Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors CHAPTER TWELVE
Fortunately Fordeliton gave them a few minutes advance warning of his arrival, which allowed Varian just enough time to become airborne and prevent the cruiser’s sled from being attacked.
Fordeliton was tremendously excited by the variety of creatures he had seen on his way to the giff cliffs. When Varian guided him into the cave, he was enraptured by the giffs themselves and his companions—Maxnil, Crilsoff, and Pendelman—were equally thrilled.
“Now that I have you here, I’m not quite sure what to do with you,” Varian said truthfully.
“Trizein is out with young Bonnard and Terilla—”
“Could we join them?” Fordeliton was all eagerness.
“There’s not much point in duplicating effort. What sort of speed and range does your sled have?” Varian asked as she rummaged for a sketch map of the main continent of Ireta which Kai had made the previous evening.
“Fleet standard, supersonic.”
“Really? You wouldn’t mind working up in the polar region, would you? We hadn’t penetrated that far. Your sled could function in high temperatures?”
“Of course!”
“Well, now,” Varian pointed to the northern polar area. “I’d rather like to know if there are variations of these critters that have adapted to the intense heat.”
“I’ll just put this map through the scan, and we’ll be off to do a reconnaissance.”
No sooner had she sent him on his way than a second sled penetrated giff territory. They had thought to announce their arrival so that Varian had a chance to witness the giff attack mode. The resultant commotion brought Lunzie from her lair.
“You’ll have to go up yourself and escort them in,” the medic told Varian.
“I think we’ve got too much of a good thing,” Varian said under her breath as she went to the rescue.
This time it was a second shift from the Zaid-Dayon, the geology buffs, Baker, Bullo, and Macud. Kai contacted Dimenon and arranged an unexplored sector for the cruiser’s men to assess.
They went off in high spirits.
“We can’t keep alarming the giffs like this,” Varian said, “even if we do need help to accomplish our mission.”
“Why not return to our original site, then?” Lunzie suggested. When she noticed Kai’s stiff posture, she shrugged. “Well, it was just an idea.”
Kai took a deep breath. “Not a bad one, actually, Lunzie. In fact, a very sensible solution. I’d like to see if a forcescreen would keep out fringes. They couldn’t have developed from aquatic to land beasts in just forty-three years, could they? Well, then,” and he swallowed, took a deep breath, “it was Tor who attracted the fringe to the site. We’ll just try to make sure that we keep our Thek visitors to a minimum. Okay? Then let’s plan to reestablish our original camp. It makes sense in a number of ways, not just protecting the giffs. It’s where ARCT-10 will look for us. And since the Zaid-Dayan’s sleds all have long range capabilities, then we won’t have to establish secondary camps. And you can stay on here, Varian, and observe the giffs without all this coming and going.”
“I like it, Kai,” Lunzie said, thoroughly approving. “But we need a lot of equipment—”
“We’ll make up a list. Sassinak did say that she’s supposed to replenish any lost equipment.”
“Isn’t replacing a whole base camp asking a bit much?”
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Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors
“I’ll lean on my relation this evening,” Lunzie said. “Blood is thicker than water and a few odd pieces of standard Fleet issue.”
The giff alarm was heard yet again and, cursing with a fervor and an inventiveness that made her listeners grin, Varian went out to give escort. Mayerd arrived just as Varian had maneuvered her slower vehicle out. Mayerd opened the canopy of her sleek one-man craft as Varian returned, and gave her a cheery, apologetic wave. She stepped out of the little ship, turning to gather three large parcels and one small before she moved toward Kai and Lunzie.
“My diagnostic unit chuckled to itself for a good two hours after you left, Kai, but it came up with medication and a few tentative conclusions. It rarely makes definitive statements. You are Lunzie, aren’t you?” Mayerd asked, juggling her parcels so that she had a free hand to extend to Lunzie.