"Murray Leinster - Exploration Team" - читать интересную книгу автора (Leinster Murray)

 The new arrival gazed blankly. He moved, startled. Then Huyghens called:
тАЬHello, there! DonтАЩt worry about the bears! TheyтАЩre friends!тАЭ
Sitka reached the newcomer. He went warily downwind from him and
sniffed. The smell was satisfactory. Man-smell. Sitka sat down with the solid
impact of more than a ton of bear-meat landing on packed dirt. He regarded the
man amiably. Sourdough said тАЬWhoosh!тАЭ and went on to sample the air beyond the
clearing. Huyghens approached. The newcomer wore the uniform of the Colonial
Survey. That was bad. It bore the insignia of a senior officer. Worse.
тАЬHah!тАЭ said the just-landed man. тАЬWhere are the robots? What in all the
nineteen hells are these creatures? Why did you shift your station? IтАЩm Roane,
here to make a progress report on your colony.тАЭ
Huyghens said:
тАЬWhat colony?тАЭ
тАЬLoren Two Robot InstallationтАФтАЭ Then Roane said indignantly, тАЬDonтАЩt tell
me that that idiot skipper dropped me at the wrong place! This is Loren Two,
isnтАЩt it? And this is the landing field. But where are your robots? You should
have the beginning of a grid up! What the devilтАЩs happened here and what are
these beasts?тАЭ
Huyghens grimaced.
тАЬThis,тАЭ he said politely, тАЬis an illegal, unlicensed settlement. IтАЩm a
criminal. These beasts are my confederates. If you donтАЩt want to associate
with criminals you neednтАЩt, of course, but I doubt if youтАЩll live till morning
unless you accept my hospitality while I think over what to do about your
landing. In reason, I ought to shoot you.тАЭ
Faro Nell came to a halt behind Huyghens, which was her proper post in
all out-door movement. Nugget, however, saw a new human. Nugget was a cub,
and, therefore, friendly. He ambled forward ingratiat
ingly. He was four feet high at the shoulders, on all fours. He wriggled
bashfully as he approached Roane. He sneezed, because he was embarrassed.
His mother overtook him swiftly and cuffed him to one side. He wailed.
The wail of a six-hundred-pound Kodiak bear-cub is a remarkable sound. Roane
gave ground a pace.
тАЬI think,тАЭ he said carefully, тАЬthat weтАЩd better talk things over. But if
this is an illegal colony, of course youтАЩre under arrest and anything you say
will be used against you.тАЭ
Huyghens grimaced again.
тАЬRight,тАЭ he said. тАЬBut now if youтАЩll walk close to me, weтАЩll head back
to the station. IтАЩd have Sourdough carry your bagтАФhe likes to carry thingsтАФbut
he may need his teeth. WeтАЩve half a mile to travel.тАЭ He turned to the animals.
тАЬLetтАЩs go!тАЭ he said commandingly. тАЬBack to the station! Hup!тАЭ
Grunting, Sitka Pete arose and took up his duties as advanced point of a
combat team. Sourdough trailed, swinging widely to one side and another.
Huyghens and Roane moved together. Faro Nell and Nugget brought up the rear.
Which, of course, was the only relatively safe way for anybody to travel on
Loren Two, in the jungle, a good half mile from oneтАЩs fortresslike residence.
But there was only one incident on the way back. It was a nightwalker,
made hysterical by the lane of light. It poured through the underbrush,
uttering cries like maniacal laughter.
Sourdough brought it down, a good ten yards from Huyghens. When it was
all over, Nugget bristled up to the dead creature, uttering cubgrowls. He