Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors CHAPTER SIX
After everyone had enjoyed the tasty stew Lunzie had concocted and as much of the ripe fruit as they could eat, Varian asked Lunzie to air her theory about the mutineers’ plan for Ireta.
“That’s just how the heavyworlders acquired the S-192 system,” Triv said with considerable indignation.
“S-192 was a two-world,” Lunzie pointed out.
“This one has wild animals for them to eat,” Varian said grimly.
“Not to mention transuranic deposits that would make claim holder, extremely wealthy,” said Kai, if they could validate their claim.”
“Which they can’t because we’re alive.” Portegin’s voice was angry.
“Hmm, but they don’t know it,” Varian reminded him.
“Keep two points in mind, my friends,” Lunzie said. “The mutineers’ descendants have survived and have maintained a good level of technology if they’re forging metal and have constructed a beacon. That qualifies them—”
“We’ve survived, too,” and Portegin sat straight up, incensed.
Lunzie regarded him humorlessly for a moment. “We,” and her voice left the slightest emphasis on the pronoun, “must continue to do so.” My second point is that the descendants of the original mutineers cannot be prosecuted for the felony of their grandparents.”
“Tanegli’s still alive.” Varian was surprised at the edge in her voice.
“So I suspect that his first suggestion to the commander of the expected vessel will be to find us,”
Kai said. “When they didn’t find the space shuttle under the dead beasts after the stampede, they knew that someone survived and went cryo.”
“Aygar believes that they were deliberately abandoned,” Varian said.
“Your little lie and what Aygar has been told are all that kept him from attacking Varian.”
Lunzie’s tone betrayed her anger. “We have to keep you and them,” the medic jabbed her finger at the shuttle, “alive until ARCT-10 returns.”
Portegin gave a snort of derision. “The ARCT probably blew up in that cosmic storm.”
“Unlikely,” Lunzie said. “I once slept 78 years and still was collected by my original ship.”
“You think the ARCT-10 will come back for us, Lunzie?” asked Portegin, amazed.
“Stranger things have happened. Whatever Aygar believes, Varian, Tanegli knows different, nor can he ignore the fact that some of us may have survived. He cannot take the risk that the ARCT-10
will return and with the information left in our beacon, recover the shuttle. Right now we must make plans that will safe guard not only us but the sleepers. Equally important, set ourselves up as scouts totally unrelated to the ARCT-10. If that ship did blow, its deadman’s knell will be recorded and known to every space commander—including the mutineers’ relief ship—so we can’t pose as a relief unit from the ARCT-10.”
“From what ship did we originate then, Lunzie?” Kai was slightly amused, but his husky voice betrayed his physical debility.
Varian looked at him quickly, wondering if he objected to Lunzie’s dominance. His eyes were glittering, but not with fever. He seemed to be encouraging the medic’s unexpected inventiveness.
“We can take our pick—freighter, passenger, another Exploratory Vessel …” Lunzie shrugged, suddenly reverting to her usual passivity. “Recall what you told Aygar, Varian.”
“That I was part of a team sent in answer to the distress call.”
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Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors
“Any vessel has to investigate such a signal …” Portegin said.
“Only a Fleet ship could tap our beacon’s messages,” Triv reminded them.
“And he’d know how rich this planet is and send a party down if only for finders’ fees.” Portegin capped Triv’s remark.
“That’s what I implied,” said Varian. “Then Aygar gave me his version of the facts.”
“That his grandparents had been abandoned … ?” Kai asked.
“Deliberately abandoned,” Varian replied with a grimace, “after the tragic accident that demolished their original site. No mention of either of us as leaders, remember.”
“Paskutti had that honor?” Kai was amused.
Varian shrugged. “I didn’t ask. I did inquire about the children. I also said that the ARCT-10 was still missing.” Varian hesitated, dubious now about that admission.
“Why not?” Kai shrugged. “If the ship had returned within the Standard year, as planned, none of us would be where we are now. What puzzles me is the forty-three years. It doesn’t take anywhere near that time for a homing capsule to reach its destination. And I know the mutineers had ours.”