Read Online Weird Space 2: Satan's Reach by Eric Brown - Free Book Online
Authors: Eric Brown
Tags: Science-Fiction, Space Opera
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with Sharl Janaker.”
Gorley ordered a glass of water, then excused himself. “I’ll leave you to discuss the mission,” he said with a smile at Janaker, “and get to know each other a little better.”
The Vetch sat down at the table. “So that you know, I would rather be embarking upon this mission alone.”
She smiled, though she was sure the expression was lost on the alien. “So that you know, Kreller, I too would rather go it alone. But as I’ve been saddled with you, I’ll make the best of a bad situation. We’ll bring this bastard back to the Expansion in double quick time, Kreller, and then go our separate ways.”
“I see that you too speak forthrightly.”
She nodded and drank her beer. “Your Anglais is excellent.”
“I perfected your tongue while interrogating human prisoners during the Territories War.”
She stared at the monster. “But that was fifty years ago...”
“Your knowledge of recent history is excellent,” Kreller said, and she thought she detected humour in his tone. A Vetch who cracks jokes, she thought; whatever next?
“I am over one hundred human years old,” he said.
She smiled to herself. At thirty-five she felt like a mere child.
“Vetch have faster eye-to-hand reactions than humans,” Kreller went on. “Also, we process reality faster than you do. This is an established scientific fact.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
Its bloody eyes regarded her. “In my dealings with humans, Janaker, I have found that your ignorance of my people is vast. You will no doubt find out much more about my people over the course of the next few weeks.”
“I can’t wait,” she said, and smiled sweetly at the Vetch.
“We are due to phase out en route for the Reach at midnight tonight,” Kreller said. “I suggest that before then we share our information on the intended subject.”
“Why not?” she said. “But first, perhaps I could introduce you to the delights of human beer?”
“I have tasted the liquid,” he said, “and found it objectionable. I will take another water.”
Janaker ordered a second beer, and a glass of water, and decided that the mission to the Reach with the Vetch was going to be... interesting, to say the least.
On the plus side, her informants had been wrong on one count about the Vetch... Thankfully, they didn’t stink.
CHAPTER FOUR
T HE J UDI H EARNE was Harper’s home. It had everything he required by the way of accommodation and amenities, with the bonus of being supremely mobile. He had equipped the ship to his own tastes, buying old rugs, tapestries and furnishings in markets far and wide across the Reach. He liked to call himself a star rover, with no particular allegiance to one planet or star system. If, however, he were pressed on the matter and asked to state his favourite world from the many hundreds he had visited, he would always answer Tarrasay. It was the planet to which he returned again and again, the place where he felt safest. Situated on the far side of the Reach from the human Expansion, Tarrasay was the oldest planet settled by humans. Some said that the first settlers had made their home among the wooded vales and pastures over a thousand years ago, but certainly the majority had fled here five hundred years ago when the draconian rise of the authoritarian Expansion had pushed radicals, free-thinkers and persecuted minorities to seek refuge elsewhere. Over the centuries others had made the star cluster their home, criminals and religious cults and bizarre political factions, though Tarrasay itself – being a sleepy backwater with no great cities and little wealth – harboured none of these.
The planet boasted one small spaceport, situated next to the capital city on the coast, though Harper rarely availed himself of its facilities. He preferred instead to come down on the headland of a bay twenty kilometres north of DeVries, the capital city. Here was a small town tucked into the crook of the
Gorley ordered a glass of water, then excused himself. “I’ll leave you to discuss the mission,” he said with a smile at Janaker, “and get to know each other a little better.”
The Vetch sat down at the table. “So that you know, I would rather be embarking upon this mission alone.”
She smiled, though she was sure the expression was lost on the alien. “So that you know, Kreller, I too would rather go it alone. But as I’ve been saddled with you, I’ll make the best of a bad situation. We’ll bring this bastard back to the Expansion in double quick time, Kreller, and then go our separate ways.”
“I see that you too speak forthrightly.”
She nodded and drank her beer. “Your Anglais is excellent.”
“I perfected your tongue while interrogating human prisoners during the Territories War.”
She stared at the monster. “But that was fifty years ago...”
“Your knowledge of recent history is excellent,” Kreller said, and she thought she detected humour in his tone. A Vetch who cracks jokes, she thought; whatever next?
“I am over one hundred human years old,” he said.
She smiled to herself. At thirty-five she felt like a mere child.
“Vetch have faster eye-to-hand reactions than humans,” Kreller went on. “Also, we process reality faster than you do. This is an established scientific fact.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
Its bloody eyes regarded her. “In my dealings with humans, Janaker, I have found that your ignorance of my people is vast. You will no doubt find out much more about my people over the course of the next few weeks.”
“I can’t wait,” she said, and smiled sweetly at the Vetch.
“We are due to phase out en route for the Reach at midnight tonight,” Kreller said. “I suggest that before then we share our information on the intended subject.”
“Why not?” she said. “But first, perhaps I could introduce you to the delights of human beer?”
“I have tasted the liquid,” he said, “and found it objectionable. I will take another water.”
Janaker ordered a second beer, and a glass of water, and decided that the mission to the Reach with the Vetch was going to be... interesting, to say the least.
On the plus side, her informants had been wrong on one count about the Vetch... Thankfully, they didn’t stink.
CHAPTER FOUR
T HE J UDI H EARNE was Harper’s home. It had everything he required by the way of accommodation and amenities, with the bonus of being supremely mobile. He had equipped the ship to his own tastes, buying old rugs, tapestries and furnishings in markets far and wide across the Reach. He liked to call himself a star rover, with no particular allegiance to one planet or star system. If, however, he were pressed on the matter and asked to state his favourite world from the many hundreds he had visited, he would always answer Tarrasay. It was the planet to which he returned again and again, the place where he felt safest. Situated on the far side of the Reach from the human Expansion, Tarrasay was the oldest planet settled by humans. Some said that the first settlers had made their home among the wooded vales and pastures over a thousand years ago, but certainly the majority had fled here five hundred years ago when the draconian rise of the authoritarian Expansion had pushed radicals, free-thinkers and persecuted minorities to seek refuge elsewhere. Over the centuries others had made the star cluster their home, criminals and religious cults and bizarre political factions, though Tarrasay itself – being a sleepy backwater with no great cities and little wealth – harboured none of these.
The planet boasted one small spaceport, situated next to the capital city on the coast, though Harper rarely availed himself of its facilities. He preferred instead to come down on the headland of a bay twenty kilometres north of DeVries, the capital city. Here was a small town tucked into the crook of the
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