Dinosaurus Planet Survivors

CHAPTER TWELVE

Fortunately Fordeliton gave them a few minutes advance warning of his arrival, which allowed Varian just enough time to become airborne and prevent the cruiser’s sled from being attacked. Fordeliton was tremendously excited by the variety of creatures he had seen on his way to the giff cliffs. When Varian guided him into the cave, he was enraptured by the giffs themselves and his companions-Maxnil, Crilsoff, and Pendelman-were equally thrilled.

“Now that I have you here, I’m not quite sure what to do with you,” Varian said truthfully. “Trizein is out with young Bonnard and Terilla-”

“Could we join them?” Fordeliton was all eagerness.

“There’s not much point in duplicating effort. What sort of speed and range does your sled have?” Varian asked as she rummaged for a sketch map of the main continent of Ireta which Kai had made the previous evening.

“Fleet standard, supersonic.”

“Really? You wouldn’t mind working up in the polar region, would you? We hadn’t penetrated that far. Your sled could function in high temperatures?”

“Of course!”

“Well, now,” Varian pointed to the northern polar area. “I’d rather like to know if there are variations of these critters that have adapted to the intense heat.”

“I’ll just put this map through the scan, and we’ll be off to do a reconnaissance.”

No sooner had she sent him on his way than a second sled penetrated giff territory. They had thought to announce their arrival so that Varian had a chance to witness the giff attack mode. The resultant commotion brought Lunzie from her lair.

“You’ll have to go up yourself and escort them in,” the medic told Varian.

“I think we’ve got too much of a good thing,” Varian said under her breath as she went to the rescue.

This time it was a second shift from the Zaid-Dayon, the geology buffs, Baker, Bullo, and Macud. Kai contacted Dimenon and arranged an unexplored sector for the cruiser’s men to assess. They went off in high spirits.

“We can’t keep alarming the giffs like this,” Varian said, “even if we do need help to accomplish our mission.”

“Why not return to our original site, then?” Lunzie suggested. When she noticed Kai’s stiff posture, she shrugged. “Well, it was just an idea.”

Kai took a deep breath. “Not a bad one, actually, Lunzie. In fact, a very sensible solution. I’d like to see if a forcescreen would keep out fringes. They couldn’t have developed from aquatic to land beasts in just forty-three years, could they? Well, then,” and he swallowed, took a deep breath, “it was Tor who attracted the fringe to the site. We’ll just try to make sure that we keep our Thek visitors to a minimum. Okay? Then let’s plan to reestablish our original camp. It makes sense in a number of ways, not just protecting the giffs. It’s where ARCT-10 will look for us. And since the Zaid-Dayan’s sleds all have long range capabilities, then we won’t have to establish secondary camps. And you can stay on here, Varian, and observe the giffs without all this coming and going.”

“I like it, Kai,” Lunzie said, thoroughly approving. “But we need a lot of equipment-”

“We’ll make up a list. Sassinak did say that she’s supposed to replenish any lost equipment.”

“Isn’t replacing a whole base camp asking a bit much?”

“I’ll lean on my relation this evening,” Lunzie said. “Blood is thicker than water and a few odd pieces of standard Fleet issue.”

The giff alarm was heard yet again and, cursing with a fervor and an inventiveness that made her listeners grin, Varian went out to give escort. Mayerd arrived just as Varian had maneuvered her slower vehicle out. Mayerd opened the canopy of her sleek one-man craft as Varian returned, and gave her a cheery, apologetic wave. She stepped out of the little ship, turning to gather three large parcels and one small before she moved toward Kai and Lunzie.

“My diagnostic unit chuckled to itself for a good two hours after you left, Kai, but it came up with medication and a few tentative conclusions. It rarely makes definitive statements. You are Lunzie, aren’t you?” Mayerd asked, juggling her parcels so that she had a free hand to extend to Lunzie.

“I am and I surmise that you are Lieutenant Commander Mayerd.”

“Mayerd’ll do.” Then she turned again to Kai, grinning. “Not only did that fringe digestive juice poison you, Kai, but you are allergic to the poison. My DU not only came up with tablets to help flush the poison out of your system and counteract the allergy but also a salve to anoint the punctures and reduce that desensitivity. And DU highly recommended the new nerve regenerative.” She turned expectantly to Lunzie. “The Crimjenetic: the regenerative we had to use to combat the Persean paralysis.” When Lunzie’s expression remained polite but otherwise unresponsive, Mayerd blinked. “Ah, but you wouldn’t have known about that. It happened twenty years ago…”

“During a nap I took,” Lunzie commented.

Mayerd smiled. “You’ll want to read up on this Crimjenetic then. It has proved remarkably effective on all kinds of bizarre nerve poisonings. And I’ve some disks on the latest Federated Medical Review I can lend you, as well, to make up for that nap time. Remind me this evening. Which brings me to these…” she handed out the parcels. “I thought green for you, Lunzie. Medical research has proved that our profession chooses green as their favorite color nine to one. I hope you’re not the odd one out.”

“I generally am but green is a flattering color, and you were very thoughtful to fill the need.”

“I got the notion that dress clothes might not have been on your most needed list and, after I saw the preparations going on in the officers’ mess, I decided I’d better play costumer for you. Blue for you, Kai, and this garnet red should be most becoming, Varian. Sorry about arriving unannounced. Those pteranodons of yours are magnificent.”

“So are these,” Lunzie said, one blunt-fingered hand stroking the deep green fabric. “Just how big are the Zaid-Dayan’s stores?”

“Pretty damned all-inclusive,” Mayerd said with pride. “We’re only four months into this tour so our supplies are basically untouched. Maybe not esoteric. Why? What do you need?”

“A few odd domes, some heavy duty forcescreens…”

“Capable of frying fringes?” Mayerd asked with a sympathetic chuckle.

“You got it in one!”

“Just hand me your list. Clever of you to be related to the commander, isn’t it?”

“Providential!”

“We haven’t actually written up a list yet,” Varian said, “We only just decided to leave here before the giffs lose their fur in frights.”

“A cavern did seem an odd place to set up as a major campsite,” Mayerd remarked.

“It was a good port in a…” Varian broke off her sentence because one of Ireta’s sudden boisterous squalls erupted, blowing the vines inward, rain and debris falling just short of the little group.

“Not that the heaviest duty forcescreen would keep off that sort of storm,” Mayerd said, establishing herself beyond the storm wrack on a hearth stool. She took a pad and scripter out of her thigh pocket and looked about her expectantly. “Now, how many domes? How large a forcescreen? Furnishings? Supplies? Old lamps for new?”

By the time Mayerd had left, she had prompted a far more exhaustive list of requirements from them than they would ever have listed without her encouragement. When Varian suggested that they might be overdoing it, Mayerd dismissed the notion immediately.

“Sassinak has given orders that you are to be given any reasonable quantity of supplies-”

“I wouldn’t call it exactly reasonable,” Varian said indicating the filled pad.

Mayerd regarded her with eyebrows raised in polite surprise.

“When Sassinak sees domes, forcescreens-”

“Sassinak,” and Mayerd paused briefly to emphasize her commander’s name, “won’t see a trivial list like this. She’s got one very big problem in a transport, occupying her waking hours. This,” and Mayerd waved the pad, “goes directly into QM, and I’ll see that it’s delivered to the site tomorrow morning.” She moved lightly to the little one-man craft, slid back the canopy, and seated herself. “That is, assuming any of us are capable tomorrow morning. Let me check the coordinates of that campsite now, while I’m able.” Kai glanced at the notation and confirmed it. “See you later.”

Varian couldn’t resist the temptation to swing out on one of the vines and see what the giffs made of the speed of Mayerd’s craft. Some younger fliers took off in pursuit, but it was immediately obvious that they could never catch the speedy sled, so they began to make lazy swirls in the clearing sky, first to the left and then to the right. Almost, Varian thought as if they made the tip of first one wing and then the other the pivot of a private circle of sky.

“I wish you wouldn’t take risks like that,” Kai said, frowning anxiously as she reached the safety inside the cave and released the vine.

“It’s exhilarating, for one thing. For another, I had to move fast or miss the sight and the ladder was too far away. Kai,” and Varian held out one hand, meaning to clasp his arm to transmit understanding. The gesture was not completed because she remembered his handicap and wasn’t sure just how light a touch might harm. She dropped her hand. “Kai, I just wanted to say that I think you’re perfectly splendid to shift camps to protect the giffs from unnecessary interference.”

Kai shrugged. “Being here would make your job impossible if you wanted to catch the giffs going about their regular routine. If they have one. And anyhow,” he grinned ruefully, “I think it would lay a lot of ghosts to rest to go back there. D’you want to keep the shuttle as your base?”

Varian looked about her, at the amenities which Captain Godheir and Obir had so thoughtfully arranged.

“I’d be very comfortable here, without the shuttle. And then there’s the matter of the giffs’ reaction to the departure of the shuttle. That’ll be interesting to observe.” She grinned.

“D’you think they’ve wondered if it will sprout wings when it’s big enough? Or hatch?”

“They’ve been that road once, when Tor paid you the visit.”

They grinned, once again in harmony with each other. Then Kai gave her arm an affectionate squeeze.

“C’mon. Once again we’ve got some organizing to do.”