[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
same since starbombs came along fifty years before. Neither Tartesh nor Morgaf
had used them, even in war against each other, but both countries kept
building them. So did eight or ten other nations, scattered across the globe.
If another big war started, it could easily become The Big War, the one
everybody was afraid of.
Radnal punched buttons on the radiophone. After a couple of static bursts, a
voice answered: "Trench
Park militia, Subleader vez Steries speaking."
"Gods bless you, Liem vez," Radnal said; this was a man he knew and liked.
"Vez Krobir here, over at the tourist lodge. I'm sorry to have to tell you
we've had a death. I'm even sorrier to have to tell you it looks like murder."
Radnal explained what had happened to Dokhnor of Kellef.
Liem vez Steries said, "Why couldn't it have been anyone else but the
Morgaffo? Now you'll have to drag in the Eyes and Ears, and the gods only know
how much hoorah will erupt."
"My next call was to Tarteshem," Radnal agreed.
"It probably should have been your first one, but never mind," Liem vez
Steries said. "I'll be over there with a circumstances man as fast as I can
get a helo in the air. Farewell."
"Farewell." Radnal's next call had to go through a human relayer. After a
couple of hundred heartbeats, he found himself talking with an Eye and Ear
named Peggol vez Menk. Unlike the park militiaman, Peggol kept interrupting
with questions, so the conversation took twice as long as the other one had.
When Radnal was through, the Eye and Ear said, "You did right to involve us,
freeman vez Krobir. We'll handle the diplomatic aspects, and we'll fly a team
down there to help with the investigation. Don't let anyone leave the lodge,
did you call it? Farewell."
The radiophone had a speaking diaphragm in the console, not the more
common and more private ear-and-mouth handset. Everyone heard what Peggol vez
Menk said. Nobody liked it. Evillia said, "Did he mean we're going to have to
stay cooped up here with a murderer?" She started
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
trembling. Lofosa put an arm around her.
Benter vez Maprab had a different objection: "See here, freeman, I put down
good silver for a tour of
Trench Park, and I intend to have that tour. If not, I shall take legal
measures."
Radnal stifled a groan. Tarteshan law, which relied heavily on the principle
Page 18
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
of trust, came down hard on those who violated contracts in any way. If the
old Strongbrow went to court, he'd likely collect enormous damages from Trench
Park and from Radnal, as the individual who failed to deliver the service
contracted for.
Worse, the Martoisi joined the outcry. A reasonably upright and upstanding
man, Radnal had never had to hire a pleader in his life. He wondered if he had
enough silver to pay for a good one. Then he wondered if he'd ever have any
silver again, once the tourists, the courts, and the pleader were through with
him.
Toglo zev Pamdal cut through the hubbub: "Let's wait a few heartbeats. A man
is dead. That's more important than everything else. If the start of our tour
is delayed, perhaps Trench Park will regain equity by delaying its end to give
us the full touring time we've paid for."
"That's an excellent suggestion, freelady zev Pamdal," Radnal said gratefully.
Fer and Zosel nodded.
A distant thutter in the sky grew to a roar. The militia helo kicked up a
small dust storm as it set down between the stables and the lodge. Flying
pebbles clicked off walls and windows. The motor shut down.
As the blades slowed, dust subsided.
Radnal felt as if a good god had frightened a night demon from his shoulders.
"I don't think we'll need to extend your time here by more than a day," he
said happily.
"How will you manage that, if we're confined here in this gods-forsaken
wilderness?" Eltsac vez Martois growled.
"That's just it," Radnal said. "We are in a wilderness. Suppose we go out and
see what there is to see in
Trench Park where will the culprit flee on donkeyback? If he tries to get
away, we'll know who he is because he'll be the only one missing, and we'll
track him down with the helo." The tour guide beamed.
The tourists beamed back including, Radnal reminded himself, the killer among
them.
Liem vez Steries and two other park militiamen walked into the lodge. They
wore soldierly versions of
Radnal's costume: their robes, instead of being white, were splotched in
shades of tan and light green, as were their long-brimmed caps. Their rank
badges were dull; even the metal buckles of their sandals were painted to
avoid reflections.
Liem set a recorder on the table Dokhnor and Benter vez Maprab had used for
war the night before. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl fopke.keep.pl
same since starbombs came along fifty years before. Neither Tartesh nor Morgaf
had used them, even in war against each other, but both countries kept
building them. So did eight or ten other nations, scattered across the globe.
If another big war started, it could easily become The Big War, the one
everybody was afraid of.
Radnal punched buttons on the radiophone. After a couple of static bursts, a
voice answered: "Trench
Park militia, Subleader vez Steries speaking."
"Gods bless you, Liem vez," Radnal said; this was a man he knew and liked.
"Vez Krobir here, over at the tourist lodge. I'm sorry to have to tell you
we've had a death. I'm even sorrier to have to tell you it looks like murder."
Radnal explained what had happened to Dokhnor of Kellef.
Liem vez Steries said, "Why couldn't it have been anyone else but the
Morgaffo? Now you'll have to drag in the Eyes and Ears, and the gods only know
how much hoorah will erupt."
"My next call was to Tarteshem," Radnal agreed.
"It probably should have been your first one, but never mind," Liem vez
Steries said. "I'll be over there with a circumstances man as fast as I can
get a helo in the air. Farewell."
"Farewell." Radnal's next call had to go through a human relayer. After a
couple of hundred heartbeats, he found himself talking with an Eye and Ear
named Peggol vez Menk. Unlike the park militiaman, Peggol kept interrupting
with questions, so the conversation took twice as long as the other one had.
When Radnal was through, the Eye and Ear said, "You did right to involve us,
freeman vez Krobir. We'll handle the diplomatic aspects, and we'll fly a team
down there to help with the investigation. Don't let anyone leave the lodge,
did you call it? Farewell."
The radiophone had a speaking diaphragm in the console, not the more
common and more private ear-and-mouth handset. Everyone heard what Peggol vez
Menk said. Nobody liked it. Evillia said, "Did he mean we're going to have to
stay cooped up here with a murderer?" She started
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
trembling. Lofosa put an arm around her.
Benter vez Maprab had a different objection: "See here, freeman, I put down
good silver for a tour of
Trench Park, and I intend to have that tour. If not, I shall take legal
measures."
Radnal stifled a groan. Tarteshan law, which relied heavily on the principle
Page 18
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
of trust, came down hard on those who violated contracts in any way. If the
old Strongbrow went to court, he'd likely collect enormous damages from Trench
Park and from Radnal, as the individual who failed to deliver the service
contracted for.
Worse, the Martoisi joined the outcry. A reasonably upright and upstanding
man, Radnal had never had to hire a pleader in his life. He wondered if he had
enough silver to pay for a good one. Then he wondered if he'd ever have any
silver again, once the tourists, the courts, and the pleader were through with
him.
Toglo zev Pamdal cut through the hubbub: "Let's wait a few heartbeats. A man
is dead. That's more important than everything else. If the start of our tour
is delayed, perhaps Trench Park will regain equity by delaying its end to give
us the full touring time we've paid for."
"That's an excellent suggestion, freelady zev Pamdal," Radnal said gratefully.
Fer and Zosel nodded.
A distant thutter in the sky grew to a roar. The militia helo kicked up a
small dust storm as it set down between the stables and the lodge. Flying
pebbles clicked off walls and windows. The motor shut down.
As the blades slowed, dust subsided.
Radnal felt as if a good god had frightened a night demon from his shoulders.
"I don't think we'll need to extend your time here by more than a day," he
said happily.
"How will you manage that, if we're confined here in this gods-forsaken
wilderness?" Eltsac vez Martois growled.
"That's just it," Radnal said. "We are in a wilderness. Suppose we go out and
see what there is to see in
Trench Park where will the culprit flee on donkeyback? If he tries to get
away, we'll know who he is because he'll be the only one missing, and we'll
track him down with the helo." The tour guide beamed.
The tourists beamed back including, Radnal reminded himself, the killer among
them.
Liem vez Steries and two other park militiamen walked into the lodge. They
wore soldierly versions of
Radnal's costume: their robes, instead of being white, were splotched in
shades of tan and light green, as were their long-brimmed caps. Their rank
badges were dull; even the metal buckles of their sandals were painted to
avoid reflections.
Liem set a recorder on the table Dokhnor and Benter vez Maprab had used for
war the night before. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]