inhabitable planet that we’re all seeking might very well. be along that
radius of expansion from home. With the Kestrel gone, that planet will
never be discovered-not by our race, anyhow. That’s what giving me
nightmares.”
jorn swallowed and excused himself. There were times when the Director
seemed to him to be utterly inhuman.
“What’s the matter, Birn?” Ailiss said from the RF bridge, as he resumed
his post. “Director dress you down?”
“Oh, shut up.”
“Mind your tonguel’ she said, turning quite white. ‘rve had about enough
insubordination from you. I could use a navigator who doesn’t have to count
on his fingers-and by the Ghost if I get any more hp 0 go recruit me one.”
“You give me a great big fat blue-green fuzzy frozen pain in my starboard
rump, ApprenticeAdmiral OKung,” jorn said, hunching forward over his desk
and glaring up at her. ‘My math is better than yours and always was, and
you know it. if you
102 fames Blish
can find a better navigator, go ahead-I’d rather rub brigbtwork than be the
kicking-boy for your twitches any longer.”
“One word more, and–“
“Down, girl. If you don’t like it here, go back where you came from, but
lay off me-beginning right now. I didn’t volunteer you out of your attacb6s
office. If I could, I’d volunteer you right back into it before you could
draw another breath. Especially since its a little bit on fire by now. But
lay off-or he down, I don’t care which.”
Ailiss’ distorted mouth was opening and closing rapidly, but not quite
completely, like a singing bird’s, but no sound came from it but a sort of
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190