[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
unpredictable turn at any time. The Everliving, already sufficiently
overwrought as a result of Ticos machinations, had tipped their hand in trying
to take her alive and failing to do it. If they suspected she could get away
from the island again and warn Nandy-Cline, it might stampede them into
launching the overall attack immediately, before they lost the advantage of
surprise. At best that would cost a great many human lives . . . .
Lives that would be saved if the aliens could be talked into withdrawing.
Nile's reflections checked there a moment. She didn't like the line they were
taking - but the line was an inevitable one. As things had worked out, the
Palachs had reason to believe that in her they were dealing with a genuine
Tuvela. If Ticos had come close to persuading them to retreat from the planet,
a genuine Tuvela should be able to finish the job.
But that meant putting herself voluntarily in the power of those creatures.
And the thought was enough to dry her mouth. . . .
A chaquoteel whistled a dozen feet away, and Nile started violently, then
cursed her jittering nerves. It hadn't been an alarm call. Nothing of
significance to the chaquoteels, and therefore to her, had come near the
sestran stand since she'd been sitting here.
She looked at the bundled Great Palach again. He was awake. There'd been
occasional cautious stirrings under the cloth. One question was simply whether
Page 38
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
she could play the part of a Tuvela-Guardian well enough to keep the aliens
deceived. The midget in there was a highly aggressive representative of the
Voice of Action. If she could sell him the idea that Porad Anz was doomed if
it persisted in challenging the Tuvelas, there was a good chance she could
bluff the Everliving as a whole.
Why not find out?
She'd have to believe it herself first. Quit being Nile Etland and be a
Tuvela. The more outrageously, the better. No small lies - big ones. Keep the
creature surprised.
She moistened her lips, fished the tanglecord's release key from her pouch,
placed her gun on the chunk of floatwood supporting the thicket. The
tanglecord strips securing the cloth about the Parahuan came away at the touch
of the key. She dropped them in the pouch, unknotted the cloth and drew it
cautiously from the captive.
The atmosphere sections of the Parahuan's eyes were open. They watched her
steadily. The tanglecord clamped about his arms. and feet was tight and in
place. Nile pulled the strip away from the vocal slit, set him upright against
a clump ff sestran, backed away eight or nine feet, and sat down, holding the
gun loosely before her. She studied the alien for some seconds.
He didn't look too formidable, but Ticos' caution against underestimating
Palachs of any grade probably was well founded. Their approach to immortality
involved a progressive induced metamorphosis. The muscular structure became
condensed and acquired extreme efficiency. Most of the thinking apparatus was
buried inside the chunky torso; presumably it did not undergo physiological
changes. Reduced to essentials, Ticos had said. Very well she'd watch this
Great Palach . . . .
What did he see in her? A Tuvela? Nile had a mental picture of herself - lean,
next to naked, smeared with colorful plant sap. Hardly the most impressive
image. But it couldn't be helped. She was a Guardian of the Federation of the
Hub, a Tuvela. To him, she was gromgorru. A mysterious, powerful being, with
information sources beyond her captive's knowledge. The last, at any rate, she
had.
She said, "I believe I am addressing the Great Palach Koll."
The manikin stared a long moment. At last the vocal slit moved. "And I
believe," a voice like golden velvet told her, "that I address a Hulon named
Etland.
Hulon - Parahuan term signifying low-grade human. There'd been no suggestion
of alien inflection in the words. They had studied humanity in patient
detail.
"You have another name for us," the Tuvela said indifferently. "Call me Hulon
if you wish. Where are you holding Dr. Cay at present?"
"Not far from here. What is your interest in Dr. Cay?"
"Our interest in Dr. Cay," Nile said, "is less than it was. He has not
performed well in this test."
"Test?" Koll's voice had thinned, Nile regarded him a moment.
"Surely you must have wondered from time to time," she remarked, "why no one
Page 39
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
came here to inspect Dr. Cay's activities. Yes, a test. Not that it's your
concern, Great Palach, but Dr. Cay was a candidate for the true-life. I'm not
sure he will remain one. When we saw you had discovered him, we waited to
observe how capably he would handle this unexpected situation. I'm
disappointed in him."
Koll's vocal slit opened and closed silently twice. The Tuvela scowled
absently.
"However, I'm more than disappointed in the Everliving," she resumed. "If you
didn't find Dr. Cay sufficiently persuasive, very moderate intelligence alone
should have told you to be long gone from here . . . and glad to be away!
Haven't you felt the snare this world represents waiting about you? Has the
Sacred Sea grown senile instead of immortal?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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unpredictable turn at any time. The Everliving, already sufficiently
overwrought as a result of Ticos machinations, had tipped their hand in trying
to take her alive and failing to do it. If they suspected she could get away
from the island again and warn Nandy-Cline, it might stampede them into
launching the overall attack immediately, before they lost the advantage of
surprise. At best that would cost a great many human lives . . . .
Lives that would be saved if the aliens could be talked into withdrawing.
Nile's reflections checked there a moment. She didn't like the line they were
taking - but the line was an inevitable one. As things had worked out, the
Palachs had reason to believe that in her they were dealing with a genuine
Tuvela. If Ticos had come close to persuading them to retreat from the planet,
a genuine Tuvela should be able to finish the job.
But that meant putting herself voluntarily in the power of those creatures.
And the thought was enough to dry her mouth. . . .
A chaquoteel whistled a dozen feet away, and Nile started violently, then
cursed her jittering nerves. It hadn't been an alarm call. Nothing of
significance to the chaquoteels, and therefore to her, had come near the
sestran stand since she'd been sitting here.
She looked at the bundled Great Palach again. He was awake. There'd been
occasional cautious stirrings under the cloth. One question was simply whether
Page 38
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
she could play the part of a Tuvela-Guardian well enough to keep the aliens
deceived. The midget in there was a highly aggressive representative of the
Voice of Action. If she could sell him the idea that Porad Anz was doomed if
it persisted in challenging the Tuvelas, there was a good chance she could
bluff the Everliving as a whole.
Why not find out?
She'd have to believe it herself first. Quit being Nile Etland and be a
Tuvela. The more outrageously, the better. No small lies - big ones. Keep the
creature surprised.
She moistened her lips, fished the tanglecord's release key from her pouch,
placed her gun on the chunk of floatwood supporting the thicket. The
tanglecord strips securing the cloth about the Parahuan came away at the touch
of the key. She dropped them in the pouch, unknotted the cloth and drew it
cautiously from the captive.
The atmosphere sections of the Parahuan's eyes were open. They watched her
steadily. The tanglecord clamped about his arms. and feet was tight and in
place. Nile pulled the strip away from the vocal slit, set him upright against
a clump ff sestran, backed away eight or nine feet, and sat down, holding the
gun loosely before her. She studied the alien for some seconds.
He didn't look too formidable, but Ticos' caution against underestimating
Palachs of any grade probably was well founded. Their approach to immortality
involved a progressive induced metamorphosis. The muscular structure became
condensed and acquired extreme efficiency. Most of the thinking apparatus was
buried inside the chunky torso; presumably it did not undergo physiological
changes. Reduced to essentials, Ticos had said. Very well she'd watch this
Great Palach . . . .
What did he see in her? A Tuvela? Nile had a mental picture of herself - lean,
next to naked, smeared with colorful plant sap. Hardly the most impressive
image. But it couldn't be helped. She was a Guardian of the Federation of the
Hub, a Tuvela. To him, she was gromgorru. A mysterious, powerful being, with
information sources beyond her captive's knowledge. The last, at any rate, she
had.
She said, "I believe I am addressing the Great Palach Koll."
The manikin stared a long moment. At last the vocal slit moved. "And I
believe," a voice like golden velvet told her, "that I address a Hulon named
Etland.
Hulon - Parahuan term signifying low-grade human. There'd been no suggestion
of alien inflection in the words. They had studied humanity in patient
detail.
"You have another name for us," the Tuvela said indifferently. "Call me Hulon
if you wish. Where are you holding Dr. Cay at present?"
"Not far from here. What is your interest in Dr. Cay?"
"Our interest in Dr. Cay," Nile said, "is less than it was. He has not
performed well in this test."
"Test?" Koll's voice had thinned, Nile regarded him a moment.
"Surely you must have wondered from time to time," she remarked, "why no one
Page 39
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
came here to inspect Dr. Cay's activities. Yes, a test. Not that it's your
concern, Great Palach, but Dr. Cay was a candidate for the true-life. I'm not
sure he will remain one. When we saw you had discovered him, we waited to
observe how capably he would handle this unexpected situation. I'm
disappointed in him."
Koll's vocal slit opened and closed silently twice. The Tuvela scowled
absently.
"However, I'm more than disappointed in the Everliving," she resumed. "If you
didn't find Dr. Cay sufficiently persuasive, very moderate intelligence alone
should have told you to be long gone from here . . . and glad to be away!
Haven't you felt the snare this world represents waiting about you? Has the
Sacred Sea grown senile instead of immortal?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]