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diff --git a/23103-h/23103-h.htm b/23103-h/23103-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b763aa5 --- /dev/null +++ b/23103-h/23103-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1650 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Traders Risk, by Roger Dee + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + + h1,h2 {text-align: left; clear: both;} + + hr {width: 33%; margin: 1em auto; clear: both;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .rgt {text-align: right; font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .trans1 {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + + img {border: none} + + .block1 {width: 24em; margin: 0 auto 3em;} + .block2 {width: 17em; margin: 2em 0; font-size: larger; + font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;} + + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; + font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Traders Risk, by Roger Dee + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Traders Risk + +Author: Roger Dee + +Illustrator: Martin + +Release Date: October 20, 2007 [EBook #23103] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRADERS RISK *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<div class="block1"><h1><big>TRADERS RISK</big></h1> + +<h2>By ROGER DEE</h2> + +<div class="block2"> +Keeping this cargo meant death—to +jettison it meant to make flotsam +and jetsam of a world!</div> + +<p><b>Illustrated by MARTIN</b></p></div> + + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> Ciriimian ship was +passing in hyperdrive +through a classic three-body +system, comprising in this +case a fiercely white sun circled +by a fainter companion and a +single planet that swung in precise +balance, when the Canthorian +Zid broke out of its cage in the +specimen hold.</p> + +<p>Of the ship's social quartet, +Chafis One and Two were asleep +at the moment, dreaming wistful +dreams of conical Ciriimian cities +spearing up to a soft and plum-colored +sky. The Zid raged into +their communal rest cell, smashed +them down from their gimbaled +sleeping perches and, with the +ravening blood-hunger of its kind, +devoured them before they could +wake enough to teleport to +safety.</p> + +<p>Chafis Three and Four, on psi +shift in the forward control cubicle, +might have fallen as easily +if the mental screamings of their +fellows had not warned them in +time. As it was, they had barely +time to teleport themselves to +the after hold, as far as possible +from immediate danger, and to consider +the issue while the Zid +lunged about the ship in search +of them with malignant cries +and a great shrieking of claws on +metal.</p> + +<p>Their case was the more desperate +because the Chafis were professional +freighters with little experience +of emergency. Hauling a +Zid from Canthorian jungles to +a Ciriimian zoo was a prosaic +enough assignment so long as the +cage held, but with the raging +brute swiftly smelling them out, +they were helpless to catch and +restrain it.</p> + +<p>When the Zid found them, they +had no other course but to teleport +back to the control cubicle +and wait until the beast should +snuff them down again. The Zid +learned quickly, so quickly that +it was soon clear that its physical +strength would far outlast their +considerable but limited telekinetic +ability.</p> + +<p>Still they possessed their share +of owlish Ciriimian logic and hit +soon enough upon the one practical course—to +jettison the Zid +on the nearest world demonstrably +free of intelligent life.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">They</span> worked hurriedly, between +jumps fore and aft. +Chafi Three, while they were still +in the control cubicle, threw the +ship out of hyperdrive within +scant miles of the neighboring +sun's single planet. Chafi Four, +on the next jump, scanned the +ship's charts and identified the +system through which they +traveled.</p> + +<p>Luck was with them. The system +had been catalogued some +four Ciriimian generations before +and tagged: <i>Planet undeveloped. +Tranquil marine intelligences +only.</i></p> + +<p>The discovery relieved them +greatly for the reason that no +Ciriimian, even to save his own +feathered skin, would have set +down such a monster as the Zid +among rational but vulnerable +entities.</p> + +<p>The planet was a water world, +bare of continents and only +sparsely sprinkled with minor +archipelagoes. The islands suited +the Chafis' purpose admirably.</p> + +<p>"The Zid does not swim," Chafi +Four radiated. "Marooned, it can +do no harm to marine intelligences."</p> + +<p>"Also," Chafi Three pointed out +as they dodged to the control +cubicle again just ahead of the +slavering Zid, "we may return +later with a Canthorian hunting +party and recover our investment."</p> + +<p>Closing their perception against +the Zid's distracting ragings, they +set to work with perfect coordination.</p> + +<p>Chafi Three set down the ship +on an island that was only one +of a freckling chain of similar +islands. Chafi Four projected himself +first to the opened port; then, +when the Zid charged after him, +to the herbivore-cropped sward +of tropical setting outside.</p> + +<p>The Zid lunged out. Chafi Four +teleported inside again. Chafi +Three closed the port. Together +they relaxed their perception +shields in relief—</p> + +<p>Unaware in their consternation +that they committed the barbarous +lapse of vocalizing, they +twittered aloud when they realized +the extent of their error.</p> + +<p>Above the far, murmurous +whisper of expected marine cerebration +there rose an uncoordinated +mishmash of thought from +at least two strong and relatively +complex intelligences.</p> + +<p>"Gas-breathing!" Chafi Four +said unbelievingly. "Warm-blooded, +land-dwelling, mammalian!"</p> + +<p>"A Class Five culture," Chafi +agreed shakenly. His aura quivered +with the shock of betrayal. +"The catalogue was <i>wrong</i>."</p> + +<p>Ironically, their problem was +more pressing now than before. +Unless checked, the Zid would +rapidly depopulate the island—and, +to check it, they must break +a prime rule of Galactic protocol +in asking the help of a new and +untested species.</p> + +<p>But they had no choice. They +teleported at once into the presence +of the two nearby natives—and +met with frustration beyond +Ciriimian experience.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Jeff</span> Aubray glimpsed the Ciriimian +ship's landing because +the morning was a Oneday, and +on Onedays his mission to the +island demanded that he be up +and about at sunrise.</p> + +<p>For two reasons: On Onedays, +through some unfailing miracle +of Calaxian seamanship, old +Charlie Mack sailed down in his +ancient <i>Island Queen</i> from the +township that represented colonial +Terran civilization in Procynian +Archipelago 147, bringing +supplies and gossip to last Jeff +through the following Tenday. +The <i>Queen</i> would dock at Jeff's +little pier at dawn; she was never +late.</p> + +<p>Also on Onedays, necessarily +before Charlie Mack's visit, Jeff +must assemble his smuggled communicator—kept +dismantled and +hidden from suspicious local eyes—and +report to Earth Interests +Consulate his progress during the +cycle just ended. The ungodly +hour of transmission, naturally, +was set to coincide with the closing +of the Consul's field office +halfway around the planet.</p> + +<p>So the nacreous glory of Procyon's +rising was just tinting the +windows of Jeff's cottage when +he aligned and activated his little +communicator on his breakfast +table. Its three-inch screen lighted +to signal and a dour and disappointed +Consul Satterfield looked +at him. Behind Satterfield, foreshortened +to gnomishness by the +pickup, lurked Dr. Hermann, +Earth Interests' resident zoologist.</p> + +<p>"No progress," Jeff reported, +"except that the few islanders +I've met seem to be accepting +me at last. A little more time and +they might let me into the Township, +where I can learn something. +If Homeside—"</p> + +<p>"You've had seven Tendays," +Satterfield said. "Homeside won't +wait longer, Aubray. They need +those calm-crystals too badly."</p> + +<p>"They'll use force?" Jeff had +considered the possibility, but its +immediacy appalled him. "Sir, +these colonists had been autonomous +for over two hundred years, +ever since the Fourth War cut +them off from us. Will Homeside +deny their independence?"</p> + +<p>His sense of loss at Satterfield's +grim nod stemmed from something +deeper than sympathy for +the islanders. It found roots in +his daily rambles over the little +island granted him by the Township +for the painting he had begun +as a blind to his assignment, +and in the gossip of old Charlie +Mack and the few others he had +met. He had learned to appreciate +the easy life of the islands +well enough to be dismayed now +by what must happen under EI +pressure to old Charlie and his +handful of sun-browned fisherfolk.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Unexpectedly</span>, because +Jeff had not considered that +it might matter, he was disturbed +by the realization that he wouldn't +be seeing Jennifer, old Charlie +Mack's red-haired niece, once occupation +began. Jennifer, who +sailed with her uncle and did a +crewman's work as a matter of +course, would despise the sight +of him.</p> + +<p>The Consul's pessimism jolted +Jeff back to the moment at hand.</p> + +<p>"Homeside will deny their +autonomy, Aubray. I've had a +warp-beam message today ordering +me to move in."</p> + +<p>The situation was desperate +enough at home, Jeff had to admit. +Calaxian calm-crystals did +what no refinement of Terran +therapeutics had been able to +manage. They erased the fears +of the neurotic and calmed the +quiverings of the hypertensive—both +in alarming majority in the +shattering aftermath of the Fourth +War—with no adverse effects +at all. Permanent benefit was slow +but cumulative, offering for the +first time a real step toward ultimate +stability. The medical, psychiatric +and political fields cried +out for crystals and more crystals.</p> + +<p>"If the islanders would tell us +their source and let us help develop +it," Satterfield said peevishly, +"instead of doling out a handful +of crystals every Tenday, there +wouldn't be any need of action. +Homeside feels they're just letting +us have some of the surplus."</p> + +<p>"Not likely," Jeff said. "They +don't use the crystals themselves."</p> + +<p>Old Dr. Hermann put his chin +almost on the Consul's shoulder +to present his wizened face to +the scanner.</p> + +<p>"Of course they don't," he said. +"On an uncomplicated, even +simple-minded world like this, +who would need crystals? But +maybe they fear glutting the +market or the domination of outside +capital coming in to develop +the source. When people backslide, +there's no telling what's on +their minds and we have no time +to waste negotiating or convincing +them. In any case, how could +they stop us from moving in?" +Abruptly he switched to his own +interest. "Aubray, have you +learned anything new about the +Scoops?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing beyond the fact that +the islanders don't talk about +them," Jeff said. "I've seen perhaps +a dozen offshore during the +seven cycles I've been here. One +usually surfaces outside my harbor +at about the time old Charlie +Mack's supply boat comes in."</p> + +<p>Thinking of Charlie Mack +brought a forced end to his report. +"Charlie's due now. I'll call +back later."</p> + +<p>He cut the circuit, hurrying +to have his communicator stowed +away before old Charlie's arrival—not, +he thought bitterly, that +being found out now would make +any great difference.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Stepping</span> out into the brief +Calaxian dawn, he caught his +glimpse of the Ciriimian ship's +landing before the island forest +of palm-ferns cut it off from sight. +Homeside hadn't been bluffing, +he thought, assuming as a matter +of course that this was the task +force Satterfield had been ordered +to send.</p> + +<p>"They didn't waste any time," +Jeff growled. "Damn them."</p> + +<p>He ignored the inevitable glory +of morning rainbow that just preceded +Procyon's rising and strode +irritably down to his miniature +dock. He was still scowling over +what he should tell Charlie Mack +when the <i>Island Queen</i> hove into +view.</p> + +<p>She was a pretty sight. There +was an artist's perception in Jeff +in spite of his drab years of EI +patrol duty; the white puff of +sail on dark-green sea, gliding +across calm water banded with +lighter and darker striae where +submerged shoals lay, struck +something responsive in him. The +comparison it forced between +Calaxia and Earth, whose yawning +Fourth War scars and heritage of +anxieties made calm-crystals so +desperately necessary, oppressed +him. Calaxia was wholly unscarred, +her people without need of the +calm-crystals they traded.</p> + +<p>Something odd in the set of the +<i>Queen's</i> sails puzzled him until +he identified the abnormality. In +spite of distance and the swift +approach of the old fishing boat, +he could have sworn that her +sails bellied not with the wind, +but against.</p> + +<p>They fell slack, however, when +the <i>Queen</i> reached his channel +and flapped lazily, reversing to +catch the wind and nose her cautiously +into the shallows. Jeff dismissed +it impatiently—a change +of wind or some crafty maneuver +of old Charlie Mack's to take advantage +of the current.</p> + +<p>Jeff had just set foot on his +dock when it happened. Solid as +the planking itself, and all but +blocking off his view of the nearing +<i>Island Queen</i>, stood a six-foot +owl.</p> + +<p>It was wingless and covered +smoothly with pastel-blue feathers. +It stood solidly on carefully +manicured yellow feet and stared +at him out of square violet eyes.</p> + +<p>Involuntarily he took a backward +step, caught his heel on a +sun-warped board and sat down +heavily.</p> + +<p>"Well, what the devil!" he said +inanely.</p> + +<p>The owl winced and disappeared +without a sound.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Jeff</span> got up shakily and stumbled +to the dock's edge. A chill +conviction of insanity gripped him +when he looked down on water +lapping smooth and undisturbed +below.</p> + +<p>"I've gone mad," he said aloud.</p> + +<p>Out on the bay, another catastrophe +just as improbable was +in progress.</p> + +<p>Old Charlie Mack's <i>Island +Queen</i> had veered sharply off +course, left the darker-green stripe +of safe channel and plunged into +water too shallow for her draft. +The boat heeled on shoal sand, +listed and hung aground with +wind-filled sails holding her fast.</p> + +<p>The Scoop that had surfaced +just behind her was so close that +Jeff wondered if its species' legendary +good nature had been misrepresented. +It floated like a +glistening plum-colored island, +flat dorsal flippers undulating +gently on the water and its great +filmy eyes all but closed against +the slanting glare of morning sun.</p> + +<p>It was more than vast. The +thing must weigh, Jeff thought +dizzily, thousands or maybe millions +of tons.</p> + +<p>He thought he understood the +<i>Queen's</i> grounding when he saw +the swimmer stroking urgently +toward his dock. Old Charlie had +abandoned his boat and was +swimming in to escape the Scoop.</p> + +<p>But it wasn't Charlie. It was +Jennifer, Charlie's niece.</p> + +<p>Jeff took the brown hand she +put up and drew her to the dock +beside her, steadying her while +she shook out her dripping red +hair and regained her breath. +Sea water had plastered Jennifer's +white blouse and knee-length +dungarees to her body like a second skin, +and the effect bordered +on the spectacular.</p> + +<p>"Did you see it?" she demanded.</p> + +<p>Jeff wrestled his eyes away to +the Scoop that floated like a +purple island in the bay.</p> + +<p>"A proper monster," he said. +"You got out just in time."</p> + +<p>She looked at once startled +and impatient. "Not the Scoop, +you idiot. The owl."</p> + +<p>It was Jeff's turn to stare. +"Owl? There was one on the +dock, but I thought—"</p> + +<p>"So did I." She sounded relieved. +"But if you saw one, too.... +All of a sudden, it was standing +there on deck beside me, right +out of nowhere. I lost my head +and grounded the <i>Queen</i>, and it +vanished. The owl, I mean."</p> + +<p>"So did mine," Jeff said.</p> + +<p>While they stood marveling, +the owls came back.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Chafis</span> Three and Four were +horribly shaken by the initial +attempt at communication with +the natives. Nothing in Ciriimian +experience had prepared them for +creatures intelligent but illogical, +individually perceptive yet isolated +from each other.</p> + +<p>"Communication by audible +symbol," Chafi Three said. He +ruffled his feathers in a shudder. +"Barbarous!"</p> + +<p>"Atavistic," agreed Chafi Four. +"They could even <i>lie</i> to each +other."</p> + +<p>But their dilemma remained. +They must warn the natives before +the prowling Zid found them, +else there would be no natives.</p> + +<p>"We must try again," Three +concluded, "searching out and +using the proper symbols for explanation."</p> + +<p>"Vocally," said Chafi Four.</p> + +<p>They shuddered and teleported.</p> + +<hr style='width: 20%;' /> + +<p><span class="dcap">The sudden</span> reappearance of +his hallucination—doubled—startled +Jeff no more than the +fact that he seemed to be holding +Jennifer Mack tightly. Amazingly, +his immediate problem was +not the possibility of harm from +the owls, but whether he should +reassure Jennifer before or after +releasing her.</p> + +<p>He compromised by leaving the +choice to her. "They can't be +dangerous," he said. "There are +no land-dwelling predators on +Calaxia. I read that in—"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 425px;"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="425" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>"Nothing like <i>that</i> ever hatched +out on Calaxia," said Jennifer. She +pulled free of him. "If they're real, +they came from somewhere else."</p> + +<p>The implication drew a cold +finger down Jeff's spine. "That +would mean other cultures out +here. And in all our years of +planet-hunting, we haven't found +one."</p> + +<p>Memory chilled him further.</p> + +<p>"A ship landed inland a few +minutes ago," he said. "I took it +for an EI consulate craft, but it +could have been—"</p> + +<p>The Ciriimians caught his mental +image of the landing and +intervened while common ground +offered.</p> + +<p>"The ship was ours," said Chafi +Three. He had not vocalized since +fledgling days and his voice had +a jarring croak of disuse. "Our +Zid escaped its cage and destroyed +two of us, forcing us to +maroon it here for our own safety. +Unfortunately, we trusted our star +manual's statement that the +planet is unpopulated."</p> + +<p>The Terrans drew together +again.</p> + +<p>"Zid?" Jeff echoed.</p> + +<p>Chafi Four relieved his fellow +of the strain by trying his own +rusty croak. "A vicious Canthorian +predator, combing the island +at this moment for prey. You +must help us to recapture it."</p> + +<p>"So that you may identify it," +Chafi Three finished helpfully, +"the Zid has this appearance."</p> + +<p>His psi projection of the Zid +appeared on the dock before +them with demoniac abruptness—crouched +to leap, twin tails +lashing and its ten-foot length +bristling with glassy magenta +bristles. It had a lethal pair of +extra limbs that sprang from the +shoulders to end in taloned seizing-hands, +and its slanted red eyes +burned malevolently from a +snouted, razor-fanged face.</p> + +<p>It was too real to bear. Jeff +stepped back on suddenly unreliable +legs. Jennifer fainted +against him and the unexpected +weight of her sent them both +sprawling to the dock.</p> + +<p>"We lean on weak reeds," Chafi +Three said. "Creatures who collapse +with terror at the mere +projection of a Zid can be of +little assistance in recapturing +one."</p> + +<p>Chafi Four agreed reluctantly. +"Then we must seek aid elsewhere."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">When</span> Jeff Aubray pulled +himself up from the planking, +the apparitions were gone. +His knees shook and perspiration +crawled cold on his face, but he +managed to haul Jennifer up with +him.</p> + +<p>"Come out of it, will you?" he +yelled ungallantly in her ear. "If +a thing like that is loose on the +island, we've got to get help!"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Jennifer</span> did not respond and +he slapped her, until her eyes +fluttered angrily.</p> + +<p>"There's an EI communicator +in my cabin," Jeff said. "Let's +go."</p> + +<p>Memory lent Jennifer a sudden +vitality that nearly left Jeff behind +in their dash for the cottage +up the beach.</p> + +<p>"The door," Jeff panted, inside. +"Fasten the hurricane bolt. +Hurry."</p> + +<p>While she secured the flimsy +door, he ripped through his belongings, +aligning his EI communicator +again on his breakfast +table. Finding out where the +islanders got their calm-crystals +had become suddenly unimportant; +just then, he wanted nothing +so much as to see a well-armed +patrol ship nosing down out of +the Calaxian sunrise.</p> + +<p>He was activating the screen +when Jennifer, in a magnificent +rage in spite of soaked blouse +and dungarees, advanced on him.</p> + +<p>"You're an Earth Interests spy +after all," she accused. "They said +in the Township you are no artist, +but Uncle Charlie and I—"</p> + +<p>Jeff made a pushing motion. +"Keep away from me. Do you +want that devil tearing the cabin +down around us?"</p> + +<p>She fell quiet, remembering +the Zid, and he made his call. +"Aubray, Chain 147. Come in, +Consulate!"</p> + +<p>There was a sound of stealthy +movement outside the cabin and +he flicked sweat out of his eyes +with a hand that shook.</p> + +<p>"EI, for God's sake, come in! +I'm in trouble here!"</p> + +<p>The image on his three-inch +screen was not Consul Satterfield's +but the startled consulate +operator's. "Trouble?"</p> + +<p>Jeff forced stumbling words +into line. The EI operator shook +his head doubtfully.</p> + +<p>"Consul's gone for the day, +Aubray. I'll see if I can reach +him."</p> + +<p>"He was about to send out an +EI patrol ship to take over here +in the islands," Jeff said. "Tell +him to hurry it!"</p> + +<p>He knew when he put down +the microphone that the ship +would be too late. EI might still +drag the secret of the calm-crystal +source out of the islanders, but +Jeff Aubray and Jennifer Mack +wouldn't be on hand to witness +their sorry triumph. The flimsy +cabin could not stand for long +against the sort of brute the owls +had shown him, and there was no +sort of weapon at hand. They +couldn't even run.</p> + +<p>"There's something outside," +Jennifer said in a small voice.</p> + +<p>Her voice seemed to trigger +the attack.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> Zid lunged against the +door with a force that cracked +the wooden hurricane bolt across +and opened a three-inch slit between +leading edge and lintel. Jeff +had a glimpse of slanted red eyes +and white-fanged snout before +reflex sent him headlong to +shoulder the door shut again.</p> + +<p>"The bunk," he panted at Jennifer. +"Shove it over."</p> + +<p>Between them, they wedged +the bunk against the door and +held it in place. Then they stood +looking palely at each other and +waiting for the next attack.</p> + +<p>It came from a different quarter—the +wide double windows +that overlooked the bay. The Zid, +rearing upright, smashed away +the flimsy rattan blinds with a +taloned seizing-hand and looked +redly in at them.</p> + +<p>Like a man in a dream, Jeff +caught up his communicator from +the table and hurled it. The Zid +caught it deftly, sank glistening +teeth into the unit and demolished +it with a single snap.</p> + +<p>Crushed, the rig's powerful +little battery discharged with a +muffled sputtering and flashing +of sparks. The Zid howled piercingly +and dropped away from the +window.</p> + +<p>That gave Jeff time enough to +reach the storm shutters and secure them—only +to rush again +with Jennifer to their bunk barricade +as the Zid promptly renewed +its ferocious attack on the door.</p> + +<p>He flinched when Jennifer, to +be heard above the Zid's ragings, +shouted in his ear: "My Scoop +should have the <i>Queen</i> afloat by +now. Can we reach her?"</p> + +<p>"Scoop?" The Zid's avid cries +discouraged curiosity before it +was well born. "We'd never make +it. We couldn't possibly outrun +that beast."</p> + +<p>The Zid crashed against the +door and drove it inches ajar, +driving back their barricade. One +taloned paw slid in and slashed +viciously at random. Jeff ducked +and strained his weight against +the bunk, momentarily pinning +the Zid's threshing forelimb.</p> + +<p>Chafi Three chose that moment +to reappear, nearly causing Jeff +to let go the bunk and admit the +Zid.</p> + +<p>"Your female's suggestion is +right," the Ciriimian croaked. "The +Zid does not swim. Four and I +are arranging escape on that +premise."</p> + +<p>The Zid's talons ripped through +the door, leaving parallel rows +of splintered breaks. Both slanted +red eyes glared in briefly.</p> + +<p>"Then you'd damn well better +hurry," Jeff panted. The door, +he estimated, might—or might +not—hold for two minutes more.</p> + +<p>The Ciriimian vanished. There +was a slithering sound in the distance +that sounded like a mountain +in motion, and with it a stertorous +grunting that all but +drowned out the Zid's cries. Something +nudged the cottage with a +force that all but knocked it flat.</p> + +<p>"<i>My Scoop!</i>" Jennifer exclaimed. +She let go the barricade +and ran to the window to throw +open the storm shutters. "Never +mind the door. This way, quick!"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">She</span> scrambled to the window +sill and jumped. Numbly, Jeff +saw her suspended there, feet +only inches below the sill, apparently +on empty air. Then the door +sagged again under the Zid's lungings +and he left the bunk to +follow Jennifer.</p> + +<p>He landed on something tough +and warm and slippery, a monstrous +tail fluke that stretched +down the beach to merge into a +flat purplish acreage of back, +forested with endless rows of fins +and spines and enigmatic tendrils. +The Scoop, he saw, and only +half believed it, had wallowed +into the shallows alongside his +dock. It had reversed its unbelievable +length to keep the head submerged, +and at the same time had +backed out of the water until its +leviathan tail spanned the hundred-odd +yards of sloping beach +from surf to cabin.</p> + +<p>Just ahead of him, Jennifer +caught an erect fin-spine and +clung with both arms. "Hang on! +We're going—"</p> + +<p>The Scoop contracted itself +with a suddenness that yanked +them yards from the cottage and +all but dislodged Jeff. Beyond the +surf, the shallows boiled whitely +where the Scoop fought for traction +to draw its grounded bulk +into the water.</p> + +<p>Jeff looked back once to see +the Zid close the distance between +and spring upward to the +tail fluke behind him. He had an +instant conviction that the brute's +second spring would see him torn +to bits, but the Scoop at the moment +found water deep enough +to move in earnest. The Zid could +only sink in all six taloned limbs +and hold fast.</p> + +<p>The hundred-odd yards from +cabin to beach passed in a blur +of speed. The Scoop reached +deeper water and submerged, +throwing a mountainous billow +that sent the <i>Island Queen</i> reeling +and all but foundered her.</p> + +<p>Jeff was dislodged instantly +and sank like a stone.</p> + +<p>He came up, spouting water +and fighting for breath, to find +himself a perilous twenty feet +from the Zid. The Zid, utterly +out of its element, screamed hideously +and threshed water to froth, +all its earlier ferocity vanished +under the imminent and unfamiliar +threat of drowning. Jeff +sank again and churned desperately +to put distance between +them.</p> + +<p>He came up again, nearly +strangled, to find that either he +or the Zid had halved the distance +between them. They were +all but eye to eye when Jennifer +caught him and towed him away +toward the doubtful safety of the +<i>Island Queen</i>.</p> + +<p>Chafis Three and Four appeared +from nowhere and stood +solemnly by while the Zid weakened +and sank with a final gout +of bubbles.</p> + +<p>"We must have your friend's +help," Chafi Three said to Jennifer +then, "to recover our investment."</p> + +<p>Jeff wheeled on him incredulously. +"<i>Me</i> go down there after +that monster? Not on your—"</p> + +<p>"He means the Scoop," Jennifer +said. "They brought it +ashore to help us out of the cabin. +Why shouldn't it help them +now?"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> Scoop came up out of the +water so smoothly that the +<i>Island Queen</i> hardly rocked, dangling +the limp form of the Zid +from its great rubbery lips like a +drowned kitten.</p> + +<p>"Here," Jennifer said.</p> + +<p>The Scoop touched its vast +face to the <i>Queen's</i> rail and +dropped the unconscious body to +the deck. The Zid twitched weakly +and coughed up froth and +water.</p> + +<p>Jeff backed away warily. +"Damn it, are we going through +all that again? Once it gets its +wind back—"</p> + +<p>Chafi Three interrupted him +this time. "The crystal now. We +must have it to quiet the Zid +until it is safely caged again."</p> + +<p>Jennifer turned suddenly firm. +"No. I won't let this EI informer +know about that."</p> + +<p>The Ciriimians were firmer.</p> + +<p>"It will not matter now. Galactic +Adjustment will extend aid to +both Calaxia and Terra, furnishing +substitutes for the crystals +you deal in. There will be no loss +to either faction."</p> + +<p>"No loss?" Jennifer repeated +indignantly. "But then there won't +be any demand for our crystals! +We'll lose everything we've +gained."</p> + +<p>"Not so," Chafi Three assured +her. "Galactic will offer satisfactory +items in exchange, as well +as a solution to Terra's problems."</p> + +<p>The Scoop, sensing Jennifer's +surrender, slid its ponderous bulk +nearer and opened its mouth, +leaving half an acre of lower jaw +resting flush with the <i>Island +Queen's</i> deck. Without hesitation, +Jennifer stepped over the rail and +vanished into the yawning pinkish +cavern beyond.</p> + +<p>Appalled, Jeff rushed after her. +"Jennifer! Have you lost your +mind?"</p> + +<p>"There is no danger," Chafi +Three assured him. "Scoops are +benevolent as well as intelligent, +and arrived long ago at a working +agreement with the islanders. +This one has produced a crystal +and is ready to be relieved of it, +else it would not have attached +itself to a convenient human."</p> + +<p>Jeff said dizzily, "The Scoops +make the crystals?"</p> + +<p>"There is a nidus just back of +a fleshy process in its throat, +corresponding to your own tonsils, +which produces a crystal +much as your Terran oyster secretes +a pearl. The irritation distracts +the Scoops from their meditations—they +are a philosophical +species, though not mechanically +progressive—and prompts them +to barter their strength for a +time to be rid of it."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Jennifer</span> reappeared with a +walnut-sized crystal in her +hand and vaulted across the rail.</p> + +<p>"There goes another Scoop," she +said resignedly. "The <i>Queen</i> will +have to tack with the wind for a +while until another one shows up."</p> + +<p>"So that's why your sails bellied +backward when you came in to +harbor," said Jeff. "The thing was +<i>towing</i> you."</p> + +<p>A thin, high streak of vapor-trail +needling down toward them +from the sunrise rainbow turned +the channel of his thought.</p> + +<p>"That will be Satterfield and +his task force," Jeff told the +Chafis. "I think you're going to +find yourselves in an argument +over that matter of squeezing +Terra out of the crystal trade."</p> + +<p>They reassured him solemnly.</p> + +<p>"Terra has no real need of the +crystals. We can offer a tested +genetics program that will eliminate +racial anxiety within a few +generations, and supply neural +therapy equipment—on a trade +basis, of course—that will serve +the crystals' purpose during the +interim."</p> + +<p>There should be a flaw somewhere, +Jeff felt, but he failed to +see one. He gave up trying when +he found Jennifer eying him with +uncharacteristic uncertainty.</p> + +<p>"You'll be glad to get back to +your patrol work," she said. It had +an oddly tentative sound.</p> + +<p>Somehow the predictable monotony +of consulate work had +never seemed less inviting. The +prospect of ending his Calaxian +tour and going back to a half-barren +and jittery Earth appealed +to Jeff even less.</p> + +<p>"No," he said. "I'd like to stay."</p> + +<p>"There's nothing to do but fish +and sail around looking for Scoops +ready to shed their crystals," +Jennifer reminded him. "Still, +Uncle Charlie has talked about +settling in the Township and +standing for Council election. Can +you fish and sail, Jeff Aubray?"</p> + +<p>The consulate rocket landed +ashore, but Jeff ignored it.</p> + +<p>"I can learn," he said.</p> + +<p class="rgt">—ROGER DEE</p> + + + +<div class="trans1"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br /> +This etext was produced from <i>Galaxy</i> February 1958. Extensive +research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Traders Risk, by Roger Dee + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRADERS RISK *** + +***** This file should be named 23103-h.htm or 23103-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/1/0/23103/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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