The Mystery of Ireta_ Dinosaur Planet & Dinosaur Planet Survivors - Anne McCaffrey [42]
“Aren’t we ever going to observe them up close?” Bonnard was persistent.
“Sure, when I’ve applied rule number two, but not today. I’m to bring the sled back to the pitchblende site.”
“Can I come with you when you do come back?”
“That’s possible.”
“Promise?”
“No. I just said it was possible, Bonnard, and that’s what I mean.”
“I’m never going to learn anything on this trip if I don’t get out and do some field work, away from screens and . . .”
“If we brought you back to the ship with a part or parts missing, left in the maw of a fringe or a flier, your mother would give us the deep six. So be quiet.” Varian used a sharper tone than she normally employed with Bonnard, but his insistence, his air that he had only to wheedle enough and his wish would be granted, annoyed her. She was sympathetic to his irritation with constant restrictions. To the ship-born, planets gave illusions of safety because one was insulated from ship-learned dangers by an atmosphere miles deep, whereas in space only thin metal shells prevented disaster, and any broaching of that shell was lethal. No shell, no danger, in simplistic terms.
“Would you run through that tape, Bonnard, and see if we have good takes on the fringes,” she asked him after a long pause, mutinous on his part, firm on hers. “There’s something I want to check out with Trizein when we get back to camp. Fardles, but I wish we had access to the EV’s data banks.”
After another long pause during which she heard the slight whir of rapidly spun tape, Bonnard spoke. “You know, those fliers remind me of something I’ve seen before. I can almost see the printed label on the tape sleeve . . .”
“What about this tape?”
“Oh, clear pictures, Varian.”
“They’ve reminded me of something, too, Bonnard, but I can’t drag it out of storage either.”
“My mother always says that if you’re worrying over something, go to sleep thinking about it and you’ll remember in the morning,” said Terilla.
“Good idea, Terilla. I’ll do so and so can you, Bonnard. Meanwhile, we’re over new territory again. Man the telltale.”
They got some good tags on a stumpy-legged ruminant, spotted but couldn’t tag more small mammals like Dandy and surprised several flocks of scavengers at their work. They returned to the mining site just as the “gloom thickened,” as Terilla put it. Kai was waiting with Dimenon and Margit with the equipment which the sled must transport.
“It’s a very rich find, Varian,” said Dimenon. He looked very tired and immensely satisfied. He started to add more but stopped, turning to Kai.
“And the next valley over shows another saddle deposit as large and as rich,” said Kai, a grin creasing his sweat and dirt-smeared face.
“And probably the next one beyond that,” said Margit, sighing wearily. “Only, that can wait until tomorrow.”
“EV should have given us at least one remote scanner, Kai,” said Dimenon, as he helped load the instruments. This sounded to Varian like the continuation of an argument.
“I requisitioned one, standard. Supply said they’d no more in stock. If you’ll remember, we passed quite a few promising systems in the last standard year.”
“When I think of the slogging we’d be saved . . .”
“I dunno,” said Margit, interrupting Dimenon. She placed a coil of wire on the sled deck. “We do so raking much by remote. I know I’ve done something today.” She groaned. “I feel it in every bone and in muscles I didn’t know I had. We’re soft. No wonder the heavy-worlders sneer at us.”
“Them!” A world of scorn was expressed in Dimenon’s single word.
Kai and Varian exchanged quick glances.
“I know they were bloody hungover or something earlier on, but I was glad enough of Paskutti’s muscle this afternoon,” Margit went on, pulling herself into the sled and settling down beside Terilla. “Get in, Di, I’m dying for a wash, and I bloody hope that Portegin’s deodorizer has fixed the water stink. Hydrotelluride does not enhance the body beautiful.