Read Online The Star Fox by Poul Anderson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Poul Anderson
Tags: Science-Fiction
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of fooling with those Aleriona bastards, Parliament ought to he working out a distressed-spaceman covenant
.
Bluntly, Heim said, ‘We haven’t any way of testing your mind in depth as we can for our own sort. I’ve got to trust your promise to keep quiet. I suppose you know that if you pass this information on, you’ll probably get enough of a reward to buy a ride home.’
Uthg-a-K’thaq burbled in his blowhole. Heim wasn’t sure whether it represented laughter or indignation. ‘You hawe my word. Also, I am wothered awout Alerion. Good to strike at them. And,
suq
, will there not we loot to share?’
‘Okay. You’re hereby our chief engineer.’
Because the ship has got to leave soon, and you’re the only one I could get who knows how to repair a Mach Principle drive
. ‘Now about details—’
A maid’s voice said over the intercom, which was set for one-way only: ‘Mail, sir.’
Heim’s heart shuddered, as it daily did. ‘Excuse me,’ he said. ‘I’ll be back. Make yourself comfortable.’
Uthg-a-K’thaq hissed something and settled his glabrous bulk on the study couch. Heim jogged out.
Vadász sat in the living room, bottle to hand. He hadn’t spoken much or sung a note in the past few days. The housewas grown tomb silent. At first many came; police, friends, Curt Wingate and Harold Twyman arrived at the same hour and clasped hands; of everyone Heim knew well only Jocelyn Lawrie had remained unheard from. That was all a blur in his memory; he had continued preparations for the ship because there was nothing else to do, and he scarcely noticed when the visits stopped. Drugs kept him going. This morning he had observed his own gauntness in an optex with faint surprise – and complete indifference.
‘Surely the same null,’ Vadász mumbled.
Heim snatched the stack of envelopes off the table. A flat package lay on the bottom. He ripped the plastic off. Lisa’s face looked forth.
His hands began to shake so badly that he had trouble punching the animator button. The lips that were Connie’s opened. ‘Daddy,’ said the small voice. ‘Endre. I’m okay. I mean, they haven’t hurt me. A woman stopped me when I was about to get on the elway home. She said her bra magnet had come loose and would I please help her fix it. I didn’t think anybody upper-class was dangerous. She was dressed nice and talked nice and had a car there and everything. We got in the car and blanked the bubble. Then she shot me with a stunner. I woke up here. I don’t know where it is, a suite of rooms, the windows are always blanked. Two women are staying with me. They aren’t mean, they just won’t let me go. They say it’s for peace. Please do what they want.’ Her flat speech indicated she was doped with antiphobic. But suddenly herself broke through. ‘I’m so lonesome!’ she cried, and the tears came.
The strip ended. After a long while Heim grew aware that Vadász was urging him to read a note that had also been in the package. He managed to focus on the typescript.
Mr. Heim:
For weeks you have lent your name and influence to the militarists. You have actually paid for advertisements making the false and inflammatory claim that there are survivors at large on New Europe. Now we have obtained information which suggests you may be plotting still more radical ways to disrupt the peace negotiations.
If this is true, mankind cannot allow it. For the sake of humanity, we cannot take the chance that it might be true.
Your daughter will be kept as a hostage for your goodbehavior until the treaty with Alerion has been concluded, and for as long thereafter as seems wise. If meanwhile you publicly admit you lied about New Europe, and do nothing else, she will be returned.
Needless to say, you are not to inform the police of this message. The peace movement has so many loyal supporters in so many places that we will know if you do. In that event we will be forced to punish you through the girl. If on the other
.
Bluntly, Heim said, ‘We haven’t any way of testing your mind in depth as we can for our own sort. I’ve got to trust your promise to keep quiet. I suppose you know that if you pass this information on, you’ll probably get enough of a reward to buy a ride home.’
Uthg-a-K’thaq burbled in his blowhole. Heim wasn’t sure whether it represented laughter or indignation. ‘You hawe my word. Also, I am wothered awout Alerion. Good to strike at them. And,
suq
, will there not we loot to share?’
‘Okay. You’re hereby our chief engineer.’
Because the ship has got to leave soon, and you’re the only one I could get who knows how to repair a Mach Principle drive
. ‘Now about details—’
A maid’s voice said over the intercom, which was set for one-way only: ‘Mail, sir.’
Heim’s heart shuddered, as it daily did. ‘Excuse me,’ he said. ‘I’ll be back. Make yourself comfortable.’
Uthg-a-K’thaq hissed something and settled his glabrous bulk on the study couch. Heim jogged out.
Vadász sat in the living room, bottle to hand. He hadn’t spoken much or sung a note in the past few days. The housewas grown tomb silent. At first many came; police, friends, Curt Wingate and Harold Twyman arrived at the same hour and clasped hands; of everyone Heim knew well only Jocelyn Lawrie had remained unheard from. That was all a blur in his memory; he had continued preparations for the ship because there was nothing else to do, and he scarcely noticed when the visits stopped. Drugs kept him going. This morning he had observed his own gauntness in an optex with faint surprise – and complete indifference.
‘Surely the same null,’ Vadász mumbled.
Heim snatched the stack of envelopes off the table. A flat package lay on the bottom. He ripped the plastic off. Lisa’s face looked forth.
His hands began to shake so badly that he had trouble punching the animator button. The lips that were Connie’s opened. ‘Daddy,’ said the small voice. ‘Endre. I’m okay. I mean, they haven’t hurt me. A woman stopped me when I was about to get on the elway home. She said her bra magnet had come loose and would I please help her fix it. I didn’t think anybody upper-class was dangerous. She was dressed nice and talked nice and had a car there and everything. We got in the car and blanked the bubble. Then she shot me with a stunner. I woke up here. I don’t know where it is, a suite of rooms, the windows are always blanked. Two women are staying with me. They aren’t mean, they just won’t let me go. They say it’s for peace. Please do what they want.’ Her flat speech indicated she was doped with antiphobic. But suddenly herself broke through. ‘I’m so lonesome!’ she cried, and the tears came.
The strip ended. After a long while Heim grew aware that Vadász was urging him to read a note that had also been in the package. He managed to focus on the typescript.
Mr. Heim:
For weeks you have lent your name and influence to the militarists. You have actually paid for advertisements making the false and inflammatory claim that there are survivors at large on New Europe. Now we have obtained information which suggests you may be plotting still more radical ways to disrupt the peace negotiations.
If this is true, mankind cannot allow it. For the sake of humanity, we cannot take the chance that it might be true.
Your daughter will be kept as a hostage for your goodbehavior until the treaty with Alerion has been concluded, and for as long thereafter as seems wise. If meanwhile you publicly admit you lied about New Europe, and do nothing else, she will be returned.
Needless to say, you are not to inform the police of this message. The peace movement has so many loyal supporters in so many places that we will know if you do. In that event we will be forced to punish you through the girl. If on the other
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