean, that you expect to ride in it?"
"Ami wants someone to go along with the equipment, and I'm elected. She showed me how to plug the stuff together and adjust it, and I brought the operating manual in case I forget. Al right?"
From behind Rissa, Tregare spoke. "Sure-Gustafson's quite right, wanting one of her own people to keep an eye on the gear. You prepared to stay with us a few days, though?"
"Yes-naturally. You're Tregare, aren't you? I remem-ber."
"We've met, have we?" He snapped his fingers. "Of course! At the duel-you were the medic's aide. And you two knew each other before-right?"
"My first day aground here, Bran. Felcie-Felcie Parager -when I left dal Nardo's office, she drove the aircar that took me to Hulzein Lodge." He reached and shook Felcie's hand. "And now you're our technician? Versatile-I like that. Wel, let's start loading." Deverel and Kenekke joined Felcie's crew, getting the crates aboard and stowed. Tregare moved to help, but Rissa touched his shoulder and shook her head; he smiled and stood where he was. She turned to Felcie. "Only a few days ago, Tregare was injured. He improves rapidly but is not yet recovered."
"Sorry to hear it," the girl said. "Ami hinted you'd had trouble. What happened? UET raid you? Wild animals stam-pede? I hear there's some big ones in the Hils. Or-"
"Felcie!" Rissa turned at Tregare's word, but he was smil-ing. "Nonstop questions, eh? Trouble is, that way you bury some of the answers." He paused. "I'll say this much-we had a local problem. Nothing to do with UET-or the wildlife hereabouts." 170
When Felcie spoke, her voice was low. "I got too nosy. Sorry."
"Don't be," said Tregare. "If I don't like a question, I don't have to answer it - nobody does. And I know you don't mean harm, Ms. Parager."
Her frown cleared. Before she could answer, one of her loading crew approached and said, "We're done here."
"Oh, yes - let me get my things out of the car, and you can take it back and turn the job voucher in to Ms. Gustafson." She brought back a briefcase and one suitcase, and the groundcar left. "Well," she said, "I'm ready." They boarded the scout and Tregare lifted it. He went only high enough to clear the Hils comfortably. Noting, after her own experience, his smooth touch at the controls, Rissa thought, When we came down on Peralta's force, his hurt was worse than I knew. Felcie said, "I've never seen the Big Hills like this before - al of them at once, from above. They're - I don't have words for it!"
"Nobody does," said Tregare. "This world is one of a kind."
he angled down toward Base Two, the same deceptive side-wise drift he had tried at the plateau. This time he managed it almost perfectly, needing only two brief spurts of power to correct his course. As they grounded, Rissa said, "Now I see I have much to learn before piloting this craft."
"You'll learn it." Deverel stayed at the comm-panel; the rest left the scout. Limmer came down Lefthand Thread's ramp to meet them.
"You're back soon," he said. "Good. I've set up a shack-prefab, plastic panels-for the equipment. Behind the ship, and powered from it."
"That's fine," said Tregare. "Five men loaded the gear in quick time; you might assign the same number to unload and unpack." He motioned toward Felcie. "She's our technician; she can tel them how to arrange it al." Limmer pointed a thumb. "She's one of yours, Tregare?"
Felcie spoke. "I'm here for Ami Gustafson-it's her equip-ment. Al right?"
Limmer nodded. "Right as can be, young woman. AH it is, I like to know who I'm dealing with." For a moment he stared at her, then turned away. "I'l round up a crew for you."
Looking after him, Felcie whispered, "He's- frightening."
"Only at first," said Rissa. "He did not choose his scars. Tregare trusts him, and so do I. Do not fear a man merely because he has been hurt."
Felcie's voice was indecisive. "If you say so-nothing shaken."
Limmer's men arrived; they carried the crates into the new brown plastic building, opened them and arranged the con-tents as Felcie directed, then left. With Rissa's help, Felcie un-coiled and attached the connecting cables. Kenekke piled the empty crates outside. When Felcie consulted her operating manual and connected to Limmer's power outlet, Tregare said, "Is it ready now?" Felcie made an adjustment of a dialed knob, then another, and nodded. "Yes, Tregare. Should I show you how to read the indicators?
Mostly it's simple-anything in the red, something's wrong. Then you-"
"That'll do for now. Sit down there; we'll give it a trial run."
The girl's eyes widened, but she sat, waiting.
"All right. Are you here to spy on me, for anyone?" She shook her head. He watched the indicators and smiled. "You have anything in mind besides tending the equipment and get-ting it home safe?" She nodded. "What is it?" She leaned forward. "You're going to space-I want to go, too!"
Tregare laughed. He turned a switch and leaned back from the panel. "You're solid green on the board, Felcie. And the field's off now. Tel me about it."
"Just- tell you?"
"That's right."
"The whole city's talking-what's Tregare up to? Ami says leave it alone, you're trouble." She shook her head, her hair so short it barely quivered with the motion. "Well, maybe she's right, but whatever-you're getting ready to do some-thing. And I want to be part of it."
Tregare looked at her. "You think you do-I guess you're old enough to know. But-you leave here, for where and when I'm going, you leave forever. Oh, you can come back to the place- but everyone you knew, you'll find dead or near it. Time, Felcie-we can't any of us beat it."
Her return gaze held steady. "I know. But I don't have that much here-no parents, or family, being a zoom-wombernobody I need. Friends, sure. But I make friends easy, always have-I can out there, too." She leaned forward. "TariTregare-I want to go." Tregare looked to Rissa; she gave him no sign. He said, "All right if I don't give you an answer just now? I'm not say-ing no, I just want to think on it."
Felcie breathed deeply. "That'll do, Tregare-and thanks. Now what do you want me to do here?"
"Come eat, so you don't starve. That's what I'm going to do."
dining on Lefthand Thread, Rissa watched Felcie's reactions -the girl could not hide her obvjbus interest in her compan-ions. Except for occasional sidelong glances, scarred Limmer ignored her, or pretended to. Shaggy Vanois returned her stares until Felcie looked away. Catching Felcie's gaze on her several times, Hilaire Gowdy finally said,
"What the hell are you gawking at?"
Felcie reddened; she looked down and then up again. "All right, since you asked-heart failure pretty soon if you don't knock some of that lard off!"
Gowdy inhaled a gasp, then let it out in a laugh. "Well, you're right, peace knows. Funny-you're the first that's had the gall to say it. Even-"
"Like she said, you asked." Tregare was grinning as he spoke. "Now, then-Felcie's got the truth field working. No sense in wasting the evening. Hilaire? Can you bring those fif-teen of Peralta's down to the new building, under guard? In about an hour?"
"You want them first, do you?"
"That's right."
"They'll be there."
rissa sat beside Tregare as Felcie, on his other side, explained the finer points of operating the field. "Yes, I see it," he said. "Al right-here comes the first batch."
Unhandcuffed and unhobbled, the fifteen filed in. Only Gowdy followed; she was armed, but the gun rested in its holster. Rissa th
ought, Certainly, she is sure of herself.
"Who's the top ranker?" said Tregare. Gowdy indicated a stocky man whose head was bandaged. "Al right-sit down there and name yourself.''
The man sat. "Elrain Hardekamp, onetime First on the Attila. And you're Tregare-all primed to kill me because I wasn't on your side, when I'd never seen you before."
"Easy, Hardekamp-no matter what you say here, your life's safe. Now tel it-why you mutinied with Peralta, and how you stand now."
The man half-stood, then dropped back to his chair. "Mutiny? No such thing." He shook his head. "Two years, nearly, I hid on Tweedle, UET looking for us al. Then Peralta came and got us out. He wanted my oath and I gave it." Hardekamp gestured. "What he said was, we were joining an Escaped fleet-that he wasn't in command, but he should be. Our first job was to take care of that for him-well, it didn't work. I don't know who's right and who's wrong, but I went with the man who saved my butt on Tweedle. I guess I'm stuck with that."
"Maybe." Tregare waited, then said, "Peralta's dead by my doing. Would that stop you from joining me, if I of-fered?" Hardekamp rubbed his hand across his face. "That's a straight offer?" Tregare nodded. "I don't know what was be-tween you and Peralta-no way I could, you see. But I'm trained for space, not groundhogging. So if you don't mind, we being on the wrong sides from each other lately, then neither do I. I'l sign it or swear it, whatever." Tregare looked at his instruments and nodded. "You're a truthful man. Forget the oaths; I'l settle for a handshake." When that was done, he said, "All there was with me and Peralta-I might as wel tel al of you-I helped him take his ship from UET, and he owed me service for it. But he couldn't forget he'd been senior in the old days-he wanted command and tried to kill me to get it. He lost." He shook his head. "I would have bought him out fair. I offered that, and I'd rather he'd accepted."
