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The Colors of Space

Page 31

Raynor One demanded, "Get him out of here, Three!"

Raynor Three swung to Bart. "Put that on again." He indicated the

Mentorian cloak. "Pull the hood right up over your head. Now, if we meet

anyone, say a polite good afternoon in Lhari--you can speak

Lhari?--and leave the rest of the talking to me."

Bart felt like cringing as they came out into the street full of Lhari;

but Raynor Three whispered, "Attack is the best defense," and went up to

one of the Lhari. "What's going on, rieko mori?"

"A passenger on the ship got away without going through Decontam. He may

spread disease, so of course we have alerted all authorities," the Lhari

said.

As the Lhari strode past, Raynor Three grimaced. "Clever, that. Now the

whole planet will be hunting for any stranger, worrying themselves into

fits about some unauthorized germ. We'd better get you to a safe place.

My country house is a good way off, but I have a copter."

Bart demanded, as they climbed in, "Are you taking me to my father?"

"Wait till we get to my place," Raynor Three said, taking the controls

and putting the machine in the air. "Just lean back and enjoy the trip,

huh?"

Bart relaxed against the cushions, but he still felt apprehensive. Where

was his father? If he was a fugitive from the Lhari, he might by now be

at the other end of the galaxy. But if his father couldn't travel on

Lhari ships, and if he had been here, the chances were that he was still

somewhere in the Procyon system.

They flew for a long time; across low hills, patchwork agricultural

districts, towns, and then for a long time over water. The copter had

automatic controls, but Raynor Three kept it on manual, and Bart

wondered if the Mentorian just didn't want to talk.

It began to descend, at last, toward a small green hill, bright in the

last gold rays on sunset. A small domelike pink bubble rose out of the

hill. Raynor Three set the copter neatly down on a platform that slid

shut after them, unfastened their seat belts and gave Bart a hand to

climb out.

He ushered him into a living room of glass and chrome, softly lighted,

but deserted and faintly dusty. Raynor pushed a switch; soft music came

on, and the carpets caressed his feet. He motioned Bart to a chair.

"You're safe here, for a while," Raynor Three said, "though how long,

nobody knows. But so far, I've been above suspicion."' Bart leaned back; the chair was very comfortable, but the comfort could

not help him to relax.

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