Read Online Stainless Steel Rat 11: The Stainless Steel Rat Returns by Harry Harrison - Free Book Online Page B

hand on my gun when Angelina put her hand on my arm.
    “Relax,” she cozened. “It appears to be a nut tree of some kind.”
    “The edible kind,” I said to the sound of happy munching.
    “There is someone watching us from the building behind you,” Angelina said quietly. “I saw the window curtain move.”
    “The other buildings too. One of the closed doors is open a bit now.”
    “Let’s reassure them,” she said, as she bent and gathered a small bouquet of white flowers from a nearby patch. Then she turned towards the house of the twitching curtain—and held them out, smiling as she did.
    It worked like a charm. The curtain dropped back and a moment later the door opened. Hesitantly, a rustically dressed woman emerged. Angelina walked slowly across the green towards her—and handed her the flowers.
    Other doors were now opening and men and women cautiously appeared. One gray-haired, gray-bearded man left the group and walked over to us. When he came close he raised his hand, palm outwards, in what could only have been a gesture of peace; I responded in kind.
    “Welcome peaceful strangers—and fine animal—welcome to Floradora,” he said formally. “I am Bilboa of Burgansee.”
    “My thanks and I return greetings, oh fine gentleman of Floradora.” This kind of thing was catching. “I am Jim of diGriz.”
    From behind me I heard the all too familiar nasal tones of Elmo.
    “Hi there, Cousin Jim. That fresh air shore do smell great. The swine think so too—can we let them out to root around?”
    Why not. “But just the sows and piglets first.” I didn’t want the thundering boars to spoil the party.
    There were oohs and ahhs from the growing crowd of Floradorans as the porcuswine swept out. In a moment their joyful squealing died away to be replaced by happy rooting and munching. One of the women swooned with delight.
    As I turned back to Bilboa I saw that Angelina was in close conversation with an attentive circle of women. So far so good.
    “Nice planet you have here, brother Bilboa.”
    “It is indeed a world of wonder, brother Jim. Legend has it that we came here from a planet of darkness where we suffered and were despised for our pure beliefs. But we, the Children of Nature and Love, did flee the darkness and impurities and did come to this planet of shining peace for lo—millennia. Until . . .” He groaned aloud and shook his fists at the sky.
    “Then they came and brought great evil with them . . .” He shivered and lowered his fists. “I beg your indulgence and pardon, brother Jim of diGriz. I sully this happy day of new friends, both two-legged and four-legged, and beg you to excuse me.”
    “No problem, brother Bilboa, let’s enjoy . . .”
    The radio buzzed in my head.
    “Jim—what’s happening out there? I see quite a crowd.”
    “It’s going great, Captain. I’ll call you back soonest.”
    Bilboa was interested. “You speak to your friends in the ship of space?”
    “I do indeed.”
    “Perhaps they will join us—as you see we prepare for a feast of greetings.”
    While we had been shooting the breeze men had been carrying out tables and chairs. Moments later burdened women had spread them with cloths, plates of food, bowls of flowers. And interesting jugs of liquid refreshment. I was beginning to like these simple folk. I quietly said
radio on
.
    “It’s party time and the fun is about to begin—and you’re all invited.”
    “Enjoy. I and Stramm are staying here. I’ll let the passengers out—and lock the airlock after them.”
    “Understandable after the way our luck has been running. We’ll bring you back a picnic basket.”
    There was laughter—and even cheers—when the company emerged. Oohs of admiration greeted the appearance of the boars, each carefully tethered by a hind leg. They trotted across the field, rumbling with pleasure, and joined the rest of the herd in a good root under the trees. There were excited shouts of greetings on all sides: