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there, we know it, and it s one of the centers of media activity. But how do we get a pair of Quozi from here to there without giving them away? You drive, said Short-key-Leaps matter-of-factly. It is vital that those who accompany you have the opportunity to observe. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html There are no cars here. There are no roads, Chad pointed out. That s why we have to fly in and land on the lake each year. We could all walk out, traveling at night as much as possible, suggested Runs-red-Talking. With Quozi leading, the darkness wouldn t be a prob-lem. Chad eyed his sister, who appeared dazed. Ignoring her, he addressed his thoughts to Runs. That s something we ve discussed before. The folks would understand. We d tell them we want to see a lot more of the country. We could go into a small town. I could leave Mindy behind with your representatives, hitch to a bigger town, rent a car and come back for all of you, smuggle you into the car at night. Or maybe I could get a van. Yeah, and everybody could hide in the back. That d work. That d be perfect! No, said Short-key-Leaps solemnly. Another hundred cycles of privacy would be perfect. A hundred years for the anonymity of a van. Fate forces poor trades. His ears waggled. The two assigned to join you will travel with a small but powerful trans-mitter so that the Burrows may be kept informed of your progress, both physical and social. It will operate on an undistinguished frequency and will not alarm those humans whose business it is to monitor such things. It can inform, and if necessary give warning. You won t get much reception between here and L.A., Mindy warned him. Ears bobbed humorously. Each of your relay satellites provides numerous subchannels for audio communication. Most are vacant. We will make use of one. Transmissions will be encoded and broadcast many times real-time speed. They will draw no attention. Have you decided, Chad inquired hesitantly, who s going with us? The Master of Burrow Six spoke for the first time. Chad and Mindy had to wait for translation from Tries-simple-Glow. Against our better judgment but compelled by ci;cumstance, Runs-red-Talking will assume this task. Runs stiffened slightly, commented only with his ears. If he d been expect-ing the reluctantly bestowed honor he d hidden his hopes well. His personal experience with humans is unexcelled, however unfortunate. We must act for the best interests of the Burrows, not as we personally might wish. His companion will of course be female. Naturally, Chad murmured to himself. He knew the Quozi well enough to know that Runs or any other Quozl male would literally go insane if deprived of feminine companionship for more than a couple of weeks at a stretch. It was not a question of emotional deprivation. Hormones ruled the Quozi as thoroughly as they did humanity. The difference was that the Quozl had come to terms with the reality of their own physiology. A young scientist rose. This is Seams-with-Metal, said Tries simple-Glow by way of introduction. Among the surface studies team she is the agilest of mind if not the most experienced or intelligent. We believe that in this instance a talent for improvisation is more valuable than many other attributes, in which she is not in any event lacking. She knows your language as well as anyone. One area of specialization in Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html which she excels is her knowledge of the methodology of native manipulation called public relations. Is this not appropriate? Most, said Mindy, startled. She had clearly not expected this degree of sophistication among Quozi students of human behavior. Preparations must be made. Seams-with-Metal possessed a voice that sang like panpipes, Chad thought. Though he restrained himself it was clear Runs-red-Talking was more than pleased with the Council s choice of a col-league. We have our own to make. This will take a little time to set up. He thought rapidly. We ll convince [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |