The Inheritors - A. Bertram Chandler [41]
"Mr. Saul," ordered Grimes, "do all you can to prevent the natives from boarding Southerly Buster. Do not use arms unless there is absolutely no alternative. I am returning at once." He turned to Danzellan. "You heard all of that, Captain?"
"Of course, Commander."
"Good. Then I'll ask you to keep an eye on Drongo Kane for me."
"I'll do that, with pleasure." Maggie said, "I'll stay with Captain Danzellan, John. I want to have another look at Lode Cougar's records—if Janine will condescend to let me back into her palace after Kane has left. I have an idea that what I find may have some bearing on this situation. If it's what I'm afraid it might be—then be careful. Be bloody careful."
"I'll try," said Grimes.
"You always do, but . . ." She followed Danzellan as the shipmaster returned to his own pinnace.
Pitcher asked, "Take her up, sir?"
"Yes, Mr. Pitcher. And flog your horses. Put her on a direct Great Circle; we've no time for sightseeing."
While the navigator busied himself with charts and instruments Billard did his best to make the pinnace behave like a guided missile.
* * *
They wasted no time, screaming southward high over the countryside, over the sea. Maya was awed, a little frightened, even, and sat there in silence. Pitcher and Billard exchanged occasional monosyllables, while Grimes stuck to the transceiver. Timmins, the senior radio officer, was at the other end. He reported, "Southerly Buster seems to be ready for immediate lift-off, sir. All ports, have for the main airlock, have been sealed." Then, a little later, "Two officers have left the ship and are walking toward the town of Oxford. Mr. Saul and Captain Philby have followed them, with six Marines." Later still, "Mr. Saul reports that the way was barred to him and his party by a dozen spearmen and a dozen archers. He is returning to the ship. I'll put him on to you as soon as he's here."
Grimes studied Saul's face in the tiny screen. The man was struggling to repress his smoldering fury. "Captain," he said, "these damned people don't want to be helped. They were there on the river bank, with the spears and bows and arrows, and some damned woman, the deputy queen she said she was, ordered me back. She said, "We don't want you and the likes of you here. Captain Kane warned Sabrina about you."
"So."
"So what are your instructions, Captain?"
"Get a boat out, to keep a watch over the town and to report what the people are doing. Have Seeker in a state of instant readiness for lift-off . . . ."
"I've already given the orders, sir. But the armament . . . "
"I've already told you not to go firing guns off indiscriminately. But . . . mphm. Have the belts for the sixty millimeters loaded with sleep gas shells. And if you use 'em—and you'll have to justify their use to me—make bloody sure that you don't hit anybody. Understood?"
"Understood, Captain."
"Good. Then keep me informed."
Grimes turned to Maya. "Can you tell me," he asked, what is going on?"
"I don't know. We have always kept ourselves to ourselves, Sabrina and I. We have never been close friends. We have never been friends. But Captain Kane gave many gifts to Sabrina's people. There were books, with beautiful pictures of other worlds, with accounts of other worlds. There were . . . catalogues, giving details of all the goods that may be purchased on other worlds . . . ."
"First Lieutenant to Captain." It was Saul again. "Number Three boat is in position over Oxford. We are trying to get a picture to you."
And there, on the screen, was the picture of the town as seen from the air. The boat was hanging almost directly over the central plaza and transmitting