FM Busby All These Earth

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easiest way to keep you here a while without getting tough but I don't have to
do a thing, do I? Because without us, you can't leave anyway."
What could she say? The truth any lie she could think of any of it, he could
use against her. And no lie would stand up if Crait thought to quiz Jay in her
absence.
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She licked her lips. "Maybe maybe not."
He looked more closely at the bin's instruments. "Hey this stuff's hotter
than it ought to be. Especially toward the top. This never came from Earth's
supplies." His eyes narrowed. "And there's no way you could carry a
synthesizer on here." His brows raised; he snapped his fingers. "Of course a
ship's been here, even if colonization didn't follow. You found its
synthesizer slagpile you've been mining the tailings." He scowled. "Damned if
I see how. Hot products like that "
When she did not answer, he shrugged. "Doesn't matter you can't mine any more
unless I let you." He gestured for Frenkel to go outside then he stepped
toward her.
Her throat tightened her voice came shrill. "Crait maybe you can take me by
force. But I promise you you won't enjoy it!"
He seemed genuinely puzzled. "But I wasn't just hug you a little, maybe. See
how it feels after so long. I what hurt would that do?"
Did he mean it? "No harm if we were friends, if I trusted you. But how can I
trust someone who denies us freedom, Jay and me? How do I know what else you
want to force on me?"
"You don't understand? I don't want youthat way against your will. I want you
to tell me, all right, Dol here I am for you."
Unexpectedly she wanted to laugh. She knew she must not she fought it back.
"I've told you why that's impossible. I'm sorry."
"Sorry we can't be lovers? But maybe "
"No! I'm sorry you didn't find someone here who could." She could afford him
no semblance of encouragement she knew that much. "Now then is there any more
you want to learn, here?"
He wasn't ready to give it up, she knew. But he said, "Your log let's have a
look at it."
Well, why not? At the control console she punched the access codes. On the
screen the entries appeared, rolling upward at a moderate reading speed. Until
it was done, Crait was silent then he said, "All that way out and back and out
again in so little time!" He shook his head.
"We pay for it, Crait. Look what happenedthis time." She wanted to get back
to Jay. She turned the controls again to standby and moved toward the exit. As
she expected, he took a last look around and followed. Over her shoulder she
said, "I'm beginning to get hungry. Whose turn is it to fix dinner?"
"Maybe yours."
"Fair enough. Someone will have to show me where things are."
"I think someone's going to have to show youhow things are." She looked at
him, but until they were in the car he did not speak. Then he said, "Let's go,
Arth." A moment later the car moved out.
This time Crait sat behind with Raelle. When he spoke it was softly, so that
Frenkel could not hear. "I've been thinking. You're going to do what we want,
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all right because it makes sense for everybody. The only question is how to
change your mind."
She had to derail this line of thought. "Crait only friends have any chance
of persuading me of anything. And so long as you think as you do, you're my
enemy."
Onto the river over the sound of spray he spoke close to her ear. "Because I
want you? And if I say I don't, I lose, too. Damned either way is that it?"
She had had enough as the car left water to climb the ridge, she said, "Yes,
it is! I'm not available onany terms get that through your head. Then we can
be friends or not, as you choose. Before all this came up, I liked you well
enough."
She started to touch his shoulder, then drew her hand back. "Dolman you're a
grown man, not a lovesick boy. And ayoung man still young when you reach
Earth, with many good years ahead. Why can't you wait for that instead of
trying to wreck the lives of people who've never harmed you?"
She spoke louder than she intended Arth Frenkel glanced back and said, "Yeh,
Dol what makesyour macho so important?"
Crait glared at the man's back. "You'd share willingly enough, if she
agreed."
"Agreed, yes coerced, no. If you do find a handle on these people, don't
expect me to help you pump it."
Water again Frenkel said something more but Raelle did not hear his words.
Crait did, apparently he shouted, "I don't care whatany of you do or don't do.
I was arguing for all of us now I'll just work it out forme ! And while I'm
doing that, you'll take my orders."
Frenkel pulled the car up onto land and slowed, barely hovering. "Concerning
the ship, I take orders. When it comes to personal problems I'm not your
soldier. If you don't like that well, one of us can jump out and walk the rest
of the way, and I guess it's me."
Redfaced, Crait drummed clenched fists on his knees. "Say it all the way,
Arth. You refuse to act with me on this?" Frenkel nodded. "But you won't act
against me, either?"
The man hesitated. Then, "Not on the ship, I won't. That's as far as I'll
promise."
Crait laughed. "Then get us the hell back toStar Flame ."
For the rest of the ride, the landing, and walking to the ship, Raelle tried
without success to think of a course of action. Aboard, again they went to the
galley. Serro Gama was there, no one else.
She walked to face him. "Where's Jay?"
Smiling, Gama spread his hands. "Where Dol said the quarters. He's fine we
had a good talk."
"I want to see him." This to Crait.
"Later. Right now,I'm going to see him. You stay here." Crait left Raelle
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made to follow but Gama spoke.
"Dol said you stay. Don't Idon't want to have to stop you." She looked at
him his expression showed concern.
Frenkel said, "Dol won't hurt your man. He'lllean a lot arguments, dickers,
maybe threats. D'you think that'll work?"
What kind of threats? To Jay's life, or hers? She shook her head there was no
way of knowing and said only, "No. It won't."
Gama began preparing dinner apparently Crait's suggestion that Raelle do so
had been in jest. He said, "Dol leans pretty good."
"So does Jay."If only we could talk together !
She went to the bar, made a drink and sat sipping it, deep in thought. What
were thelimits of this situation how far would Crait go, or Jay or she
herself? She considered in a similar predicament, two planets ago,
unhesitatingly she had told Reyez Turco that he and she would both die at her
hand if he separated her from Jay. Today she had made no such threats why not? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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