Man-Kzin Wars 11 by Niven Larry

Author:Niven, Larry [Niven, Larry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Adventure, War, Anthologies
ISBN: 9781416509066
Amazon: 1416509062
Goodreads: 378693
Publisher: Baen Books
Published: 2005-10-01T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

"He took Dimity with him? Does Nils know?" Cumpston pinched his lip in a worried gesture.

"I didn't feel it was my business to tell him," Arthur Guthlac said. "I don't want to go dancing into that minefield. It was a difficult decision to allow Dimity to go off to him at all. You can imagine the opposition and the arguments we faced. But once we decided we had no right to interfere with her we stuck by that decision. You can't put that mind in a cage. And there had to be a demonstration of trust in Vaemar. A big one . . ."

"No," said Cumpston, "not our business to tell Nils. Especially not now, Arthur. We can't be their keepers. Anyway, you have other things to think about at the moment than raising taboo subjects."

"And yet, I can't forget we're all bound together in funny ways."

"How do you feel about the safety of those two misfits off together?"

"Let's not forget, those two misfits are probably the two most intelligent members on this planet of the two most deadly species known. I'm not overly concerned about them."

"More deadly than Protectors?"

"That's something I hope we don't have to find out."

"And Patrick Quickenden. He won't be too pleased."

"That's not my problem. He's not a Wunderlander."

"He loves Dimity too, you know."

"I know. But we've got enough things to sort out without lovesick Crashlanders as well."

"How do you feel, General?" Cumpston asked. "About the wedding, I mean."

"As I should feel, I guess," Guthlac told him. "Scared. Happy. I've never been married before. I want to be with Gale for the rest of my life. I want lots of children and I want them to live here on Wunderland. I'd like to get her farm back into proper production. Big John can help now he's been patched up. Earth's been too crowded and conformist for a long time. I don't particularly care if I never see it again. I'd like my children here. And none of those damned birth restrictions!"

"We had to have them. It's the only reason we've been able to keep the crowding down a bit."

"Yes, but Earth hasn't kept the blandness down. Or the conformity and police control, more than a little of which I had a hand in making. As somebody said: 'I've seen some terrible things and a lot of them I caused.' But I see what I've been missing now. Wunderland is full of surprises still. Gale was the best of them."

The red telephone on Guthlac's desk called him, then went into battle-secret mode, vibrations keyed to his personal implant. He listened to it, then stared at it with curious expression.

"That was Defense Headquarters," he said at length. "A message has just come in on the hyperwave."

"I gather it's something important. Are you going to tell me?" There was something like consternation behind Cumpston's voice as he stared at Guthlac. The brigadier had raised a hand and was wiping away tears.

"Oh, yes, it's important. And I'm going to tell you.

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