Deathworld. Chapter 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
16
It made no sense. Jason tried to reconcile the modem machine wit] the barbarian and couldn’t. Who was he calling? The existence of on communicator meant there was at least another. Was Rhes a person o a thing?
With a mental effort, he grabbed hold of his thoughts and brake them to a stop. There was something new here, factors he hadn counted on. He kept reassuring himself there was an explanation fc everything, once you had your facts straight.
Jason closed his eyes, shutting out the glaring rays of the sun wher it cut through the treetops, and reconsidered his facts. They separate evenly into two classes: those he had observed for himself, and those h had learned from the city dwellers. This last class of “facts” he woul hold, to see if they fitted with what he learned. There was a goo chance that most, or all, of them would prove false.
“Get up,” the voice jane~into his thoughts. “W’re leaving.”
His legs were still numb and hardly usable. The bearded ma snorted in disgust and hauled him to his feet, propping him against di outer wall. Jason clutched the knobby bark of the logs when he w~ left alone. He looked around, soaking up impressions.
It was the first time he had been on a farm since he had run awa from home. A different world with a different ecology, but the simila:
ity was apparent enough to him. A new-sown field stretched down di hill in front of the shack. Ploughed by a good farmer. Even, well-ca~ furrows that followed the contour of the slope. Another, larger lc building was next to this one, probably a barn.
There was a snuffling sound behind him and Jason turned quicldyand froze. His hand called for the missing gun and his finger tightene down on a trigger that wasn’t there.
It had come out of the jungle and padded up quietly behind him. had six thick legs with clawed feet that dug into the ground. The tw meter-long body was covered with matted yellow-and-black fur, all e:
cept the skull and shoulders. These were covered with overlapping horny plates. Jason could see all this because the beast was that close.
He waited to die.
The mouth opened, a frog-like division of the hairless skull, revealing double rows of jagged teeth.
“Here, Fido,” the bearded man said, coming up behind Jason and snapping his fingers at the same time. The thing bounded forward, brushing past the dazed Jason, and rubbed his head against the man’s leg. “Nice doggie,” the man said, his fingers scratching under the edge of the carapace where it joined the flesh.
The bearded man had brought two of the riding animals out of the barn, saddled and bridled. Jason barely noticed the details of smooth skin and long legs as he swung up on one. His feet were quickly lashed to the stirrups. When they started, the skull-headed beast followed them.
“Nice doggie!” Jason said, and for no reason started to laugh. The bearded man turned and scowled at him until he was quiet.
By the time they entered the jungle, it was dark. It was impossible to see under the thick foliage, and they used no lights. The animals seemed to know the way. There were scraping noises and shrill calls from the jungle around them, but it didn’t bother Jason too much. Perhaps the automatic manner in which the other man undertook the journey reassured him. Or the presence of the “dog” that he felt rather than saw. The trip was a long one, but not too uncomfortable.
The regular motion of the animal and his fatigue overcame Jason and he dozed into a fitful sleep, waking with a start each time he slumped forward. In the end, he slept sitting up in the saddle. Hours passed this way, until he opened his eyes and saw a square of light before them. The trip was over.
His legs were stiff and galled with saddle sores. After his feet were untied, getting down was an effort and he almost fell. A door opened and Jason went in. It took his eyes some moments to get used to the light, until he could make out the man on the bed before him.