Ice and Shadow by Andre Norton

Author:Andre Norton [Norton, Andre]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Space Opera, General, Science Fiction, Adventure, Fiction, Short Stories
ISBN: 9781451637915
Google: TqFXpwAACAAJ
Amazon: 1451637918
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2012-08-07T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

“HOWEVER,” Zurzal had taken time to consume a good portion of what was on his plate, as if he must also do a little arranging of his thoughts, “it is not what the Guild might consider treasure, adaptable in their consciences as they are. No, what I want is knowledge—to find a place where there was a storehouse of records—”

“Does such exist?” Jofre had cleaned his own plate and was watching the Zacathan’s neck frill a little bedazzled. It continued to glow as ripples of rich color spread along the creases.

“I spoke of the world found by one of my colleagues where a vast city covered the major continents. There were archives there and—maps—”

Zurzal swallowed another bite. “Star maps. Though the language of the archives is yet to be broken down for translation, there were certain symbols which we recognized. That was indeed a Forerunner world, a planet where a technical civilization had reached a peak before the end and yet they were in turn latecomers to the star lanes, for they had museums, they had visual records, of much older civilizations which had preceded them. There were hints of finds to be made, which some freak of their own time prevented their making. My people impounded all such records with the blessing of Central Control. And it was my good fortune to be allowed some access to them.

“No, I do not hunt what the Guild would consider useful—the only market for my hoped-for finds would be my own people and, therefore, no market at all. I search for archives and perhaps the only way I can find them is by reaching into the past with the scanner for long enough to pinpoint the position of what I seek. Having made such a find, I will have redeemed myself in the eyes of my colleagues as well as added to the sum of our knowledge. None of my race could wish for a greater treasure hunt than that.”

“Here on Asborgan—?”

Zurzal gave an impatient shake of the head. “No, as I said, here I seek a man, if he still lives. He did two band moons ago but he is in the last stages of graz addiction and I can only hope he still exists. He was the member of a First-In expedition to a world which, on Patrol charts, is named Lochan for the man who first made landfall there. What its inhabitants—they are listed as extremely primitive and at least nine points away from human—name it we do not know.

“As a primitive D class world it is off-limits to all but the smallest of Free Traders, those who nose around the lanes for the crumbs and are regulated by the Patrol as to what they may carry. There IS trade, however. A kind of clay which, when ground into sand texture, is highly desired by the potters on Reese, and there is some exchange for unusual furs and other oddments.

“But there is also a ruin which was reported by the First-In scout and then partially explored by the first expedition.

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