Alan Dean Foster Flinx 10 Bloodhype

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Maybe, Kitten figured, the certainty in that voice got to the trader. �r maybe
it was the "young friend."
"I should, however, be glad of some help," Peot continued, perhaps with an eye
towards assuaging any feelings of racial impotence. "Yet I fear that
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20Bloodhype.txt such an attempt would but provoke a devastating response on
the part of the thing, which I am currently powerless to prevent. Something
simple, on the nature of gleaning the central city of all intelligent life.
No, it is best to try none such ... yet."
"You did say it might be killed," reminded Mal.
Kitten reflected while observing this by?play that the adaptability of the
human wasn't bad by half. Here they were standing and chatting amiably via
telepathy with a completely improbable alien, only recently resurrected, about
some other unknown and equally outrageous creature from another universe as
though everything had been politely arranged by faxpax and when will tea be
served, thank you?
"Although immensely powerful by your standards &
"Look, how do you so all of a sudden know so much about our standards and
such?" said Kingsley, a trifle belligerently. He was doubtless a bit put out
that his prize possession had taken over its own introduction.
Peot, however, had no time for idle converse. He began again, patiently.
"Although immensely powerful by your standards, it has degenerated
considerably from what it once was. The major portion of the Machine is in
synchronous orbit directly above !he Vom's current location. It will stay that
way regardless of how tee creature moves. The Machine is directed and operated
from this capsule. Certain repairs to critical functions must be made before
any attempt to attack the Vom can be made. As a matter of self?protection and
your own safety . . . the Vom grows stronger each day it is unopposed ...
these things must be done as soon as possible. Some of the required elements
are' rare. Others have deteriorated, I fear, because their life has been
reduced to a point where they will no longer activate the instrumentation they
affect. These must be replaced."
"All well and good," said Kingsley, argumentative to the last. "But what
guarantee have I that you'll use these no doubt expensive supplies as you say,
for the purpose you ,claim? In fact, what guarantee have I that you're even
?telling the truth about this fantastic, impregnable boojum of yours?
Maybe you're really preparing for some large?scale nastiness of your own,
hmmm?"
"So. In the first place," Peat reached out suddenly with a long tentacle and
swept up the nearest technician, "I am also not convinced of your intentions
towards me. These are immaterial. As stated, I have no wish to harm you. No,
do not send for your weapons, Chatham Kingsley. I wish simply to demonstrate
that I could have killed everyone here quite easily. War and its arts were
the. reason for life among my folk. I knew the location, abilities, and.
probable fighting ?capability of everyone in this chamber before I opened my
eyes. So, a demonstration of good faith on my part."
"Well, that's certainly reassuring," said Kingsley, not at. all reassured.
His voice wavered uneasily as the giant stepped easily from its padded
capsule, stretched. "My apologies. As many as you want. I accept your story,
whole, complete, in tote. Now if you'd be good enough to put my technician
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down? I think he's fainted."
"I did not mean to harm!" came the alarmed voice.
"No, no, he's fine; it's nowhere near a lethal condition. Just put him down,
please. Gently. Yes, that's fine." The towering alien backed away a couple of
steps as two of the man's companions bent over him, dividing their attentions
between the unconscious tech and the all?too close Pent.
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Sensing their discomfort, the alien moved to examine the interior of his
capsule.
"Planning any more surprises like that?" asked Kingsley uncomfortably.
"I am not such a poor bargainer myself, that I would tell you everything at
once," the alien thought. An unmistakable undercurrent of humor came with it,
then faded. The voice turned somber again. "I shall endeavor to work as
rapidly as possible. So much to be done!" A mental sigh accompanied the last.
"I have a professional concern only in this. But I also cannot stand by and
loose the thing again on an unprepared galaxy. Not while I have such a fine
chance to destroy it once and for all."
Kitten, seeing that no one else was about to moved close to the alien. She
reached out and touched the thick pelt that encircled the alien's waist.
"You speak of war as your race's favorite and foremost activity. Yet your
actions indicate noble and altruistic motives. I don't understand."
"Noble? Yes, we were noble. Altruistic? On the contrary. 3f this were my
race's time and not yours, you would unquestionably be an enslaved folk.
War was not merely an activity with us. It was, as said, everything. Your
enslavement would seem as natural to us as the freedom of others might to you.
And there would be neither malice nor hate involved in the action."
"That's ghastly!"
Mental shrug. "All things in the universe are relative."
"But you're still helping us. And I don't believe that `sacred duty' wave of
yours, either. Not after millennia. And you put that engineer down carefully,
as carefully as I'd handle a kitten. Why?"
"I happen to be a gentle person," came the soft reply. "I prefer life to
death, peace to war, tranquility, order, plants that blossom, small beings
that produce pleasant sounds, the feeling wind gives, all such things."
"More contradictions and none of the originals resolved," said Kitten.
The alien turned from its inspection and stared down at her with all four
eyes. Involuntarily she took a step back, then angrily moved forward. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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