The Complete Psychotechnic League, Vol. 2 by Poul Anderson

Author:Poul Anderson [Anderson, Poul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Collections & Anthologies
ISBN: 9781481483063
Amazon: 1481483064
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2018-02-06T05:00:00+00:00

A gray-clad hairless man entered from a side door. The first thing noticeable about him was his gigantic size and four arms. The next, and somehow most lasting impression, was of the inhuman vacancy of his face.

“Porter, gemmen,” said Halleck.

At a signal from Lyell, Davenant led the way back through the tube. The giant followed wordlessly, and said nothing when the small heap of handbags was pointed out to him—merely picked them up and trudged bade. There was no reason why the Engineers should not have carried their own things, except the matter of dignity.

When Davenant returned, he found Lyell talking with Halleck and Falkenhorst with the angel, Garson, who was asking some shrewd questions about the propulsion of the Light. Davenant recalled that the ion drive had still been experimental when Ganymede had been colonized.

“This way, please.”

Halleck turned and led them out. A descending ramp wound into the body of the world. Davenant noticed that the identical guards were going before and after the group, and that their eyes were never still.

“We’ve assigned y’ a suite in Sector Eight, border between cine an’ angel territory,” Halleck said. “Y’ can easily communicate with one service or t’other. Meals’ll be brought there. If y’all gimme your preferences, I’ll try to have ’em met, though we’re not a rich colony.”

“We don’t ask for luxury,” said Lyell. “Just remember that your dietary requirements may have changed slightly from ours.”

The suite turned out to consist of six small bedrooms and a bath surrounding a larger common chamber. The furniture was simple, comfortable enough under low-gee conditions, but the whole place had a barren and empty look. After a moment’s thought, Davenant traced that impression down to the completely unimaginative, inartistic appearance. Everything seemed to have been laid out with a ruler, and the lining plastic was drab gray. Oh, well.

Garson showed them the com-unit with which they could call up various offices when they wanted something, and gave them a collection of large-scale maps of city and satellite.

“Further reference works whenever y’all wish,” he said. He had a meek way of speaking. “Imagine y’all want to get unpacked and rested. Call me when you wish a first conference.”

“Cinc-1 should’a met y’all himself, I know,” added Halleck, though without any air of apology, “but you’ll see him soon enough. We’ve little ceremony here. God with you, gemmen.”

He saluted crisply and backed out the door. His guards followed him. The angel bowed and went out last.

“Well!” Kruse threw his bulk onto a low couch. “Charming hospitality!”

“Different mores,” Lyell said absently. “That may have been their equivalent of a brass band and parade, for all I know. Don’t go insisting on any special favors, boys. Pass all that through me.” He frowned. “I’m afraid we’ve made a mistake right at the beginning.”

“How so ?” asked Falkenhorst.

“Bringing Yuan and Yamagata.”

“What in space—” demanded Kruse. “What’s wrong with ’em?” The two men spoken of retreated into expressionlessness.

“Nothing, of course,” snapped Lyell. “But we should have remembered the idiotic race prejudice which was so important to the colony’s founders.

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