player was olive-skinned with Mediterranean features. “Oh… she’s very good,” Bernard said.
Murphy looked pleased. “Don’t you think it has a fine ú tone? It’s one of Chang’s. He makes them.”
“Very,’ Bernard agreed. He didn’t really have a clue. “These are the guys I was telling you about,” lay said. “The ones who are with the group that’s going to the mountains.”
“You’d be welcome to come too if you want,” Rastus said.
Bernard managed a weak smile. “That’s a nice thought, but I’ve got a job to do. We’re still going to be busy for a while. Thanks anyway.” He thought for a few seconds. “I hope you’re not planning anything too tough out them. I mean, Jay hasn’t exactly had a lot of practice at. that kind of thing. He’s never even seen a planet before.” lay winced under his breath and looked away.
Chang laughed. “It’s okay. We won’t be going very high, and it’ll be more walking than anything else. There won’t be anything more risky than maybe a few daskrends showing up.”
“You can use a gun,. can’t you, Jay?” Murphy asked. “Well, yes, but…’ Jay looked taken aback.
“We should have mentioned it,” Murphy said. “Bring one along. A forty-five or something like that would be best, if you’ve got one.”
“Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Bernard interrupted, raising a hand in alarm. “Just what the hell is this7 What’s a das?–”
“Daskrend,’ Murphy supplied. “Oh, they’re a kind of wolf but bigger, and they’ve got poison fangs. But they’re pretty dumb and no big deal to handle. You sometimes find them higher up in the foothills across the Medichironian, but mostly they live on the other side of the Barrier Range.”
“We’re going to have to talk about this, Jay.” Bernard’s voice was very serious. “I was teasing, really,” Murphy said. “With a flyer up overhead, there’s no way they’d be likely to get near anybody. But it’s customary to go armed when you’re not in places like Franklin… just in case.”
-“Maybe we shouldn’t rush things too much,” Bernard suggested. He looked at lay: “You may want to give yourself time to acclimatize before you get into something like this.” His tone said that he was being tactful in his phrasing; lay wasn’t going. For the moment, at least, lay didn’t feel inclined to argue too much.
“It’s up to you. Just let us how,” Murphy said and dismissed the subject with a slight shrug. “So, have you come back for something else?”
“No. My father just wants to see the gore.”
“Want to come with us?” Bernard invited.
“Sure,” Murphy accepted, and they all began walking. On the way, lay explained the problem to his three friends.
Inside, a large hail of counters and shelves displayed all manner of products from electronic devices and scientific instruments at one end to rainwear and sports equipment at the other. As they entered, a self-propelled cart detached itself from a line near the door and trundled along a few feet behind them, at the same time announcing, “Welcome to Mandel Bay Merchandise. Did you ever think of laying out your own garden and tending it manually? It’s good open-air exercise, very relaxing, and ideal for turning those things over in your mind that you’ve been meaning to think about… as well as the soil, he-he! We have a special offer of the most expertly crafted and finished hand tools you’ve ever seen, every one with ”
“Go away,” Chang told it. “We’re just looking today.” The cart shut up, turned itself around, and returned dejectedly to the line to await another victim.
Bernard stopped, frowned, and looked around. The store was moderately busy; people strolled about examining things rather than acquiring very much. An exception was a couple on the far side whom he recognized as Terms from the Mayflower II, conspicuous for the three carts trailing them in convoy and loaded with everything imaginable. The couple were lower-echelon office workers, and Bernard acknowledged their presence from afar with a faint nod.
“I suppose all this seems a bit strange to you folks,” Rastus noted. “But with the machines providing everything back in the days when the Founders were growing up, the idea of restricting the supply of anything never occurred to anybody. There wasn’t any reason to. We’ve carried on that way ever since. You’ll get used to it.”