Read Online Ancestor's World by A. C. Crispin, T. Jackson King - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: A. C. Crispin, T. Jackson King
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Beloran sat in the ground skimmer driven by Mitchell, the Sky Infidel who had caused him so many problems already and would, no doubt, cause him more in the future. Just ahead, the CLS transport was setting down at the spaceport field outside Spirit.
Just what we need, the Liaison thought sourly. More Infidels. Like the other aliens, these Infidels would also feel free to profane Mother Sky with their flying machines. Like Mitchell, they too would dig into Father Earth without reverence, without respect.
Beloran's tail kinked with resentment. This is OUR world, not theirs!
Schooling his ears and tail to calmness, he reminded himself that what his people needed, what he had bought them, was time. Time to industrialize Halish meg a-tum. Time to purchase or develop the technology that would make them the equals of these visitors from beyond Mother Sky. Time to grow strong, to arm themselves, so that the People would forever control their own destiny.
Beloran glanced sideways at the Infidel Mitchell, noting with distaste his flat features, his unmobile ears and lack of a tail. These humans had no feelings, no sensitivity, no
47
reverence for history and tradition. They knew not the value of salt. They did not appreciate the value of water. They acted as if they had no fear of the future, and behaved casually with technology that seemed, to the Na-Dina, miraculous, even magical.
Infidel Mitchell glanced over at him. "This Mahree Burroughs who will be taking Bill's place knew him well," he said, expertly piloting the s kimm er along the dusty road. "She was his mentor. He worked for her for a year before coming to Ancestor's World."
Beloran tensed at the mention of the young Sky Infidel who had met such an unpleasant fate. Finding the entire subject distasteful, he hastened to change it. "Did this female Infidel also attend the StarBridge school that drifts between the suns?"
Mitchell emitted a short, sharp sound that Beloran had learned betokened amusement. "No, Mahree Burroughs never attended StarBridge Academy.
She was the inspiration for it. She helped set it up, and is widely known as the First Interrelator."
Beloran's ears fluttered with distress. If this female Infidel was famous, then the CLS no doubt valued her, as they had not, from all indications, valued Waterston. What effect might that have on the Na-Dina relations with the Sky Infidels? He must consider the implications carefully....
"Here is the turnoff," the Liaison said, pointing with one talon.
"Yes, I see it." Mitchell turned the skimmer off the country road and headed for a gray metal building. The Infidels called it "the Skyport" and they had raised it in a single day, rather than the way a building should be raised, year by year, decade by decade. The Skyport was built of some hard alien substance, not of Father's gift, the native stone, as the Na-Dina built.
The new Infidels would be waiting in there until cleared by the Ministry of Commerce. Beloran noticed one of the Nordlund jumpjets also on the landing field. Being a Merchant, Beloran felt far more comfortable with the Nordlund
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Infidels. Nordlund was here to make a profit, and profit was something Beloran understood.
And Nordlund was giving Ancestor's World something tangible. Nordlund knew how to build giant dams. They traded off-world wonders for Na-Dina goods. Their presence had given new status to the trade of Merchant.
The contracts Nordlund had signed with the Na-Dina promised enough hydroelectric power to double their world's energy production. That would make possible more factories, more mills. Soon the Na-Dina would be able to build all the wonders the Infidels used so casually, and then the People would have no more need for the off-worlders.
As the skimmer halted before the Skyport, Beloran sighed to himself. Time to school his manner, to pretend politeness to those who would rush into his world, overawe the rural people, and perhaps even challenge the
Beloran sat in the ground skimmer driven by Mitchell, the Sky Infidel who had caused him so many problems already and would, no doubt, cause him more in the future. Just ahead, the CLS transport was setting down at the spaceport field outside Spirit.
Just what we need, the Liaison thought sourly. More Infidels. Like the other aliens, these Infidels would also feel free to profane Mother Sky with their flying machines. Like Mitchell, they too would dig into Father Earth without reverence, without respect.
Beloran's tail kinked with resentment. This is OUR world, not theirs!
Schooling his ears and tail to calmness, he reminded himself that what his people needed, what he had bought them, was time. Time to industrialize Halish meg a-tum. Time to purchase or develop the technology that would make them the equals of these visitors from beyond Mother Sky. Time to grow strong, to arm themselves, so that the People would forever control their own destiny.
Beloran glanced sideways at the Infidel Mitchell, noting with distaste his flat features, his unmobile ears and lack of a tail. These humans had no feelings, no sensitivity, no
47
reverence for history and tradition. They knew not the value of salt. They did not appreciate the value of water. They acted as if they had no fear of the future, and behaved casually with technology that seemed, to the Na-Dina, miraculous, even magical.
Infidel Mitchell glanced over at him. "This Mahree Burroughs who will be taking Bill's place knew him well," he said, expertly piloting the s kimm er along the dusty road. "She was his mentor. He worked for her for a year before coming to Ancestor's World."
Beloran tensed at the mention of the young Sky Infidel who had met such an unpleasant fate. Finding the entire subject distasteful, he hastened to change it. "Did this female Infidel also attend the StarBridge school that drifts between the suns?"
Mitchell emitted a short, sharp sound that Beloran had learned betokened amusement. "No, Mahree Burroughs never attended StarBridge Academy.
She was the inspiration for it. She helped set it up, and is widely known as the First Interrelator."
Beloran's ears fluttered with distress. If this female Infidel was famous, then the CLS no doubt valued her, as they had not, from all indications, valued Waterston. What effect might that have on the Na-Dina relations with the Sky Infidels? He must consider the implications carefully....
"Here is the turnoff," the Liaison said, pointing with one talon.
"Yes, I see it." Mitchell turned the skimmer off the country road and headed for a gray metal building. The Infidels called it "the Skyport" and they had raised it in a single day, rather than the way a building should be raised, year by year, decade by decade. The Skyport was built of some hard alien substance, not of Father's gift, the native stone, as the Na-Dina built.
The new Infidels would be waiting in there until cleared by the Ministry of Commerce. Beloran noticed one of the Nordlund jumpjets also on the landing field. Being a Merchant, Beloran felt far more comfortable with the Nordlund
48
Infidels. Nordlund was here to make a profit, and profit was something Beloran understood.
And Nordlund was giving Ancestor's World something tangible. Nordlund knew how to build giant dams. They traded off-world wonders for Na-Dina goods. Their presence had given new status to the trade of Merchant.
The contracts Nordlund had signed with the Na-Dina promised enough hydroelectric power to double their world's energy production. That would make possible more factories, more mills. Soon the Na-Dina would be able to build all the wonders the Infidels used so casually, and then the People would have no more need for the off-worlders.
As the skimmer halted before the Skyport, Beloran sighed to himself. Time to school his manner, to pretend politeness to those who would rush into his world, overawe the rural people, and perhaps even challenge the
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