“Oh, yes, quite. I agree. Merciful gods, look below to your left.”
They were well over the water now, stained red by the mineral content of the rocks which bordered it and its watershed. Clearly visible was the plant strewn bottom which shelved off slightly into murky brownness and considerable depth, according to Kai's instrumentation. From out of that depth a great body torpedoed, responding to the shadow cast by the sled. Kai had a startled impression of a blunt head, grey-blue shining skin, and too many rows of sharp yellow-white teeth, needle sharp. He heard Gaber's startled cry of horror. Instinctively he slammed on the emergency drive. And corrected hurriedly as they sped uncomfortably close to the curving cliffs.
Looking back, Kai saw only the rippling circles of the monster's exit and entry on the surface, circles converging together over the twenty-five metres of its jump. He gulped and swallowed against a dryness in his throat. As if that attack had been a signal, more aquatic denizens leapt and dove, and other battles began under and on the surface of the water.
“I think,” Gaber's stammer was pronounced, “that we started something.”
“Well, they can finish it,” said Kai as he turned the blunt nose of the sled.
“The golden fliers are still following us,” Gaber said after a few moments. “They're closing.”
Kai spared a backward glance and saw the first rank of fliers moving steadily abreast of the sled, their heads turned towards himself and Gaber.
“Go away,” Gaber said, standing up and waving both arms towards the birds. “Go away. Don't get too close. You'll get hurt!”
Half-amused, half-concerned, Kai watched the creatures swing away from Gaber's flapping. They also maintained their forward speed and their inspection.
“We're surrounded by them, Kai,” and Gaber's tone took on a worried note.
“If they were dangerous, they'd've had plenty of time to attack, I think. But let's just lose the escort. Sit down, Gaber, and hang on!” Kai hit the jet accelerator again, and abruptly left the fliers in the heat haze as the sled flung forward. There couldn't have been any expression on the golden faces, but Kai had the distinct impression that they'd been astonished by the sudden speed.
He must ask Varian what degree of intelligence was possible in these apparently primitive life forms. The Ryxi were not the only winged species in the galaxy but very few avian species were highly intelligent. Capability seemed to have a direct ratio to the amount of time spend on the ground.
Whatever life form would dominate on this planet was thousands of years away from emerging. That didn't keep Kai from wishful thinking and speculation. It would be nice to see the Ryxi superceded.
“Did you get some good tapes of them?” Kai asked Gaber as he reduced speed to cruising. No use wasting more power than necessary.
"Oh yes, indeed I did," Gaber said, patting the recorder." You know, Kai, I think they showed considerable intelligence." He sounded astonished.
“We'll get Varian to give an opinion. She's the expert.” Kai turned the sled to the coordinates of the nearest echo-core. Varian might have some biological puzzles but he now had another geological one.
Despite what he'd said so nonchalantly to Gaber, the unexpected materialization of those cores unnerved him. Yes, this planet and the system had been in the computer bank, but surely there would have been some indication if it had been surveyed. A previous survey, however, would account for the lack of ore-deposit on these old mountains. The first party would have mined the shield area, and quite likely whatever other likely land mass, or seas, had been workable; land which had long since been rolled under in subsequent plate activity. Why, though, had there been no such notation in the computer banks?
To set them down, as on a totally unexplored planet, was unlike any previous knowledge Kai had of EEC. Gaber's theory of planting the expedition returned to haunt his thoughts. EV had waited for their all-safe-down and conveniently disappeared in search of that storm. But there were the youngsters, more of an afterthought as members of the expedition than planned personnel. Above all else was the urgent need of the transuranics. Between the kids and the energy, Kai was certain he could discount Gaber's gloomy presentiment.
Even with the ability to pinpoint the exact location of the faintly signalling core, it took Gaber and Kai some hard slogging through dense and dangerous sword plants and some heavy digging to pull it from its site.
“Why, why, it looks like the ones we have,” said Gaber in a surprise that was almost outraged.
“No,” said Kai, turning the device thoughtfully in his hand, “the case is fatter, the crystal dimmer and it feels old.”
“How can a core feel old? Why the casing isn't so much as scratched, or dull!”
“Heft it yourself. It feels old,” said Kai with a touch of impatience and he was somewhat amused to see Gaber hesitant1y examine the old core, and quickly hand it back.
“The Theks manufacture them, don't they?” the cartographer said, giving Kai a sideways look.
“They have done but I think . . . Gaber, it won't wash.”
“But don't you see, Kai? The Theks know this planet has been surveyed. They're back for some reason of their own. You know how they like to watchdog a likely colony . . .”
“Gaber!” Kai wanted to shake the older man, shake him out of his asinine and dangerous notion that the expedition had been planted. But, as he stared at the man's eager, intense face, Kai realized how pathetic the cartographer was. Gaber must surely know this would be his last mission and was vainly hoping to extend it. “Gaber!” Kai gave the man a little shake, smiling kindly. “Now, I do appreciate your confiding your theory to me. You've done just as you should. And I appreciate the facts on which you base the notion but please don't go telling anyone else. I'd hate giving the heavy-worlders any excuse to ridicule one of my team.”
“Ridicule?” Gaber was startled and indignant.
“I'm afraid so, Gaber. The purpose of this expedition was too clearly set out in the original programme. This is just an ordinary energy-resource expedition, with a bit of xenobiology thrown in as practice for Varian, and to keep the heavy-worlders fit and the youngsters occupied while the EV chases that cosmic storm. Just to reassure you, though, I'll query EV about your theory in my next report. If, by any remote chance, you're correct, they'd tell us. Now we're down. In the meantime, I really do advise you to keep your notion between us, huh, Gaber? I value you as our cartographer too highly to want you mocked by the heavy-worlders.”
“Mocked?”
"They do like their little jokes on us light gravs. I don't want them to have one on you. We've a laugh for them, all right – on the Theks – with this," and Kai held up the core." Our rocky friends are not so infallible after all. Not that I blame them for forgetting all about this planet, considering how it smells."
“The heavy-worlders would make me a joke?” Gaber was having difficulty in accepting the possibility but Kai was certain he'd found the proper deterrent to keep the man from spreading that insidious rumour.
“Under the present circumstances, yes, if you came out with that notion. As I mentioned, we have the youngsters with us. You don't really think the Third Officer of EV is planting her son?”
“No, no, she wouldn't do that.” Gaber's expression changed from distressed to irritated. “You're right. She'd've opposed it.” Gaber straightened his shoulders. “You've eased my mind, Kai. I hadn't really liked the idea of being planted: I've left research unfinished and I only accepted this assignment to try and get a fresh perspective on it . . .”
“Good man.” Kai clapped the cartographer on the shoulder and turned him back towards the sled.