The Last Shadow by Card Orson Scott
Author:Card, Orson Scott [Card, Orson Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult
ISBN: 9780765304957
Amazon: 0765304953
Goodreads: 7108926
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2021-11-16T08:00:00+00:00
* * *
Sprout was resisting all the way. âNot till Wang-Mu gets back,â he said. Thulium knew that he was just as concerned about Peter, but Sprout also knew that mentioning Peterâs name would make Thulium even angrier. âThis is crazy,â Sprout said. âWeâre not ready. We donât have our equipment.â
âWe have cameras. We have sampling devices and specimen pouches.â
âWhy did you send Peter to get all that other gear if this is all we need?â
âBecause I could!â Thulium knew this was silly and irrational but thatâs how she felt right now.
âSo the personality transplant was a ruse,â said Sprout.
âDid you think Iâd forget Peterâs outrageous insult?â
âThe word is perfidy,â said Sprout.
âThe only person who really believed I was taking it well was you,â said Thulium.
âBecause I trusted you,â said Sprout. âNo one has a monopoly on perfidy. Besides, Peter never actually agreed to the plan of the two of us going on our own. He just didnât bother arguing.â
âNot arguing is agreeing.â
âExcept when youâre the silent one,â said Sprout.
âAre you coming with me?â asked Thulium.
Sprout didnât answer at once. He regarded Thulium steadily and said, âWill you listen to me, I mean really listen and consider? Or are you just going to do whatever you want? Because if itâs the latter, go get yourself killed alone.â
âWang-Mu stays with Peter.â
âSheâs his wife! Youâre my cousin. My younger cousin.â
âI do listen to you,â said Thulium. âAlways.â As she spoke the words, she knew the truth.
âBy âalwaysâ I believe you mean ânever,ââ said Sprout.
âEvery time you make sense!â cried Thulium.
âYour definition of making sense is âagrees with Ultima Thule.ââ
âYou call me that?â
âIâll have your back in everything,â said Sprout, âif you let me be a partner in this. My science in this is better than yours and you know it. Yet science is your pretense for why Peter should follow and obey you. Why not me?â
Thulium still had rational faculties engaged, and these words calmed her down. Why not Sprout? He had never led her astray.
âYou want to be in charge?â asked Thulium.
âWe might try it sometime,â said Sprout.
âAll right, youâre in charge. Whatâs your first decision?â
âWe donât go until Peter and Wang-Mu get back.â
âAll right,â said Thulium. âAgreed. Done. Do we know when theyâre coming back?â
âThey donât have a portable pocket ansible with them because it hasnât been invented yet,â said Sprout. âSo no, we donât know when theyâre coming back until they come back and show us.â
âThen letâs go to Q-Bay and watch for their arrival.â
âOr we could sleep,â said Sprout.
âGo to the lab with me and sleep while I watch for them,â said Thulium.
Sprout reached out his hand.
âNo,â said Thulium. âI need to test whether I can carry you with me if we need to leave suddenly when weâre physically separated.â
Sprout put his hands behind his back and waited.
And then they were in the lab outside Q-Bay.
A pequenino said, âWhy are you two here? You clocked out and went home.â
âAs if we had a home on Lusitania,â said Thulium.
âWe want to be here when the expeditionaries come back,â said Sprout.
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