A fire upon the deep by Vernor Vinge

Author:Vernor Vinge
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science-Fiction, General, Science Fiction, Adventure, Life on other planets, Fiction
ISBN: 9780812515282
Publisher: New York : TOR, 1993, 1992.
Published: 1992-01-15T08:33:48.763000+00:00

Chapter 33

Note 1011

They were less than eight weeks from Tines’ World, both Pham and Blueshell said. If the Zone conditions remained stable. If they were not overtaken in the meantime.

Note 1012

Less than two months, after the six already voyaged. But the days were not like before. Every one was a challenge, a standoff sometimes cloaked in civility, sometimes flaring into threats of sudden death — as when Pham retrieved Blueshell’s shop equipment.

Note 1013

Pham was living on the command deck now; when he left it, the hatch was locked on his ID. He had destroyed, or thought he had destroyed, all other privileged links to the ship’s automation. He and Blueshell were in almost constant collaboration … but not like before. Every step was slow, Blueshell explaining everything, allowed to demonstrate nothing. That’s where the arguments came closest to deadly force, when Pham must give in to one peril or the other. For every day the pursuing fleets were a little bit closer: two bands of killers, and what was left of Sjandra Kei. Evidently some of the SjK Commercial Security fleet could still fight, wanted revenge on the Alliance. Once Ravna suggested to Pham that they contact Commercial Security, try to persuade them to attack the Blighter fleet. Pham had given her a blank look. “Not yet, maybe not ever,” he said, and turned away. In a way his answer was a relief: Such a battle would be a suicidal long shot. Ravna didn’t want the last of her kinsfolk dying for her.

So the OOB might arrive at Tines’ World before the enemy, but with what little time to spare! Some days Ravna withdrew in tears and despair. What brought her back was Jefri and Greenstalk. They both needed her, and for a few weeks more she could still help.

Note 1014

Mr. Steel’s defense plans were proceeding. The Tines were even having some success with their wideband radio. Steel reported that Woodcarver’s main force was on its way north; there was more than one race against time. She spent many hours with the OOB‘s library, devising more gifts for the Jefri’s friends. Some things — like telescopes — were easy, but others…. It wasn’t wasted effort. Even if the Blight won, its fleet might ignore the natives, might settle for killing the OOB and winning back the Countermeasure.

Note 1015

Greenstalk was slowly improving. At first Ravna was afraid the improvement might be in her own imagination. Ravna was spending a good part of each day sitting with the Rider, trying to see progress in her responses. Greenstalk was very “far away”, almost like a human with stroke damage and prosthesis. In fact, she seemed regressed from the articulate horror of her first conversations. Maybe her recent progress was just a mirror to Ravna’s sensitivity, to the fact that Ravna was with her so much. Blueshell insisted there was progress, but with that stubborn inflexibility of his. Two weeks, three — and there was no doubt: something was healing at the boundary between Rider and skrodeling.

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