Read Online Ringworld's Children by Larry Niven - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Larry Niven
Tags: SF, Speculative Fiction
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hidden stepping disk and flicked to crew quarters. Acolyte was there. The Hindmost was on the flight deck, his back to them. He said, "We must make our way separately. Louis, Acolyte, strap down."
Acolyte said, "I was to be copilot."
"Plans change," the Hindmost said without turning around.
Louis didn't even wonder how the Hindmost had gained control of the bronze "glue" that linked the hulls. Tunesmith didn't hesitate either. From Long Shot he said, "As you will, Hindmost. Your enemies in this part of space include every ARM and Patriarchy ship and very likely all strangers. I've sheathed Needle's hull in scrith, giving two layers of defense, but antimatter is still a danger. Make your way to the Map of Mars as best you can."
The Hindmost didn't answer. Hot Needle of Inquiry turned toward interstellar space.
Chapter 7
Acolyte asked, "Louis, are we pointed the wrong way?"
Four fusion rocket motors glowed blue on Long Shot, grown tiny now. The great ship didn't have much acceleration, and that was all fusion flame, conspicuous against a sky full of enemies.
Would the ARM, would the Patriarchy, try to destroy Long Shot? Not while there was a ghost of a hope of capturing it. The Quantum II hyperdrive was just too valuable, Louis thought. Unless another faction looked ready to make a capture. Then what?
How could the protector expect to hide the great ship? A mile in diameter... but that was tiny against the scale of deep space.
But none of Tunesmith's problems had any relevance to what the Hindmost was doing: turning toward interstellar space, toward his home.
Louis hadn't answered at once. Acolyte said, "My father often assumes that I know things I don't. He learned them too early. They must seem obvious. Spherical geometry, centrifugal force, seasons, the way light falls across a Ball World--"
"He's trying to escape," Louis said.
"Escape?"
The Hindmost was certainly able to listen, and Tunesmith might hear this too, but what did Louis have to hide? "The Hindmost has an intact spacecraft now," he said. "He sees the Ringworld as fragile. It makes him feel trapped. Now he's out. He'll run for the Fleet of Worlds... the Ball Worlds where the puppeteers live."
"Then I am kidnapped! Hindmost!"
The puppeteer didn't answer.
"I'm kidnapped too. Relax," Louis said. "We have time. This ship couldn't reach human space in less than two years. Even the Fleet of Worlds is months away. We've got time to think."
"Louis, what will you do when you finish teaching me patience?"
Louis smiled. "Mount you as a statue in your father's palace." It was their private joke.
So, the Fleet of Worlds might be the Hindmost's target. Then again, Fleet of Worlds politics had ousted him from the supreme position... years ago, but puppeteers thought in much greater time spans. The Hindmost might not be welcome among his own kind.
One could hope.
As for Louis Wu, the United Nations wanted him for holding proprietary knowledge... for the crime of knowing too much. The UN held great power among the worlds of human space. Still, they didn't rule everywhere. Their rule only included the Earth and Moon--and all targets which might threaten that domain.
The Hindmost had found Louis Wu on Canyon and snatched him away, some fifteen years ago. The local government or the ARM would have claimed his possessions there. His homes on Earth were forfeit. So. Where? There had to be a place of safety.
He hadn't really seen this day coming.
Louis said, "I'll have to be persuasive. Maybe I can get the Hindmost to drop us somewhere in human space. Then I'll find a way to get you home. I'll show you some of human space first. Could be fun."
"Why human space? Take us to the Patriarchy! Let me guide you."
Louis had been an interspecies hero, briefly, when they brought back Long Shot. He said, "I've been in the Patriarch's palace and hunting park. Have you?"
"Guide me then. Show me where my father grew up."
"I'm afraid to go there. I could show you
Acolyte said, "I was to be copilot."
"Plans change," the Hindmost said without turning around.
Louis didn't even wonder how the Hindmost had gained control of the bronze "glue" that linked the hulls. Tunesmith didn't hesitate either. From Long Shot he said, "As you will, Hindmost. Your enemies in this part of space include every ARM and Patriarchy ship and very likely all strangers. I've sheathed Needle's hull in scrith, giving two layers of defense, but antimatter is still a danger. Make your way to the Map of Mars as best you can."
The Hindmost didn't answer. Hot Needle of Inquiry turned toward interstellar space.
Chapter 7
Acolyte asked, "Louis, are we pointed the wrong way?"
Four fusion rocket motors glowed blue on Long Shot, grown tiny now. The great ship didn't have much acceleration, and that was all fusion flame, conspicuous against a sky full of enemies.
Would the ARM, would the Patriarchy, try to destroy Long Shot? Not while there was a ghost of a hope of capturing it. The Quantum II hyperdrive was just too valuable, Louis thought. Unless another faction looked ready to make a capture. Then what?
How could the protector expect to hide the great ship? A mile in diameter... but that was tiny against the scale of deep space.
But none of Tunesmith's problems had any relevance to what the Hindmost was doing: turning toward interstellar space, toward his home.
Louis hadn't answered at once. Acolyte said, "My father often assumes that I know things I don't. He learned them too early. They must seem obvious. Spherical geometry, centrifugal force, seasons, the way light falls across a Ball World--"
"He's trying to escape," Louis said.
"Escape?"
The Hindmost was certainly able to listen, and Tunesmith might hear this too, but what did Louis have to hide? "The Hindmost has an intact spacecraft now," he said. "He sees the Ringworld as fragile. It makes him feel trapped. Now he's out. He'll run for the Fleet of Worlds... the Ball Worlds where the puppeteers live."
"Then I am kidnapped! Hindmost!"
The puppeteer didn't answer.
"I'm kidnapped too. Relax," Louis said. "We have time. This ship couldn't reach human space in less than two years. Even the Fleet of Worlds is months away. We've got time to think."
"Louis, what will you do when you finish teaching me patience?"
Louis smiled. "Mount you as a statue in your father's palace." It was their private joke.
So, the Fleet of Worlds might be the Hindmost's target. Then again, Fleet of Worlds politics had ousted him from the supreme position... years ago, but puppeteers thought in much greater time spans. The Hindmost might not be welcome among his own kind.
One could hope.
As for Louis Wu, the United Nations wanted him for holding proprietary knowledge... for the crime of knowing too much. The UN held great power among the worlds of human space. Still, they didn't rule everywhere. Their rule only included the Earth and Moon--and all targets which might threaten that domain.
The Hindmost had found Louis Wu on Canyon and snatched him away, some fifteen years ago. The local government or the ARM would have claimed his possessions there. His homes on Earth were forfeit. So. Where? There had to be a place of safety.
He hadn't really seen this day coming.
Louis said, "I'll have to be persuasive. Maybe I can get the Hindmost to drop us somewhere in human space. Then I'll find a way to get you home. I'll show you some of human space first. Could be fun."
"Why human space? Take us to the Patriarchy! Let me guide you."
Louis had been an interspecies hero, briefly, when they brought back Long Shot. He said, "I've been in the Patriarch's palace and hunting park. Have you?"
"Guide me then. Show me where my father grew up."
"I'm afraid to go there. I could show you
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