United States or São Tomé and Príncipe ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"She's agreed to give any help she can, sir, as I said, and that includes briefing me on Talent." "Good. I'll alert the nobility, have them take extra precautions since they're bound to be targets. You're on-scene; do you think I should have a fleet cordon off Irschcha itself?" "No, sir," Medart replied. "Thark's smart, we know that.
In either case, our duty is clear." He was silent then, perceiving her need to think. Corina was deeply disturbed. Thark's arguments were plausible, at least on the surface, but she found them unsatisfying. Tourists and administrative officials were not the Empire's best examples, especially the tourists.
He strode to meet her as she descended from the dais, drawing his bloody soul-blade as he went. Corina unsheathed her own blade, the movement attracting Thark's attention to the bit of metal at her belt. A human would have paled in deep shock; Thark's only visible reaction was an agitated twitch of his ears. "You? A Ranger?" It was too much for him to accept.
At our right was the window letting into the room in which I had seen Tan Gama and the other warriors as they started to Tars Tarkas' cell earlier in the evening. His companions had returned here, and we now overheard a portion of their conversation. "What can be detaining Tan Gama?" asked one. "He certainly could not be all this time fetching his shortsword from the Thark's cell," spoke another.
In my case it was love love of the divine Dejah Thoris; and the cause of the Thark's great and sudden love of life I could not fathom, for it is oftener that they seek death than life these strange, cruel, loveless, unhappy people.
Medart experienced it all, from the friendly greeting and Thark's comments on her ability, through her discovery of the Crusade and her rejection of it, to their declaration of mutual enmity. Outwardly quiet though that had been, it had enough of an emotional charge to awaken the Ranger. A glance at his chrono showed 0405.
Thark claimed his motive was unselfish duty and she knew him well enough to believe he truly thought so. But what if he was wrong? Chaos take it! Peace was important, and she could see it as a result perhaps of Thark's rebellion. But first there would be much death and destruction.
How did you manage to convince her?" "I didn't, sir, at least not in any conventional way. We had a training accident." Medart briefly described the pattern rapport and memory exchange, then went on, "I'm putting her in charge of this mission and going on backup." "Right," the Emperor said. "That's what I'd do; Thark's her problem anyway. I'll pass on the good news to Rick and the others."
They entered the lander and Corina strapped herself into a seat tightly, remembering Medart's caution about Nevan's battleprepped piloting then she made herself relax, closing her eyes, and reached tentatively for Thark's mind-pattern, ready to pull back at the first hint that he detected her touch. They were nearing the Sentinel Mountains before Thark began slowing the Prowler.
Those were trickling in slowly when, a little over five hours after Prowler's arrival, an orange-kilted messenger appeared at the door and tried to attract Thark's attention. He waved her to his side, listened attentively to the message she murmured in his ear, then dismissed her. The last group of Seniors arrived and seated themselves.
Word Of The Day