It hurt when he talked so Jason could only smile, but she knew what he meant.
Kerk looked down in unhappiness at the body of the dead man. “He was wrong-bui~ I know how he felt. I can’t leave the city, not yet. Someone will have to keep things in hand while the changes are taking place. Your ship is a good idea, Jason, you’ll have no shortage of volunteers. Though I doubt if you’ll get Brucco to go with you.”
“Of course not,” Brucco snapped, not looking up from the compression bandage he was tying. “There’s enough to do right here on Pyrrus. The animal life, quite a study to be made, probably have every ecologist in the galaxy visiting here before long. But I’ll be first.”
Kerk walked slowly to the screen overlooking the city. No one attempted to stop him. He looked out at the buildings, the smoke still curling up from the perimeter, and the limitless sweep of green jungle beyond.
“You’ve changed it all, Jason,” he said. “We can’t see it now, but Pyrrus will never be the way it was before you came. For better or worse.”
“Better, danm it, better,” Jason croaked, and rubbed his aching throat. “Now get together and end this war so people will really believe it.”
Rhes turned and, after an instant’s hesitation, extended his hand to Kerk. The grey-haired Pyrran felt the same repugnance himself about touching a grubber, the memory of a lifetime of disgust.
But they shook hands then because they were both strong men.