The Shores of Death Read Online Free PDF

would not fail...
    Ah, it was stupid. He’d have Take investigated, find out where he was from, have his movements traced, have him found on Earth and then have it out with him. Then he’d know. It would be simple.
    The carriage was dropping towards the roof of Narvo’s house.
    He must improve his manners. He’d forgotten all about Narvo’s scheme. Yet the scheme seemed so divorced from anything Marca felt. He was becoming selfish.
    As they landed, he said: “When do you intend to publish your idea, Narvo?”
    “Later today, as I said.” Narvo gave him a sympathetic look, probably thinking that he was finding it hard to recover from the experience of seeing the interior of the ship. Well, in a sense he was right. “As soon as enough people have assembled in the Great Glade.”
    “I’ll come along. Tell me, is Yoluf still in touch with the Information Centre?”
    “He still goes there. He can’t get used to being out of a job. He can’t bear not knowing everything that goes on everywhere. The information still comes in—though many of the out-system planets are becoming rather lax about sending theirs. What is it you want?”
    Marca hadn’t told Narvo about Take’s intrusion. He said: “That man I asked you about at the party. I want to know where he’s staying.”
    “The one you think followed you? Well, I expect Yoluf will be able to help. Shall I ask him over?”
    “No, it’s all right—if he’s still at the Information Centre, I’ll go there. It will be easier. I’ll call him.” Fastina said: “Would it be rude if I went to bed? I’m tired and...”
    Clovis shook his head and Narvo said: “Of course not. If you need the tranquo...”
    She laughed. “I may do. I’ll tell you.”
    They dropped into the gravishute. Clovis stopped himself at his room and helped her into the room. It was dark. Clovis touched the control on the wall and it became transparent.
    He still didn’t know why Take had come here, what he had wanted, why the lights should have been disconnected. Unless, of course, Take had needed a power source for some reason. That could mean ...
    As Fastina sat on the edge of the bed, tugging at her clothes in a detached way, he went to his tapecase. It was a small, flat case containing his private records. The sonic lock had been sliced off. Take had used a powered tool to do the cutting, probably a laser scalpel which required more power than could be condensed into a normal portable pack. Which was why he’d had to disconnect the lights.
    Clovis immediately saw what Take had been looking at. One capsule of microtape was unravelled. Slipping it into the viewer on his wrist, he saw that it was the capsule containing his star charts—his probable courses plotted on them. So now Take knew the next stage of his journey —and could be there ahead of him if he chose. It was uncertain why Take had troubled to find his charts—and copy them probably. Take’s actions pointed to one kind of answer, his words to another.
    Fastina was still very pale. He remembered the night and felt guilty. He went over to the bed and helped her undress.
    “What’s the matter? Just tiredness and shock, or ... ”
    “Probably,” she smiled. “Don’t worry—a bit of sleep will do me good. You’ve worn me out.”
    “I  can't worry, he thought, I can’t, my dear. I warned you. Yet admittedly he was impressed by both her personality and her love-making.
    There was no point to it any more, though! However it deviated, it was still basically the urge to breed, to pass on the seed—an urge to continue life through your children. Now there was no point to it. He’d have to tell her politely, when he was calmer and she was better.
    But the body did not know. The unthinking body could not realise that there was to be no future, no seed to be passed on, no kind of immortality. The cycle—which the body still accepted as eternal—was going to be broken at last. As in ancient Pompeii, even when the mind