His moment of panic subsided. The appearance of Thek meant that Tor had informed others. It was as likely that Tor had organized a rescue from Ryxi, and humans at that by the voice. Then Kai found another reason to be alarmed, since he seemed determined to be anxious: Tor would not know that Kai had roused other members of his team. Tor would not know that the heavyworlders were active on the planet. Surely a Thek could tell the difference between normal humans and heavyworlders? Dimenon wouldn’t panic when raced with a Thek, even a horde of them. And Dimenon would know to ask for Tor, wouldn’t he? Two anxious hours Kai waited.
“Kai, are you there?” Lunzie’s voice had a buoyancy which Kai had never heard in it before.
“Yes, yes, I’m here! Where else?”
“At ease,” Lunzie’s voice had a lilt of laughter for his sarcasm.
“All’s well here at the cliff beacon. I’ll have to apologize to Varian. Those giffs of hers are far more intelligent than we suspected.”
“Why?”
“I’ll swear they recognized the difference between my sled and the one Captain Godheir sent in.
When I got here, the giffs were protecting the cave and our shuttle against any unauthorized intrusion …”
“Who’s Godheir?”
“The captain of the Ryxi supply vessel, the Mazer Star. And I apologize to you, too. Your Thek, Tor, left orders with the Ryxi planet to mount a rescue mission for you. But the Ryxi vessel was away on a supply trip so it took them until now to respond. The vessel’s medium-sized and had to land in the jungle. They sent in a sled and the giffs attacked it. They’re formidable in the air. I arrived as the battle was in full swing. But Kai, when I approached, the giffs escorted me to the cave. And the captain will swear to it.” Kai wasn’t sure why Lunzie should sound so triumphant over that point. “So I’ve asked Captain Godheir to send a sled to collect you, and some men to guard the dome. And if his diagnostic unit doesn’t have an answer, the cruiser’s will. Godheir’s trying to raise Dimenon but he’s also agreed to send out a search party if you’ll give me the coordinates.” Kai quickly gave her the figures. “And Kai, I lodged an official charge of mutiny with Captain Godheir. You’ll be asked to confirm.”
Kai caught his breath because it was scarcely the function of a medical officer, even an Adept, to lodge such a complaint if either of the team’s leaders were alive.
“You’ll want it on record, Kai,” and Lunzie’s voice was not the least apologetic for her usurpation of right, “because the colony ship’s down and a cruiser is guarding Varian and Portegin?”
Lunzie’s voice altered again, devoid of emotion. “Their sled received a bolt from the transport but the cruiser was able to grapple it in time to break the full force of a crash. They’re both alive and being conveyed to the cruiser. Just hang on there, Kai. We’ve got more help than we need.”
“Any news on the ARCT-10?”
“No, but Godheir wouldn’t necessarily know. The cruiser might. I’ll ask when they’ve secured the transport. Take it easy now, Kai. No fretting. I’ll see you soon.”
Only then did Kai notice the blood running from his hands. He had been gripping the comunit so hard, he had lacerated his palms. He had no great hopes that either diagnostic unit could help him, but perhaps there’d be some skin-gloves and shin pads so he’d stop injuring himself. He thrust his 84
Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors hands into a basin of water, aware that he couldn’t even sense the temperature. He salved the cuts and bandaged them.
So the colony ship had landed after all. Whether a cruiser was on its back or not now mattered little. Time had run out on their attempt to salvage something of this miscarried expedition. His first opportunity to prove his leadership ability had ended in disaster. Kai walked morosely around the relief map. With an air of finality, he picked up the discarded pods of hadrosaur nuts and placed the smallest one near the giffs’ cave, the next largest on the edge of the heavyworlders’ plateau and the largest right in the midst of the grid. Then he sat, bandaged hands dangling between his legs while he waited for the rescue sled.