Tiger In The Sky (David Brin's Out of Time Book 2) by Sheila Finch & David Brin

Author:Sheila Finch & David Brin [Finch, Sheila]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2020-12-28T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

Jerry hoped Ailee could find enough cats that were hunters, or they’d have to face the choice of starving or giving up the station and admitting they couldn’t deal with the problem they’d been yanked into the future to solve.

The traps weren’t working now. He guessed the aliens weren’t intrigued by the bright colors and the smells of the bait anymore. He saw Thogs all over the modules, sliding under bunks and tables when people entered, sitting on shelves in storage areas, ducking out of sight into the air vents. They seemed to be reproducing faster than rabbits. Everywhere he looked, small furry balls rolled under tables or across shelves.

He glanced down at Arti, who trotted along beside him like a real dog as they headed for the science module. “Too bad you’re not a real dog. Rufus would’ve chased Thogs.”

“But he might not have caught them,” Arti said. “Remember the gray cat he was chasing just before I brought you here? Your dog isn’t a very good hunter, I’m sorry to say. Dogs have been domesticated for twelve thousand years. Most of them have lost their wild cousins’ hunting instincts.”

Irritated by the AI’s smug remark, Jerry frowned. “Why are you always following me around, anyway? Maybe you should give Nan a turn!”

“She doesn’t need me,” Arti said.

“And I do?” he asked, surprised.

The computer-dog didn’t reply.

Stung by the idea that Arti thought he needed help but Nan didn’t, he began thinking up a plan of action. One day, he remembered, his dad had taken him skeet shooting. They’d had fun blasting the clay disks that rocketed up into the air, and Jerry had been good at it. “A natural,” the man at the range had called him. When his mother found out where they’d been, she’d thrown another of her fits. She didn’t like Jerry learning to shoot, not even clay “pigeons.” They’d never gone skeet shooting again.

But that gave him an idea.

“I could use a real weapon,” he said. “Not a slingshot like Will made. A shotgun would do.”

Arti shook his head. “You won’t find weapons on this station. No need for them.”

“How about Edge Two?” Jerry asked. “They sometimes have to deal with problem aliens coming through, don’t they? What do they use?”

The computer-dog blinked, then stood absolutely still.

“Don’t go into alien-overload on me!” he ordered.

Arti blinked again. “I was merely running an inventory of security weapons stored on Edge Two. Isn’t that what you wished me to do?”

“You can do that? We don’t have to go through Library or CenCom?” he asked. “Cool!”

“I am a very smart computer,” Arti said. “You were lucky twice. One, there are a variety of weapons on Edge Two that can stun, zap, subdue, nauseate, or otherwise incapacitate enemies. And two, the shuttle is about to leave with your food supplies. I’ve arranged for a selection of these weapons to be loaded aboard for you. You may expect it in two hours.”

“Stun, zap, and nauseate?” Jerry repeated in disbelief. “Doesn’t sound as if any of them are lethal!”

“Of course they aren’t!” Arti sounded surprised.

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