“More paper at the rate Trizein’s using it up,” the medic said with a sniff, but she’d a twinkle in her eye as well.
“Lunzie what did the heavyworlders do for vitamin C if it’s so necessary to our diet?” asked Triv.
“This is a huge continent. If there is one such area of carotene-rich grass to supply these ancient beasties of Trizein’s, undoubtedly there’s another. Divisti would have known about the need for vitamin C or they’d all be without hair and teeth—which I gather they weren’t.” Lunzie shot a glance at Varian.
“Portegin ought to go with you, Lunzie, and dismantle the beacon mast.” Varian had everyone’s stunned attention. “I’ve given the matter considerable thought and, if, as you suggested, the Ryxi have employed human mercenary ships and crew, that’s who’d be sent to answer any call from us. I don’t feel we can achieve enough without proper equipment. The heavyworlders got what they wanted, and I refuse to see us deprived of more than time.”
“More than time?” Dimenon demanded with considerable agitation.
“That’s all so far,” Margit said blandly. “The beacon does register our finds to our credit, doesn’t it, Kai?” When Kai nodded, she went on, “So, our claims are valid—”
“Until the colony ship settles,” Lunzie said. Her tenacity to that theme was beginning to puzzle Kai. She turned to Varian then and said, “I doubt that a Ryxi would answer a call from here. What’s his feather—” and she wound her hand in the air as a memory aid, looking at Kai.
“Vrl,” he supplied coldly.
“That Vrl’s probably still alive. I doubt he cares.”
“Ryxi have a long life span on low-gravity planets,” Varian said, “but it’s a chance we’ve got to risk. It’s worth far more in terms of the supplies we must have to achieve our original objectives.”
She turned to Lunzie. “Tomorrow, Rianav and the helmsman from Cruiser 218-ZD-43 will make a 81
Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors second run to the plateau,” and she inclined her head significantly. “We’ll jam their beacon and then get a message off to the Ryxi.”
“If a freighter is in,” Kai added, “give them a course that’ll fly past the mutineers’ camp. That’ll make them think twice about calling in their colony ship.”
“Will there be someone to take me out tomorrow?” Trizein asked plaintively.
“I will,” Triv replied.
“Then we can get on with surveying?” Margit asked hopefully.
“You’d better!” Kai said.
“I could stay in as coordinator, Kai,” Lunzie said.
“Appreciated, Lunzie, but I’ve got to compose a message for the Ryxi …”
Varian’s unrepentant grin, reminding him of previous occasions when he’d been left to communicate with the Ryxi, lifted Kai’s spirits.
It was very early in the morning when Rianav roused her helmsman for an early start on their mission. A hearty stew was simmering in the hearth pot when the medic awoke. Although Rianav knew that nothing could have penetrated the force screen that surrounded the dome, it made her uneasy that no watch had been kept on what was, after all, a hostile planet. Still, the medic could close the screen after they had left. Which she did, with a silent wave of good luck as they departed in the two-man sled.
The gloom of cloudy night surrounded them and Rianav was glad they had flown the course before and had some knowledge of the terrain. She kept the sled at a respectable altitude. The telltagger’s infrequent spouting was the only noise to break the silence as they sped northeast.
They were an hour into their journey when the telltagger rattled hysterically.
“Krims! What was that?” Portegin demanded.
“Something awful big, Lieutenant!”
“There’s nothing airborne that big on this planet …”
“I hope!”
“Heat register’s too high, anyhow.” Rianav hauled the sled to starboard, her quick action preventing a collision. A massive object streaked across their previous line of flight. They could follow the bright yellow-white exhausts as the vessel flashed by on their Portside.
“What under the seven suns was that?” Portegin asked, craning his neck to follow its course.
“A medium-light space vessel to judge by the propulsion configuration.”
“From the heavies’ camp?” Portegin’s voice rang with understandable concern.