The Man-Kzin Wars 01 Read Online Free PDF Page B

belonged to the large albino minority on the planet, with snowy skin, big red eyes, white hair combed straight down to the shoulders. In contrast to Tregennis' quiet tunic and trousers, she wore a gown of golden-hued fabric – an expert would have identified it as Terrestrial silk-and an arrowhead pendant of topaz; but somehow she wore them shyly. “ W ell, he survived, not too upset." Glancing at the waiter, Dorcas ordered a dry martini, "-and I mean dry." She turned to the others. “ H e was on his way to talk with Markham," she explained. “ L ate hour, but the commissioner said he was too busy to receive him earlier. In fact, the meeting was to be at an auxiliary office. The equipment at the regular place is all tied up with-I'm not sure what. Well, Bob was passing through a deserted section when a kzin came out of nowhere and attacked him. He kept himself alive, without any serious damage, till the noise drew the police. The kzin fled." “ O h, dear!" Laurinda repeated. She looked appalled,
    Tregennis had a way of attacking problems from unexpected angles. “ W hy was Robert on foot?" he asked .
    “ W hat?" said Dorcas, surprised. She considered. “ T he tubeway wasn't convenient for his destination, and it's not much of a walk. What of it?" “ T here have been ample incidents, I hear. Kzinti with their hair-trigger tempers; and many humans bear an unreasoning hatred of them. I should think Robert would take care." Tregennis chuckled. “ H e's too seasoned a warrior to want any trouble. ”
    “ H e had no reason to expect any, I tell you." Dorcas curbed her irritation. “ N ever mind. It was doubtless just one of those things. He has a ruined tunic and four superficial cuts, but he gave as good as he got. The point is, the police are in an uproar. They were nervous enough, now they're afraid of more fights. They've kept him at the station, questioning him over and over, showing him stereograms of this or that kzin-you can imagine. When last he called, he didn't expect to be free for another couple Of hours, and then, on top of having nearly gotten killed, he'll be wrung out. So he told me to meet you on behalf of us both."
    “ Horrible," Laurinda said. “ B ut at least he is safe. ”
    “ W e regret his absence, naturally," Tregennis added, "and twice so when we had invited you two to dinner here in celebration of good news." Dorcas smiled. “ W ell, I'll be your courier. What is the message?" “ I t is for you to tell, Laurinda," the astrophysicist said gently. The girl swallowed, leaned forward, and blurted, “ T his mornwatch I got the word I'd hoped for. On the hyperwave. My father, he, he'd been away, and afterward I suppose he needed to think about it, because that is a lot of money, but-but if necessary, he'll give us a grant. We won't have to depend on the Commission. We can take off on our own!"
    “ W ow !! ", Dorcas breathed .
    Though it made no sense, for a tumbling few seconds her mind was on Stefan Brozik, whom she had never met. He had been among those on We Made It quickest to seize the chance when the Outsiders came by with their offer to sell the hyperdrive technology. For a while he was an officer in one of the fleets that drove the kzin sublight ships back and back into defeat. Returning, he made his fortune in the production of hyperdrives for both government and private use-, and Laurinda was his adored only daughter- “ I t will take a time," came Tregennis' parched voice. “ F irst the draft must clear the banks, then we must order what we need and wait for delivery. The demand exceeds the supply, after all. However, in due course we will be able to go. ”
    His white head lifted. Dorcas remembered what he had said to Markham, when the commissioner declared: “ P rofessor, this star of yours does appear to be an interesting object. I do not doubt an expedition to it would have scientific value. But space is full of urgent work to do, human work to do. Your project can wait