"Jack Vance - Tschai 3 - The DirDir" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

rubble, the three hurried, perspiring and constantly watching the sky. At last they reached the
shadow of the notch, but could find no trace of the road. If ever it existed, detritus and erosion
had long ago expunged it from view.

Anacho suddenly gave a low sad call. "The sky-car. It comes. We are hunted."

Reith forced back a panicky urge to run. He looked up the notch. A small stream trickled down
the center, to terminate in a stagnant tarp. To the right rose a steep slope; to the left, a
massive buttress overhung an area of deep shade, at the back of which was an even deeper shadow:
the mouth of a cave.

The three crouched behind the tumble which choked half the ravine. Out over the plain the
Dirdir boat, with chilling deliberation, slid toward Siadz.

Reith said in a neutral voice, "They can't detect our radiation through the rocks. Our carbon
dioxide blows up the notch." He turned to look up the valley.

"No point in running," said Anacho. "There's no sanctuary. If they follow us this far they will
chase us forever."

Five minutes later the sky-car returned from Siadz, following the road east, at an altitude of



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two or three hundred yards. Suddenly it swerved and circled. Anacho said in a fateful voice, "They
have found our tracks."

The sky-car came across the plain, directly toward the notch. Reith brought forth his handgun.
"Eight pellets left. Enough to explode eight Dirdir."

"Not enough to explode one. They carry shields against such missiles."

In another half-minute the sky-car would be overhead. "Best that we take to the cave," said
Traz.

"Obviously the haunt of Phung," muttered Anacho. "Or an adit of the Pnume. Let us die cleanly,
in the open air."

"We can walk through the pond," said Traz, "and stand below the overhang. Our trail is then
broken; they may follow the stream up the valley."

"If we stand here," said Reith, "we're finished for sure."

The three ran through the shallow fringes of the pond, Anacho gingerly bringing up the rear.
They huddled under the loom of the cliff. The odor of Phung was strong and rich.

Over the shoulder of the mountain opposite came the skyboat. "They'll see us!" said Anacho in a