The Mystery of Ireta_ Dinosaur Planet & Dinosaur Planet Survivors - Anne McCaffrey [72]
Lunzie was operating the veil and greeted Kai with the information that Varian was in the shuttle. Bonnard, excusing himself as he ducked past Kai to deposit the power pack, went out again, heading toward Kai’s sled.
“What is Bonnard doing?”
“Checking all the power packs. Inconsistencies have developed.”
“In the power packs? We have been running through them at a terrific rate. Is that why?”
“Probably. Varian’s waiting.”
It did not occur to Kai until he was stepping into the shuttle that it was very odd for Lunzie to concern herself with mechanical trivialities. Trizein was at the main view screen, so rapt in his contemplation of frames on browsing herbivores that he was unaware of Kai’s entrance.
“Kai?” Varian poked her head around the open access to the pilot’s compartment. She beckoned him urgently.
Kai indicated Trizein, silently gesturing whether he should rouse the man. Varian shook her head and motioned him urgently to come.
“What’s this all about, Varian?” he said when he had waved the lock closed behind him.
“The heavy-worlders have reverted. They took their rest day in fun and games with herbivores. And a fang-face. The herbivores they evidently sported with before they killed . . . and ate them.”
Kai’s stomach churned in revulsion to her quick words.
“Gaber’s rumor was well spread before he spoke to you, Kai. And the heavy-worlders believe him. Or they want to. Those supplies we’ve been missing, the hours of use I couldn’t account for on the big sled, the odd power pack, medical supplies. We’re lucky if it isn’t mutiny.”
“Go back to the beginning, Varian,” said Kai, sitting heavily in the pilot’s chair. He didn’t contradict her premise, but he did want to see exactly what facts contributed to her startling conclusions.
Varian told him of the morning’s hideous discovery, of her conversation with Lunzie and then Trizein’s revelation about the planted Earth dinosaurs. She wound up by saying that the heavy-worlders, while not outright uncooperative or insubordinate, had subtly altered in their attitude toward her. Had he noticed anything? Kai nodded as she finished her summation and, leaning across the board, flipped open the communications unit.
“Is that why Bonnard was removing power packs?”
“Yes.”
“Then you think a confrontation is imminent?”
“I think if we don’t hear from EV tomorrow when you contact the Thek, something will happen. I think our grace period ended last rest day.”
Kai regarded her for a long moment. “You’ve worked with them longer than I have. What do you think the heavy-worlders would do?”
“Take over.” She spoke quietly but with calm resignation. “They are basically better equipped to survive here. We couldn’t live off the . . . the land’s bounty.”
“That’s the extreme view. But, if they have believed Gaber and think we’ve been planted, couldn’t their reversion be a way of preparing themselves to be planted?”
“I’d credit that, Kai, if I hadn’t seen what games they played last rest day. That frightens the life out of me, frankly. They deliberately . . . no, hear me out. It’s revolting, I know, but it gives you a better idea of what we’d be up against if we can’t stop them. They killed . . . killed with crude weapons . . . five herbivores. Bonnard and I saw another wounded beast, a fang-face, Tyrannosaurus rex, with a tree-size spear stuck in his ribs. Now, that creature once ruled old Earth. Nothing could stop him. A heavy-worlder did. For fun!” She took a deep breath. “Furthermore, by establishing those secondary camps, we have given them additional bases. Where are the heavy-worlders right now?”
“Bakkun’s on his way back here,