The Man-Kzin Wars 01 (6 page)

She looked at him from her slightly greater elevation and touched his arm.
“
L
onely too. You must miss your family.
”

“
I
'm a bachelor type," Ryan answered, forbearing to mention the ex-wives.
“
N
ot that I don't appreciate you ladies, understand-
”

At that instant, luck brought them upon Carita Fenger. She emerged from a cold locker with a hundred-liter keg of beer, intended for the saloon, on her back, held by a strap that her left hand gripped. High-tech tasks were apportioned among all five of Rover's people, housekeeping chores a
m
ong the three crewmen. This boat pilot was a jinxian. Her width came close to matching her short height, with limbs in proportion and bosom more so. Ancestry under Sirius had made her skin almost ebony, though the bobbed hair was no longer sun-bleached white but straw color. Broad nose, close-set brown eyes, big mouth somehow added up to an attractive face, perhaps because it generally looked cheerful.
“
W
ell, hi," she hailed.
“
W
hat's going on here?
”

Ryan and Laurinda halted. I am showing our passenger around the ship," he said stiffly
.

Carita cocked her head.
“
A
re you, now? That isn't all you'd like to show her, I can see. Better get back to the galley, lad. You did promise us a first-meal feast." To the Crashlander:
“
H
e's a master chef when he puts his mind to it. Good in bed, too.
”

Laurinda dropped her gaze and colored, Ryan flushed likewise.
“
I
'm sorry," he gobbled.
“
P
ilot Fenger's okay, but she does sometimes forget her manners
.

Carita's laugh rang.
“
I
've not forgotten this nightwatch is your turn, Kam. I'll be waiting. Or shall I seduce Commissioner Markham
–
or Professor Tregennis?" To Laurinda:
“
S
orry, dear, I shouldn't have said that. Being coarse goes with the kind of life I've led. I'll try to do better. Don't be afraid of Kam. He's harmless as long as you don't encourage him.
”

She trudged off with her burden. To somebody born to jinx gravity, the weight was trifling. Ryan struggled to find words. All at once Laurinda trilled laughter of her own, then said fast,
“
I
apologize. Your arrangements are your own business. Shall we continue for as long as you can spare the time?"

The database in Rover contained books as well as musical and video performances. Both the Saxtorphs spent a considerable amount of their leisure reading, she more than he. Their tastes differed enough that they had separate terminals in their cabin. He wanted his literature, like his food, plain and hearty; Dorcas ranged wider. Ever since hyperwave made transmission easy, she had been putting hundreds of writings by extrasolar dwellers into the discs, with the quixotic idea of eventually getting to know most of them
.

The ship was a few days into hyperspace when she entered the saloon and found Tregennis. A couple of hours
workout in the gym, followed by a shower and change of coverall, left her aglow. The Plateaunian sat talking with Markham. That was unusual; the commissioner had kept rather to himself
.

“
I
ndeed the spectroscope, interferometer, the entire panoply of instruments reveals much," Tregennis was saying.
“
H
ow else did Miss Brozik discover her
star and learn of its uniqueness? But there is no substitute for a close look, and who would put a hyperdrive in an unmanned probe?"

“
I
know," Markham replied.
“
I
was simply inquiring what data you already possess. That was never made clear to me. For example, does the star have planets?
”

“
I
t's too small and faint for us to establish that, at the distance from which we observed. Ah, I am surprised, sir. Were you so little interested that you didn't ask questions?
”

"why should he, when he was vetoing our mission?" Dorcas interjected. It brought her to their notice. Tregennis started to rise.
“
N
o, please stay seated."
h
e looked
so fragile.
“
N
o offense intended, Landholder Markham. I'm afraid I expressed myself tactlessly, but it seemed obvious. After all, you were
are a busy man with countless claims on your attention.
“

“
I
understand, Mme. Saxtorph," the Wunderlander said stiffly.
“
Y
ou are correct. Feeling as I did, I took care to suppress my curiosity." Tregennis shook his head in a bemused fashion. He doubtless wasn't very familiar with the twists and turns the human mind can take. Dorcas recalled that he had never been married, except to his science
though he did seem to regard Laurinda as a surrogate daughter. The computerman sat down.
“
I
n fact," she said
conciliating
ly
, I still wonder why you felt you could be spared from your post for as long as we may be gone. You could have sent somebody else.
”

“
T
rustworthy persons are hard to find," Markham stated, "especially in the younger generation.
”

“
I
've gathered you don't approve of postwar developments on your planet." Dorcas glanced at Tregennis
.

“
T
hat's apropos the reason I hoped you would be here, Professor. I'm reading The House on Crowsnest
—
"

“
W
hat do you mean?" Markham interrupted.
“
C
rowsnest is an area on top of Mount Look
a
t
that.
“

Dorcas curbed exasperation. Maybe he couldn't help being arrogant. I understand it's considered the greatest novel ever written on Plateau," she said
.

Tregennis nodded.
“
M
any think so. I confess the language in it gets too strong for my taste.
”

“
Well, the author is a Colonist, telling how things were before and during the revolution," Dorcas said in Markham's direction.
“
O
ppression does not make people nice. The wonder is that Crew rule was overthrown almost bloodlessly.
”

“
I
f you please," Tregennis responded , we of the Crew families were not monsters. Many of us realized reform was overdue and worked for it. I sympathized myself, you know, although I did not take an active role. I do believe Nairn exaggerates the degree and extent of brutality under the old order.
”

“
T
hat's one thing I wanted to ask you about. His book's full of people, places, events, practices that must be familiar to you but that nobody on any other planet ever heard of, Laurinda herself couldn't tell me what some passages refer to.
”

Tregennis smiled.
“
S
he has only been on Plateau as a student, and was born into a democracy. Why should she concern herself about old, unhappy, far
off things? Not that she is narrow, she comes from a cultured home, but she is young and has a whole universe opening before her."

Dorcas nodded.
“
A
lucky generation, hers.
”

“
Y
es, indeed. Landholder Markham, I must disagree with views you have expressed. Taken as a whole, on every world the young are rising marvelously well to their opportunities-better, I fear, than their elders would have done."

“
I
t makes a huge difference, being free," Dorcas said
.

Markham sat bolt upright.
“
F
ree to do what?" he snapped.
“
T
o be vulgar, slovenly, ignorant,
self-centered
, materialistic,
conman
? I have seen the degradation go on, year by year. You have stayed safe in your ivory tower,
Professor
. You, Mme. Saxtorph, operate in situations where a measure of discipline., sometimes old-fashioned self-sacrifice, is a condition of survival. But I have gotten out into the muck and tried to stem the tide of it.
”

I heard you'd run for your new parliament, and I know you don't care for the popular modern styles," Dorcas answered dryly. She shrugged. I often don't myself. But why should people not have what they want, if they can come by it honestly? Nobody forces you to join them. It seems you'd force them to do what pleases you. Well, that might not be what pleases me!" Markham swallowed. His ears lay back. I suspect our likes are not extremely dissimilar. You are a person of quality, a natural leader." Abruptly his voice quivered. He must be waging battle to keep his feelings under control.
“
I
n a healthy society, the superior person is recognized for what he or she is, and lesser ones are happy to be guided, because they realize that not only they but generations to come will benefit. The leader is not interested in power or glory for their own sake. At most, they are means to an end, the end to which he gives his life, the organic evolution of the society toward its destiny, the full flowering of its soul. But we are replacing living
G
emeinschaft
with mechanical Gesellschaft. The cyborg civilization! It goes as crazy as a cyborg individual. The leading classes also lose their sense of responsibility. Those members who do not become openly corrupt turn into reckless
megalomaniacs."

Dorcas paled, which was her body's way of showing anger.
“
I
've seen that kind of thinking described in history books," she said.
“
I
thought better of you, sir. For your information, my grandfather was a cyborg after an accident. Belters always believed it was as criminal to send convicts into the organ banks as any crime of theirs could be. He was the sanest man I've known. Nor have I noticed leaders of free folk doing much that is half as stupid or evil as what the master classes used to order. I'll make my own mistakes, thank you.
”

“
Y
ou certainly will. You already have. I must speak plainly. Your husband's insistence on this expedition, against every dictate of sound judgment, merely because it suits him to go, is a perfect example of a leader who has ceased to be a shepherd. Or perhaps you yourself are, since you have aided and abetted him. You could have remembered how full of terrible unknowns space is. Belters are born to that
understanding
. He is a flatlander.
”

Dorcas whitened entirely. Her crest bristled. She stood up, fists on hips, to loom over Markham and say word by word:
“
T
hat will do. We have endured your presence, that you pushed on us, in hopes you would prove to be housebroken. We have now listened to your ridiculous ranting
’
s because we believe in free speech where you do not, and in hopes you would soon finish. Instead, you have delivered an intolerable racist insult. You will go to your cabin and remain there for twenty-four hours. Bread and water will be brought to you."

Markham gaped.
“
W
hat? Are you mad?
”

“
F
urious, yes. As for sanity, I refrain from express
ing an opinion about who may lack it." Dorcas consulted her watch.
“
Y
ou can walk to your cabin in about five minutes. Therefore, do not be seen outside it, except for visits to the head, until 1737 hours tomorrow. Go. "

He half rose himself, sank back down, and exclaimed,
“
T
his is impossible! Professor Tregennis, I call you to witness.
”

“
Y
es," Dorcas said.
“
P
lease witness that he has received a direct order from me, who am second in command of the ship. Shall we call Captain Saxtorph to confirm it? You can be led off in irons, Markham. Better you obey. Go.
”

The commissioner clambered to his feet. He breathed hard. The others could smell his sweat.
“
V
ery well," he said tonelessly. "of course I will file a complaint when we return. Meanwhile we shall minimize further conversation. Good day." He jerked a bow and marched off
.