Power Play - Anne McCaffrey [71]
One day the son of one of his senior men, Lu Han, brought what looked like a small spotted lion cub in his arms.
“Which whiskers do we need, boss?” he asked Zing Chi. “This little fellow will need some of them for his balance and space sense. He won’t mind losing a couple though, I think. He’s a good cub.”
“Do as you’re told and the animal will have no need for whiskers. We haven’t enough to eat. Kill it, take the whiskers, and skin it. The rest is for the soup pot. Our clients have specified that they want the whiskers of orange cats only, but since they do not seem to know enough to assist us in reaching that which we need to harvest, I do not suppose they will know the whiskers of an orange cat from those of this cub. The bounty will be the same.”
“But, boss . . .”
“Do as I say.”
The boy nodded, and the cub, as if sensing that the decision had gone against him, began to wiggle in his arms.
18
’Cita caught Johnny Greene as he boarded his copter for the trip south to help O.O. and his men install Loncie Ondelacy’s cube. Coaxtl padded behind. The cat did not think highly of flying machines.
Birds are for eating, the cat protested. Riding in them makes one feel that one is a youngling being carried in the beak of a prey-bird for the feeding of her chicks. One does not like this feeling.
“Stop complaining,” ’Cita said. “You’ll like being in the South again. Hi, Captain Johnny!”
“ ’Cita! How are you and your fine furry friend this morning?” the pilot asked, grinning down at her.
“I am far better than I have any right to expect, though I worry for the sake of my sister and Auntie Yana and Diego. But this one”—she pointed to Coaxtl—“longs to see her old caves again. A week ago she said she was fine but suddenly she growls in her sleep and talks only of going home. I heard you were taking one of these big houses to Loncie and Pablo, and I hoped that we might burden you with ourselves. I would like to show Carmelita and Isabella what I’ve learned in school. I have many new songs to sing, however poorly, for those who were so kind to a foolish stranger before I came here.”
“What does your uncle say?”
“He doesn’t mind. He says you are making regular trips now and could perhaps bring us back in a day or two? So we will not trouble Loncie for too long?”
“Sure, if it’s okay with Sean. I know Loncie and Pablo and the kids will be glad to see you again. They’re not going to believe how you’ve filled out in just a few months!”
All of these words had to be shouted over the roar of the copter’s great engines, but at last ’Cita made herself comfortable in the back, and Coaxtl grumblingly curled up in a tight ball at her feet.
’Cita enjoyed the trip very much. She liked watching as O. O’Neill’s special jet-crane hoisted the great boxes in the air and flew with them dangling, just so, so that the weight did not upset the aircraft. Johnny’s aircraft carried lighter cargo, in addition to herself and Coaxtl—more administrative paperwork bundled by Una Monaghan to go to Loncie Ondelacy.
’Cita loved it when they reached the sea and she could see that the ice was already beginning to thicken off the northern coast. Whales and seals danced in the shadow of the aircraft, and dolphins leaped high, as if trying to touch the dangling cargo with their noses before diving again.
Gradually the color of the water began to change from gray-green to brighter, jade green to pale gray-blue and to the deep bright blue of the glacier crevice, then back again to blue-green, and almost lime. The air clouded with steam, and below the water boiled and hissed. Off to the right, a little island stuck up above the water, probably not even a mile wide yet, but it seemed to grow even as ’Cita watched, and already parts of it were seamed with green. Beyond stretched other such islands, and ’Cita wondered how tong it would take them to touch and make one big one.
Coaxtl was steeping and