The Draco Tavern - Larry Niven [75]
The poor bastard was wriggling like he’d stepped into a bear trap. I couldn’t see what had him; but it wasn’t my doing. I guessed that the tiny Bebebebeque were setting traps. We’d better stay clear of them.
Walt cooed and tried to reach the Demon. The field held them apart. An airborne snake ricocheted off the Demon, then Walt, not attacking, just using the repulsive fields to play with momentum.
“Jehaneh,” I said, “get behind the bar. Watch your footing.”
“I have to get Walt.”
“Walt, follow your mother. Jehaneh, the fields won’t let you pick him up out here. They don’t work inside the bar. Walt!”
But Walt was playing with the snakes. When I tried to get to him, I stepped into something that snapped shut on my toe.
It didn’t quite cut through my shoe. I wrestled my way out of it, noting the tiny components of a trap, noting also the Rainbow Wyrm wriggling out of another. Two Red Demons freed the third. I got behind Walt and shooed him toward the bar.
DAY TEN
The lander came down eleven hours after I’d called for help. They hadn’t found anything from the air, barring the Wayward Child, who had wandered several kilometers in search of bigger and better clouds of mosquitoes.
Queeblishiz came out surrounded by eleven Bebebebeque. They were normal size, the size of a fifth of Haig Pinch and somewhat the same shape. A massive yellow-and-purple snake followed them, a score of skinny arms folded along its belly. What followed the snake looked like a polar bear in a fur suit: the head was conspicuously large, with a shortened snout, and a pair of darker fur lapels ran down her snowy-white fur torso.
They made their ways through various airlocks.
The Red Demons, Walt, Jehaneh, and the five remaining Rainbow Wyrms were playing together, all separated by the fields. I saw Walt pounce on something small and furry, look it over, then toss it two-handed to one of the snakes.
The little snakes came at the big snake’s whistle. I don’t know what the Bebebebeque did, but a score of little bugs crawled out from somewhere and ran into the ring of big Bebebebeque.
So it was nearly over, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
I told Queeblishiz, “The kids can’t get to each other, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play with each other. It’s been like an invisible zoo. They like it. Walt dashed out there while we weren’t looking. Djil turned the prey animals loose, and they’ve all been scampering around catching them, even Walt.”
“I take it we still cannot invite visitors here.”
“I’d say no. Look at the place, it’s infested! But we’re recording everything. We’ll have videotape to sell. How are your repairs going?”
“We’ll have a cold sleep locker in two days. Which of the children would you like to be rid of first?”
I thought. “It’s getting colder. I wouldn’t want to bring the Wayward Child inside. Better take her.”
“Not these? Not the Red Demons?”
“We seem to have struck a balance. Just reassure me that the fields will hold.”
“The fields will hold, and so will the police cuffs on the Demons. Also, you will have parents. We have persuaded them to tend their children until more tanks are available. My apology, Rick, that should have happened earlier. Our passengers are explorers; they may neglect their duties.
“Of course there are none to supervise Djil or the Wayward Child. Djil wants entertainment. We brought down a virtual set for her. The Wayward Child is harmless; let her roam free. The Bebebebeque have finished their culling and will go back to the ship with their clan. I will stay to guard the Red Demons.”
“One got injured.”
“I see that. They heal fast.”
“We lost a Wyrm too, to the traps. Who is the bulky individual?”
“Harharharish, come and meet the barman. Rick, she has been in cold sleep with her brood—”
Harharharish opened her lapels. Seven on each side, nestled in two vertical runnels, her brood clung to folds of skin and suckled. They looked like miniatures of their mother.
“She isn’t sapient while she suckles, but that time is nearly over. Tomorrow