"Not like that!"
"It's all the same in the end."
The four remaining predators swarmed over their help-less prey in a final frenzy of kicking and slashing. The Torosaurus fell over on its side and lay still in the red-stained water. The frenzy subsided. The Dromaeosau-ruses began to feed. After the violence of the kill, the scene seemed almost peaceful. As Rick and Joe watched the carnivores feast, they saw the Torosaurus move one last time. A huge crocodile had seized its tail. The Dromaeosauruses watched helplessly as their meal was dragged off into deep water and dis-appeared.
"Why this is just a vacation paradise!" said Joe. "Let's go-" Rick was reluctant to leave, but acquiesced. He turned for one last look and saw the four remaining Dromaeo-sauruses crossing the river to follow the herd.
10
THAT LITTLE DRAMA PUT ME OFF MY FEED," SAID JOE
once they were airborne. "I suggest we find more suitable viewing for our guests." Rick realized Joe was right; the raw struggle between life and death was not tourist fare. They needed to find more picturesque locales.
They roamed through the sky and found many places wor-thy of a return visit. On a plain between two foothills, they discovered a small lake that served as a watering hole. Its shores were visited by all kinds of dinosaurs, some of which were new to Rick. A larger lake had a low island that was a nesting site for a colony of Anatosauruses, duckbilled dino-saurs over forty feet long. The entire colony was engaged in constructing bowl-shaped nests from mud. They located a herd of sauropods using their long necks to browse in the treetops. Although these animals were not nearly as large as the giants of earlier periods, they still made an impressive sight. Farther north, Rick and Joe discovered a herd of cer-atopsids that stretched over several miles. Rick counted at least seven different species of horned dinosaurs among the teeming thousands. This herd, like the one that crossed the river, seemed to be migrating. In its wake, the land looked trampled and bare. Following the devastation were packs of Dromaeosauruses. Later, they spotted a pair of Tyrannosaurs feasting on a carcass. There was too little left to identify the species of their meal. Above the feeding carnosaurs circled a pterosaur, waiting to scavenge their leftovers. It was the size of a small airplane. Returning over the inland sea, they located an island that was a rookery for tens of thousands of pterosaurs. Later, they spied a sandbar where dozens of pie-siosaurs basked in the afternoon sun. Each time they located a memorable sight, Joe entered its position on a holographic map. By the time they returned to the island, Rick felt con-fident they had locations for several excursions. Rick was in a buoyant mood as he and Joe walked back to camp. The island looked lovely in the low, clear light of late afternoon. A clean-smelling breeze blew in from the sea. Rick was excited and uplifted by what he had seen and felt fully recompensed for the morning that had begun so badly. Peter Green was walking up the path as they neared camp. Rick flashed him a broad grin. Green did not return the smile as he stopped on the path. The grin quickly faded from Rick's face as he saw his employer's irate expression.
"Joe, go check in with James," said Green. "I need to talk to Rick." As Joe left, Green riveted his eyes on Rick. Their coldness contrasted with his flushed complexion.
"Where have you been?"
"I've been working."
'The hell you were. That girl was a pain in the ass all day."
"But James said to ..."
"/ hired you!" yelled Green. "You do what / say!"
"I can't guide if I don't explore first."
" Nobody gives me excuses. Especially not some goddamn kid. You get that?"
"How..."
"Shut up! I don't want to hear it. Get that girl out of the way. That's what you're here for, and that's what I expect. You pull your weight. Understand?"
"Yes," replied Rick, taken aback by Green's unexpected rage.
"Don't screw up again. 1 mean it!"
Peter Green turned on his heels and strode rapidly toward camp. He paused only once to call over his shoulder, "Go help with dinner."
Rick remained still, stunned by the outburst and unwilling to accompany Green on the path. When he recovered from his surprise, he became angry. Green has no right to treat me like that! In any other situation, Rick would have marched down and resigned on the spot. His general philosophy was "life is too short to put up with jerks." Yet this was not like any other situation. He felt stuck, but not because Green had the only ride home. On the contrary, it was being sent home that Rick feared most. Today he had seen his personal ver-sion of paradise, a place where he would do anything in his power to remain. If that meant abasing himself to a jerk, that was the price he must pay. As Rick walked back to camp, he swallowed his anger and pondered how best to make his boss happy.
WHEN RICK ENTERED the kitchen tent, Pandit was whis-tling merrily as he expertly chopped vegetables. The sides of the tent had been rolled up, leaving only the insect screens to serve as walls. Pandit was obviously in a good mood.
"Hello, Rick. Did you bring me a dinosaur to cook?"
"Not today."
"When you get into trouble, you should have some-thing to show for it."
"News travels fast, I see," said Rick. "Heck, I thought I was doing my job. What happened here?"
"Miss Greighton was moody today."
"That's all? Green nearly snapped my head off."
"Miss Greighton's mood irritates her father, and Mr. Green is most displeased by this."
" 'Displeased' is an understatement," said Rick. "But you seem jolly enough."
"One finds moments for bliss." Pandit looked up the path leading to the kitchen tent, and said in a whisper, "Here comes one now."
Rick heard footsteps on the path and turned to see Sara part the screening of the tent. She was carrying an empty bowl. Her attire immediately caught Rick's attention. She wore a white pleated dress that reminded him of the clinging dresses in ancient Egyptian frescoes. It was gathered at the waist by a simple gold belt that matched her delicate gold sandals. These were but accessories; the principal adornment of the dress was Sara herself. Her finely sculpted body was clearly visible through the trans-lucent fabric. Pandit froze where he stood, unable to glance away. Sara smiled slightly and, looking him in the eye, acknowledged his adoration.
"We'd like more fruit," she said, handing him the bowl. Without removing his gaze from Sara, Pandit filled the bowl with strawberries, grapes, and cherries. She took it, leaned forward and, in a breathy voice that smelled of wine, murmured, "Thanks." Then she turned and strolled down the path as if she were modeling on a runway.
"That woman requires prodigious quantities of fruit," said Pandit. "I wonder what she does with it."
"Whatever it is," replied Rick, "it hasn't spoiled her figure." Pandit nodded appreciatively. "Oh, to be rich!" he cried. "That woman is a goddess! She is supernatural!"
"I believe the word is 'artificial,' " replied Rick dryly.
"Is not the point of existence to strive for perfection?"
"I'd hardly call her perfect."
"Of course," said Pandit. "As a naturalist, you prefer Miss Greighton. A natural beauty." Rick grimaced at the idea. "She's hardly my type."
"Then you are a hard man to please."
"I'm more concerned with pleasing Mr. Green. He told me to help you with dinner."
"Do you know how to reduce a sauce?"
"No," replied Rick. "My specialty is Warming up pouches."
"I thought as much. You can cut up the tomatoes for the ragout."
"Where are they?"
"Right in front of you," replied Pandit, pointing to some large globes surrounded by papery green husks.
"These are wild tomatoes. I picked them this morning."