To Prime the Pump - A. Bertram Chandler [54]
"What the hell are you playing at?" she blazed. "First you smash my watchbirds with your bloody dynosoar, and now you try to shoot them!"
"A . . . a watchbird?"
"What else?"
Yes, it was one of the watchbirds; now that he was no longer looking into the sun Grimes could see that. It circled them, its machinery humming, a few feet above their heads, then hovered there. From it came a voice, and some humorist had endowed the thing with a psittacoid squawk.
"Your Highness," it began.
"Yes. What is it?"
"Danger, Your Highness. The Monitor has informed me that a new model of protective avian, still in the experimental stage, has gotten out of control and is heading this way. It is liable to kill any human being on sight."
The Princess laughed. "Yes: I have heard of this new model. A fire pheasant's brain has been incorporated and with it, perhaps, a certain resentment toward ourselves. But it will not be long before it is rounded up and destroyed."
"Hadn't we better return to the Castle?" asked Grimes.
"If you're afraid, yes."
"I am," he said frankly. "And shouldn't we ride in the miniwagon?"
"No. We can walk as fast and run, if we must, faster."
"Your Highness," screeched the watchbird. "It approaches. We go to intercept."
And then a metallic flash in the almost still air and it was gone. Marlene shrugged, whistled the dogs and then, when they came bounding up, told Grimes, "All right. We beat a retreat. But we'd better be ready to fight a rearguard action."
Chapter 25
They walked back toward the castle in silence, the miniwagon trundling along to their right, the setters to heel. Somehow, it seemed to Grimes, there was a sudden chill in the air, although the climbing sun still shone brightly, although there was only the gentlest of breezes. And the dogs, he thought, feel something too. He looked back at the two animals. They were padding along in a cowed manner, their tails drooping.
Marlene said suddenly, angrily, "This is absurd!"
"How so?" asked Grimes.
"Running from a watchbird. They are designed to protect us, not to attack us."
"But,you heard what your watchbird said. 'It is liable to kill any human being on sight'."
"Any offplanet human being it must have meant. Such as you." She shrugged. "Well, you are my guest, after all. I am responsible for you."
"I've managed to look after myself, so far."
"Thank you. A truly gracious guest."
"And I want to look after you," he said.
She looked full at him then. Momentarily, the harsh lines of her face softened and then she smiled. "I believe that you mean that, John. In any case, some of that incredible luck of yours might rub off on me . . ." She paused, then went on. "Yes, you are lucky. But how will it end? You recall that story I told you about our family superstition, the consequences that always ensued if something is tried, stubbornly, for a fourth time? Well, I was not quite truthful. The third attempt is the crucial one."
"It's that way with me and with most people."
"Is it? Anyhow, three times I tried to bring about your accidental death and failed. I'm glad I failed. But something is bound to happen to me now. With that third failure some cataclysmic sequence of events was set in motion."
"Don't be so bloody cheerful."
"This is a morbid conversation, isn't it? As for what's happening now, or what's liable to happen, I have no doubt that my own two watchbirds will be able to deal with the rogue."
Grimes wished that he could share her confidence. After all, he had been instrumental in destroying two of the things. On the other hand, there had been a certain disparity in size and weight, two relatively flimsy, miniature flying machines against a re-entry vehicle.
One of the dogs whined. Grimes stopped, looked back and down. The animals had turned, around, had stiffened in the classic pointing posture. He stared in the direction toward which they were staring, at first saw nothing. And then he could make out three distant specks in the clear sky, three dots apparently in frantic orbital motion about each other.
"Take these," said Marlene.