Foundation and Earth - Isaac Asimov [157]
“At least,” said Bliss, and there was that in her voice that was not entirely approving, “the climate is evidently equable. —I would even say, warm.”
A human being was on the grass, watching the ship descend and showing no evidence of fear or surprise. The look on her face showed only rapt interest.
She wore very little, which accounted for Bliss’s estimate of the climate. Her sandals seemed to be of canvas, and about her hips was a wraparound skirt with a flowered pattern. There were no leg-coverings and there was nothing above her waist.
Her hair was black, long, and very glossy, descending almost to her waist. Her skin color was a pale brown and her eyes were narrow.
Trevize scanned the surroundings and there was no other human being in sight. He shrugged and said, “Well, it’s early morning and the inhabitants may be mostly indoors, or even asleep. Still, I wouldn’t say it was a well-populated area.”
He turned to the others and said, “I’ll go out and talk to the woman, if she speaks anything comprehensible. The rest of you—”
“I should think,” said Bliss firmly, “that we might as well all step out. That woman looks completely harmless and, in any case, I want to stretch my legs and breathe planetary air, and perhaps arrange for planetary food. I want Fallom to get the feel of a world again, too, and I think Pel would like to examine the woman at closer range.”
“Who? I?” said Pelorat, turning faintly pink. “Not at all, Bliss, but I am the linguist of our little party.”
Trevize shrugged. “Come one, come all. Still, though she may look harmless, I intend to take my weapons with me.”
“I doubt,” said Bliss, “that you will be much tempted to use them on that young woman.”
Trevize grinned. “She is attractive, isn’t she?”
Trevize left the ship first, then Bliss, with one hand swung backward to enclose Fallom’s, who carefully made her way down the ramp after Bliss. Pelorat was last.
The black-haired young woman continued to watch with interest. She did not back away an inch.
Trevize muttered, “Well, let’s try.”
He held his arms away from his weapons and said, “I greet you.”
The young woman considered that for a moment, and said, “I greet thee and I greet thy companions.”
Pelorat said joyfully, “How wonderful! She speaks Classical Galactic and with a correct accent.”
“I understand her, too,” said Trevize, oscillating one hand to indicate his understanding wasn’t perfect. “I hope she understands me.”
He said, smiling, and assuming a friendly expression, “We come from across space. We come from another world.”
“That is well,” said the young woman, in her clear soprano. “Comes thy ship from the Empire?”
“It comes from a far star, and the ship is named Far Star.”
The young woman looked up at the lettering on the ship. “Is that what that sayeth? If that be so, and if the first letter is an F, then, behold, it is imprinted backward.”
Trevize was about to object, but Pelorat, in an ecstasy of joy, said, “She’s right. The letter F did reverse itself about two thousand years ago. What a marvelous chance to study Classical Galactic in detail and as a living language.”
Trevize studied the young woman carefully. She was not much more than 1.5 meters in height, and her breasts, though shapely, were small. Yet she did not seem unripe. The nipples were large and the areolae dark, though that might be the result of her brownish skin color.
He said, “My name is Golan Trevize; my friend is Janov Pelorat; the woman is Bliss; and the child is Fallom.”
“Is it the custom, then, on the far star from which you come, that the men be given a double name? I am Hiroko, daughter of Hiroko.”
“And your father?” interposed Pelorat suddenly.
To which Hiroko replied with an indifferent shrug of her shoulder. “His name, so sayeth my mother, is Smool, but it is of no importance. I know him not.”
“And where are the others?” asked Trevize. “You seem to be the only one to be here to greet us.”
Hiroko said, “Many men are aboard the fishboats; many women are in the fields. I take holiday these last two days and so am fortunate enough to see