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What are you getting at, Frank? Simna s curiosity was piqued.
Probably nothing. But I can tell you this. I
don t feel any overriding compulsion to help these happy humanoids. I just
want to get the fuck away from here as fast as possible. He fastened
Prentice with his gaze. Want Kauri and I to initiate preparations for
departure?
Though a bit overwhelmed by the captain s sudden manic energy,
Prentice didn t hesitate. That s the decision.
Good! I m on my way. Rising from his chair, Lastwell stormed out of
the hut.
Millie Carnavon pursed her lips. He was very emphatic.
Listen, I don t mean to sound cold in this. Prentice was very
earnest. I know these natives need our help. I can feel their desperation
myself. It s like a palpable thing. But I don t think our situation here is
healthy anymore. I feel, I know, that we need to get away. I don t want anyone
else trading objectivity for altruism.
We need breathing space, time to reflect on what we ve seen here.
So does Ted. He just doesn t realize it.
I don t think we re going to be able to convince him. Cedric
Carnavon looked to his right. I don t think even Jack will be able to
persuade him.
It doesn t matter, Prentice asserted. When the time comes for us to lift
off, Ted s coming with us. Whether he s ready to or not.
Carnavon s eyebrows rose. You have something stronger than verbal
persuasion in mind, Salvor?
The expedition leader nodded. Unless his impaired ability to reason has slid
all the way over into paranoia, I think we should be able to get a sedative
into him.
Well, don t expect me to carry him, declared Lejardin.
We ll take turns, Prentice informed her. All we have to do is get him
aboard the lander. Once we re away from here, he can yell and complain all he
wants. I think that after a day or two free of local influence he ll calm
down and start to think. I know Ted.
Once he does that, he ll be okay. He s just not thinking straight
right now.
He believes he s found something, Millie Carnavon pointed out.
Her husband frowned at her. Don t romanticize this, Millie.
I didn t say that was what he d found, Ced. I just said that he s found
something
.
The heat doesn t help. Lejardin s fingers fluttered in the air.
It makes your mind go muzzy.
Simna had to grin. Is that an old expression from your home?
She tried not to smile, and failed. No. It s an original
Lejardin expression.
Prentice remained all business. Favrile, can I rely on you to fabricate a
suitable pacifier for our contentious colleague?
She nodded. I don t like the idea, but I suppose it s better
than letting Lastwell handle it. Certainly Ted can use the sleep.
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You ll need help when the time comes, in case there s trouble.
Prentice peered around the table. Jack? Ced?
Both men looked resigned. We don t want him to hurt himself,
Carnavon murmured. We ll be available. Simna subsequently gave his
acquiescence.
All you have to do is get one good dose in him. Prentice was very confident.
I don t want to lose any more people. Myself, I m looking forward to
seeing how the flora and fauna on the eastern continental mass differs
from what we ve collected here, if it does at all.
Having a whole new ecosystem to decode should snap Ted out of this mood he s
fallen into. Millie Carnavon made an effort to sound optimistic.
If there are natives at the next site, we ll be more careful how we interact
with them, natural state or not, Prentice added. We ve grown too close to
the Pendju and the Quwanga, lost our scientific detachment. Their existence
surprised us and we didn t handle it well. That won t happen again.
Maybe, hazarded Lejardin hopefully, we can find a cooler site.
Now you re talking, agreed Cedric Carnavon. I could handle that.
There s mountains on this world. Maybe we can find a nice, luxuriant plateau.
The fauna and flora higher up would have to differ significantly from what
we ve encountered here in the lowlands.
I wonder if thixotropes are thermosensitive, Simna murmured. If it s
too cool, maybe the fauna can t shape-shift.
Something else to check out. Prentice tried to muster some enthusiasm.
See? There s plenty to look forward to once we re away from this
place. And when we ve satisfied ourselves
elsewhere, we can always return and conclude our research here.
I know Bella-Lynn, Lejardin told him. She ll be ready to go.
I don t see Stewart objecting, Prentice added. Not after what he s
gone through here. And Kauri doesn t have a vote one way or the other.
We ll start breaking down our facilities here first thing in the morning.
I ll communicate our decision to Bella-Lynn and Stewart so they can get
started there. The expedition leader seemed rejuvenated. Even the heat
in the hut seemed to recede. Now that we re agreed on what we re going
to do, we don t need to rush.
We ll move rapidly, but with care. I don t want to overlook
anything.
Millie Carnavon spoke as they all rose and prepared to return to work. Just
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