The Inheritors - A. Bertram Chandler [28]
Suddenly the pinnace's transceiver came to life. "Schnauzer calling strange aircraft. Schnauzer calling strange aircraft. Do you read me?"
"I read you," replied Grimes laconically.
"Identify yourself, please."
"Schnauzer, this is Number One Pinnace of FSS Seeker. Over."
There was a silence. Then, "You may land by me, Number One Pinnace."
Grimes looked at Pitcher and Billard. They looked back at him. He raised an eyebrow sardonically. Pitcher said, "Uncommonly decent of him, sir, to give permission to land . . . ."
"Mphm. I suppose he was here first—although I don't think that planting a shipping company's flag makes a territorial claim legally valid."
"They could rename this world Pomerania . . ." suggested Pitcher.
"Or Alsatia . . ." contributed Billard.
"Or NewPekin . . ." continued Pitcher. "Or some other son-of-a-bitching name . . . ."
"Or Dogpatch," said Grimes, with an air of finality. And then, into the microphone, an edge of sarcasm to his voice. "Thank you, Schnauzer. I am coming in."
Acting on his captain's instructions Billard brought the pinnace low over the town. People stared up at them—some in the by now familiar state of nudity, some clothed. Those who were dressed were wearing uniform, obviously personnel from the Dog Star ship. The small craft almost grazed the peaked, thatched roofs, then settled down gently fifty meters to the west of Schnauzer, on the side from which her boarding ramp was extended.
"Well," remarked Maggie, "we're here. I don't notice any red carpet out for us. What do we do now?"
"We disembark," Grimes told her. "There'll be no need to leave anybody aboard; the officers of major shipping companies are usually quite law-abiding people." Ususally, he thought, but not always. He remembered suddenly the almost piratical exploits of one Captain Craven, the master of Delta Orionis, to which he, Grimes, had been an accessory.
"What about Drongo Kane?" asked Maggie.
"You can hardly call him a major shipping company," said Grimes.
Three men were walking slowly down the merchant ship's ramp. In the lead was a bareheaded, yellow-haired giant, heavily muscled. Following him was a tall and slender, too slender, young man. Finally—last ashore and first to board—was a portly gentleman, clothed in dignity and respectability as well as in master's uniform. All of them wore sidearms. Grimes frowned. As a naval officer he did not like to see merchant officers going about armed to the teeth—but he knew that the Dog Star Line held quite strong views on the desirability of the ability of its ships and its personnel to defend themselves.
The door of the pinnace opened and the short ladder extended itself to the grassy ground. Grimes buckled on his belt with the holstered pistol, put on his cap and, ignoring the steps, jumped out of the small craft. He turned to assist Maggie but she ignored his hand, jumped also. Maya followed her, leaping down with feline grace. Pitcher was next, then Billard, who spoiled the effect by tripping and sprawling untidily.
Schnauzer's master had taken leading place now, and was advancing slowly, with his two officers a couple of paces to the rear. Unlike them he was not wearing the comfortable, utilitarian gray shorts, shirt and stockings but a white uniform, with tunic and long trousers—but portly men look their best in clothing that conceals most of the body.
He acknowledged Grimes's salute stiffly, while his rather protuberant brown eyes flickered over the young man's insignia of rank. He said, in a rather reedy voice, "Good afternoon, Commander." Then, "You are the commanding officer of Seeker?"
"Yes, Captain. Lieutenant Commander Grimes. And you, sir, are Captain Roger Danzellan, and the two gentlemen with you are Mr. Oscar Eklund, chief officer, and Mr. Francis Delamere, second officer."
"How right you are, Commander. I realize that there is no need for me to introduce myself and my people. But as a mere merchant captain I do not have the resources of an Intelligence Service to draw upon . . . ."
Grimes took the hint and introduced Maggie,