[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

"Well-if you want to get your hands dirty, why not?"
"Good. Now I will clear the table of these papers. Then, shall I prepare food,
or will you?"
\r97
\r"My imagination's more into weapons than food-but so's yours, I expect."
"I will do it; you have worked harder."
"All right. Here-I'll take care of the notes and drawings." He evened each
stack neatly and put them on the main room's small desk. Then he set the
table, poured two glasses of wine, and sat while she set food to cook.
"What are the other two weapons jobs, Bran? You have missiles, I know."
"Yes-fusion and neutron heads, two of each. Short-haul drives souped up to
fifty gee, while they last. Missiles and missile defense, you understand, are
control-room jobs. You feed your target to the computer by holding it
on-screen-if the missile's fired, it'll follow and seek. Computer control
activates your launch button only if range and relative velocities are right
for a hit-but again, there's an override to widen tolerances so you can take a
desperation shot if it's that or go under."
Standing, she sipped her wine and nodded. "The combination of human and
computer control-its design impressed me." She stirred a pot of steaming
vegetables a moment, then said, "And the defenses, Bran?"
"Partly automatic-if the computer, the detectors, sense anything incoming at
Page 62
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
missile-grade acceleration, projectors facing the right way lock on it and
fire continuously. Tuning and convergence have to take their chances-there
isn't time for adjustments-the damned things are coming too fast!
"The rest of it-well, far as I know, it's untested. Sort of a
countermissile-two kinds, really-
one with a warhead and the other blows a cloud of powdered metal to make like
a ship and fool the attacking missile. We mount two of each-could use more,
but where's the space for it?
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...2004%20-%20Rissa%20and%20Tregare
%20v1.0.txt (46 of 117) [7/14/2004 3:25:20 PM]
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%20F.%20M%20-%20Lon...20-%20Long%20V
iew%2004%20-%20Rissa%20and%20Tregare%20v1.0.txt
"These can't be steered; you point 'em and that's that. I can't guess how many
gees the drive pulls, but I looked at the drawings and if it lasts more than
three seconds I'll eat it for dessert. Either kind blows when the drive does,
or by proximity." He shook his head. "Frankly, I'm not counting on those
gadgets much-either option-in a tight passage."
"Then I do not wish to work in missile defense." She sniffed the air and
decided dinner was ready. "Just a mo-
98
ment." She brought the food to the table; they served themselves. "I think-the
projectors, Bran."
"That puts you out in a turret by yourself. I'd rather have you in Control
with me. There's still the missiles themselves."
"I will learn and practice both, and then decide."
He shrugged. "Fair enough, I guess."
THEY ate in silence for a time; then he said, "What happened since I left the
Lodge?"
She told him of her latest visit to the Hatchery and her meeting with Bleeker.
"And Liesel has as good as approved Sparline's marriage to Ernol. Oh-and
Hawkman suggests that perhaps he and
Liesel may consider going to Earth-buying a ship of their own!" She reached
and touched his hand.
"It is because you are going there, Bran-and it was first Hawkman's idea." She
laughed.
"Initially, Liesel was quite shocked."
"Yeah." Tregare grinned. "And then she saw the chances to be had there, if I
can shake UET up enough. Well, it's fine with me if she winds up owning the
whole damned planet! It's in a lot worse hands, peace knows..."
"The idea is only tentative, Bran-they must talk with you."
"Sure-timing and all-well, I'm willing. The more I think about it, the better
I like it. There's a problem, though."
"I am sure there are many. Which do you mean?"
"Erika's group. I'd hoped to work with them-sent messages with feelers,
guarantees of cooperation. As Tregare, of course-no hint of the relationship.
But if Liesel is there, too..."
She pushed her empty plate aside and refilled her glass. Swirling the wine
gently and watching the light refracted through its ruby tinge, she said, "You
do not think the two groups could work as allies?"
"For a while, maybe. After that, I'd worry about Hulzein-eat-Hulzein."
"Yes." She nodded. "And, Bran-I am a protegee of each faction. I would not
wish to see either hurt."
"No, you wouldn't. Me, though-and Erika-you can't ex-
\r99
\rpect me to have tender feelings toward the heirs of that skinny old harpy."
He grinned. "Yes, I saw her once. Liesel dressed me as a serving-boy and said
if I kept my mouth shut, I could see my dreaded Aunt Erika. I have to admit
she impressed the hell out of me; even in memory, she still does." He tapped
Page 63
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
fingers against the table top. "I wish, just once I could have faced up to
her.
We might have got along, at that-if I'd lived through it."
Rissa was shaking her head. "It is too bad, yes, that you could not have met
as equals. But, Bran-'skinny old harpy' -Erika? Slim, yes-but wiry, not
skinny. Do you know-when she was seventy she gave me my final testing in
unarmed combat? And came close to beating me, overall."
"I'm not surprised. Liesel was hell on wheels when I was a kid; I guess she
hasn't kept in practice, here. Come to that, I don't keep it up too well
myself-in space, especially."
She looked at him. "Bran, are you in need of exercise?"
"Combat practice so soon after dinner? Peace, no!"
'' I was not thinking of combat.''
Smiling, he stood and laid his robe over the back of the chair. "I was
wondering when we'd get to that." He came around the table to hold her. "Let's
exercise."
Two days without him had affected her more than she had realized. Her body
moved without conscious intent-fiercely, violently. Then, in almost a scream,
she cried triumph.
Later they went through Tregare's drawings together, she explaining what she
understood of them and he adding or correcting when necessary. When they were
done, they talked for a time. Finally
Rissa stood and moved to hold his head against her.
"Bran? It is not so late-is it?"
He laughed. "I'd've asked if you hadn't."
This time was more quiet for her, and gentle; climax brought fulfillment and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]