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short-range that it was undetec- table. "Anything more on the subspace monitors?" "Plenty of nearby traffic, but mostly encrypted," the intelligence officer said. Belazir nodded. Perfect codes were an old phenomenon, available to anyone with decent computers. "And the prey?" he asked. Baila shrugged. As she was almost as well-born as THE CTTY WHO FOUGHT 181 Belazir, he decided to let the informality pass unreprimanded. Also, she was daughter to a staff officer of Chalki/s. "The track is firm'and hot," the woman said. "We gain, at an increasing rate. Signs of deterioration, as one would exjSerffrom old engines heavily stressed N sublimated particles from exterior drive-coils and cool- ing vanes. She cannot survive much longer." "Much longer, much longer! You've been saying that for days!" Belazir snarled, starting half-erect. The junior officer's eyes dropped before the captain's lion stare. Belazir sank back, satisfied that deference had been restored. "Transmit to all vessels," he went on. "Maximum alertness. We strike hard and then we run. Plasma tells no tales." "Dad, I'm not going," Seld Chaundra flatly told his fether. The head of SSS-900-C's medical department looked up in surprise. For a moment, he tried to fit the words into a context that made sense as his hands continued auto- matically packing a carry-all for his son's trip. Then he shook his head. He was very tired. Since the announcement was made two days ago, there had been absolute chaos in the station. Literal chaos in some instances, and sickbay was full of injuries, everything from carelessness through flare-ups to attempted suicide. Page 100 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html "Do not make troubles now, son," he said. "There is too much to be doing." "I'mnot going, Dad," Seld said again. Gods, but he looks like his mother, the doctor thought with despair. She had had exactly that set to her jaw when she decided to stand on an issue of principle. And I could never convince her of her error when she looked like that, either. Fortunately, he did not need to convince his son, who was still a minor. 182 Arme McCaffrey &? SM. Stirling "Yes," Chaundra said, "you are going. I need SOT you to go." ' "Well, I need for me to stay!" Chaundra grabbed his son by his upper arms and shook him gendy. "You're all I've got, Seld. You're the most important thing in my life ana I've got to keep you safe. He pulled out his ace,, "It's what your mother would have wanted. Seld's red-headed temper flared and, for the first time in his twelve years, he contradicted his father. "No, she wouldn't! She'd say what.I'm gonna say. You're all Fue got, and if you can't be safe dien I've got to be with you!" He pulled his son to him in a fierce hug to hide the sudden glisten of tears in his eyes. Then he sank into his armchair, covering his eyes with his hand. "Yes," he said thickly, "that's just what she'd say. But," he pointed a finger at Seld, "she'd be talking about herself, not about you." "Dad..." "I have packed one change of clothes, two changes of underwear and one," he held up one finger for emphasis, "thing you can't bear to part with. I'll be back in half an hour to walk you to the ship." "Dad! "Half an hour." He stood and left. There are times when a man must weep alone. "Joatl" Simeon said in exasperation, "Answer me! I'd hate to have to send someone in there to flush you out" He heard laughter echo softly then, from some- where in the ductwork. Damned tunnel rat, he thought in exasperation. She had rigged the sensor in her room to show her present and he was still trying to figure out how it had been done. "You know they wouldn't find me." THE Cnv WHO FOUGHT 183 "C'mon Joat, you've got to go. Channa has packed some of your things. She'll meet you at the lock. You're one of the lucky ones. You don't have to wear a suit and travel in the hold for the whole trip." "Hunh. Done it before.1 "Well, you don't haife to do it now. Come on! They're leaving in fifteen Minutes." "I'm not going." / [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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