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.""What's on the other side of the hole?" Haakon asked."We don't know.All we can see is blackness.It's unresponsive to testing.Instruments send back no signals ""Let me guess the next part," Haakon interrupted."You've sent in mannedexpeditions and they haven't returned.How many?""Three," Tredegar said."The first in vacuum suits as soon as the hole was bigenough.One in a scout ship with three volunteers a month later, then atwelve-man team in a converted sloop-of-war.""Needless to say," Haakon said, "none of them came back.""If they had," Tredegar pointed out, "we'd have no use for you.The nextappearance of the hole is in exactly" he glanced at his wrist-screen "sixhours, forty-seven minutes.We want you to go in.""Why us?" Haakon asked wearily."Because you have a record of succeeding in expeditions of this sort,"Tredegar said."And we wouldn't be missed," Haakon pointed out."To be honest about it," Lopal Singh rumbled, "there are many of us who feelmost uncomfortable knowing that you people are out there, under Timur Khan'sthumb and knowing as much about the Cingulum as you do.""No deal," Haakon said."You people must be insane if you think we'd touch athing like this.""You're probably right," said one of the Janids.134THE SWORD, THE JEWEL, AND THE MIRROR"Most of us are crazy here.If we weren't crazy when we arrived, living hereis enough to make us that way."Tredegar ignored the interruption."You haven't asked about your payment.""Not interested," Haakon snapped.Then he asked, "What were you thinking ofoffering?""If you return after a successful mission, which means not just coming backalive, but returning with an answer to the problem we face, we will put allour medical researchers on a crash program to remove the death devices fromyour heads while doing you minimal harm."Haakon sat silent for a few moments."You bastards.I need to take a vote withmy crew." Something occurred to him."That bastard Chang! He knew about thisal! the time.""Of course he knew about it," Admiral Roque said."He's had his dibs in onPage 55 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlyour ship for months.So have I, for that matter.""Well, none of you will get it!" Haakon said."How big is that hole going tobe this time, big enough for Eurynome to pass through?""Yes," Tredegar said reluctantly."Then, if we go at all, we go in our ship.If we don't come back, neither doesshe." He got up and went into an adjoining room, followed by his crew."Alex, shut the door," Haakon ordered.He looked from one to another of hiscrew."Ordinarily, I wouldn't even consider another mission of this sort, butthis time it could mean our freedom at last, so let's discuss it.Jem?""It'd be showing some unmerited faith in the medical135John Mdddox Roberts staff here.If they're as nutty as the rest, I wouldn'ttrust them with a cut finger." He thought for a moment."What the hell, it's achance.I say go.""Mirabelle?" Haakon asked."I was getting bored anyway.Let's try it.""Soong?""I don't like the odds," the Han said, "but I've had good luck with longshots.I say go.""Rand?"The engineer gave a metallic shrug."You couldn't run the engines without me.Sure, I'll go.""Rama, I don't think you should go in your condition.Stay here until we getback.If we get back.""I stay with Eurynome\" She hissed."If you are foolish enough to take thismission, then you take me, too.Besides, any risk is worth it if it will gainme my freedom.""You ain't asked me, Boss," Alexander said."You're not going," Haakon insisted."You have no stake in this.Timur Khannever planted a bomb in your head.You'd just be endangering yourself fornothing.""I go with my shipmates," Alexander said, for once solemn.Haakon sighed."I won't try to stop you.You'd just figure out some way tostow away.It's your choice.Numa, you don't have to go, either.""I stay with Rama," he said."At least until she kicks me out.I don't likethe idea, but I have to stay with her while her capacity is impaired.It's inmy genes.""That makes it unanimous." They walked back out136THE SWORD, THE JEWEL, AND THE MIRRORinto the meeting room."It's a deal," Haakon announced."It seems you'll have one other passenger," Tredegar said."We don't take hitchikers," Haakon said."Who's dumb enough to want to goalong?"Sarai stood up.In the shadows toward the rear of the room, he hadn't noticedher."I am [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.""What's on the other side of the hole?" Haakon asked."We don't know.All we can see is blackness.It's unresponsive to testing.Instruments send back no signals ""Let me guess the next part," Haakon interrupted."You've sent in mannedexpeditions and they haven't returned.How many?""Three," Tredegar said."The first in vacuum suits as soon as the hole was bigenough.One in a scout ship with three volunteers a month later, then atwelve-man team in a converted sloop-of-war.""Needless to say," Haakon said, "none of them came back.""If they had," Tredegar pointed out, "we'd have no use for you.The nextappearance of the hole is in exactly" he glanced at his wrist-screen "sixhours, forty-seven minutes.We want you to go in.""Why us?" Haakon asked wearily."Because you have a record of succeeding in expeditions of this sort,"Tredegar said."And we wouldn't be missed," Haakon pointed out."To be honest about it," Lopal Singh rumbled, "there are many of us who feelmost uncomfortable knowing that you people are out there, under Timur Khan'sthumb and knowing as much about the Cingulum as you do.""No deal," Haakon said."You people must be insane if you think we'd touch athing like this.""You're probably right," said one of the Janids.134THE SWORD, THE JEWEL, AND THE MIRROR"Most of us are crazy here.If we weren't crazy when we arrived, living hereis enough to make us that way."Tredegar ignored the interruption."You haven't asked about your payment.""Not interested," Haakon snapped.Then he asked, "What were you thinking ofoffering?""If you return after a successful mission, which means not just coming backalive, but returning with an answer to the problem we face, we will put allour medical researchers on a crash program to remove the death devices fromyour heads while doing you minimal harm."Haakon sat silent for a few moments."You bastards.I need to take a vote withmy crew." Something occurred to him."That bastard Chang! He knew about thisal! the time.""Of course he knew about it," Admiral Roque said."He's had his dibs in onPage 55 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlyour ship for months.So have I, for that matter.""Well, none of you will get it!" Haakon said."How big is that hole going tobe this time, big enough for Eurynome to pass through?""Yes," Tredegar said reluctantly."Then, if we go at all, we go in our ship.If we don't come back, neither doesshe." He got up and went into an adjoining room, followed by his crew."Alex, shut the door," Haakon ordered.He looked from one to another of hiscrew."Ordinarily, I wouldn't even consider another mission of this sort, butthis time it could mean our freedom at last, so let's discuss it.Jem?""It'd be showing some unmerited faith in the medical135John Mdddox Roberts staff here.If they're as nutty as the rest, I wouldn'ttrust them with a cut finger." He thought for a moment."What the hell, it's achance.I say go.""Mirabelle?" Haakon asked."I was getting bored anyway.Let's try it.""Soong?""I don't like the odds," the Han said, "but I've had good luck with longshots.I say go.""Rand?"The engineer gave a metallic shrug."You couldn't run the engines without me.Sure, I'll go.""Rama, I don't think you should go in your condition.Stay here until we getback.If we get back.""I stay with Eurynome\" She hissed."If you are foolish enough to take thismission, then you take me, too.Besides, any risk is worth it if it will gainme my freedom.""You ain't asked me, Boss," Alexander said."You're not going," Haakon insisted."You have no stake in this.Timur Khannever planted a bomb in your head.You'd just be endangering yourself fornothing.""I go with my shipmates," Alexander said, for once solemn.Haakon sighed."I won't try to stop you.You'd just figure out some way tostow away.It's your choice.Numa, you don't have to go, either.""I stay with Rama," he said."At least until she kicks me out.I don't likethe idea, but I have to stay with her while her capacity is impaired.It's inmy genes.""That makes it unanimous." They walked back out136THE SWORD, THE JEWEL, AND THE MIRRORinto the meeting room."It's a deal," Haakon announced."It seems you'll have one other passenger," Tredegar said."We don't take hitchikers," Haakon said."Who's dumb enough to want to goalong?"Sarai stood up.In the shadows toward the rear of the room, he hadn't noticedher."I am [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]