World's End

Page 88

WORLD S END

Are you prospectors like myself?" There was only one other thing we could be, but that didn't seem to worry him.

Ang nodded. He lowered his gun. Spadrin didn't.

"I would like to share some food and talk with you," Harkonni said, with a kind of pathetic eagerness.

"Food? You have a lot of food?" Spadrin asked.

Ang looked uncertain, but he nodded. "I guess we can spare an hour."

"This is wonderful!" Harkonni beamed. "I have so much to tell! I haven't seen anyone in a year!

I'll even tell you my secret. I made a strike--"

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"Wait!" I said in Kesraal. "Don't tell us that. It's not worth it--save your secrets until you reach civilization."

Spadrin glared at me. "What did you say to him?"

"He told me not to trust you," Harkonni said earnestly.

"But it's all right, I trust you--"

Spadrin swung his rifle butt at me before I could move, and knocked me down. "Keep your mouth shut!"

"Spadrin!" Ang shouted. "For the love of the Aurant, not here!" He pulled me to my feet. "You self-righteous ass," he muttered at me. "You beg him for trouble."

I folded my arms across my aching ribs, and leaned against the rover's front end until I could breathe again.

Harkonni was half frowning, now, like a man waking up in a strange bed.

"So you made a strike?" Ang said. "Lucky man. Whereabouts--up there?" He pointed in the direction we were heading; his hand jerked with tension.

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Harkonni nodded a little uncertainly, as if he couldn't stop himself from answering even if he wanted to. "Yes, yes, all over the ground, up there, all over--"

Ang swore and pushed past him, running toward the