Beowulf's Children by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Steven Barnes Read Free Book Online Page A

nests, destroying eggs in a battle for territory.
    After the Grendel Wars, the Firsts had helped their imported organisms along. You could still get arguments among both Earth Born and Star Born on whether they'd given them too much help in competing with native life, but it was hard to blame those who favored the familiar Earth organisms over Avalon's. "Samlon," the grendel's larval stage, had seemed so harmless, until they changed... who knew what might next grow fangs and claws? So an orgy of slaughter had ensued. The creatures of Earth completely dominated Camelot, this small island corner of Avalon.
    Justin stood and stretched lazily. "I'm going to see Carlos. Staying here?"
    "Sure." She slipped off her sandals and pants. She wore bright blue underpants, which contrasted beautifully with her long, muscular tanned legs. With barely a splash, she slipped into the tank with Quanda and Hipshot, who immediately glided over to investigate. Jessica dove under, then came up and spit out a mouthful of water. "Should only take an hour or so to get the preliminary reports. Inquiring minds want to know."
    "You've been reading those tabloids again."
    "The twentieth century's highest cultural achievement Seems they spent all their time hunting something called Bigfoot, or triangulating Elvis sightings."
    "Who?"
    "Mid-twentieth-century pop singer. Died of fame."
    "So should we all."
    "On this backwater? Not likely."
    Jessica vanished back beneath the surface. Quanda came up beneath her. Jessica firmly grabbed a fin, and let Quanda take her for a ride around the tank.
     

Chapter 3
     
    ICE ON THEIR MINDS
    All happy families resemble each other, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
    LEO TOLSTOY, Anna Karenina
     
    Justin chuckled as he headed toward Avalon Town's main street. Jess amused him. Saving the eel was just like her. Had she done it only to antagonize Zack? She usually had several reasons for anything she did.
    He swiveled aside to let a stream of half-naked boys and girls playing some spontaneously generated variant of tag scamper past. They giggled and sang, tripped, rolled ignoring their bruised shins and shoulders, and ran out into the fields. The game might progress until midnight, when exhaustion, not security, dictated an end to play. The grendels were dead. The only things that could harm a human child were the dogs, and they wouldn't. Children had never been safer, nor held more precious.
    The streets of Camelot were broad and well paved, with private gardens where vegetables and fruits were nurtured into bloom. Intimate hothouses and hobby sheds were tucked along every byway.
    Justin's favorite garden was behind Carolyn McAndrews's place. In neat, furrowed rows she cultivated roses, carnations, tulips, and daisies. Within the plastic-sheet walls of her hothouse lived Avalon's greatest-and only-orchid collection. Human shapes moved inside the hothouse: Carolyn herself, followed closely by a small brood of children. She had seven in all, three fast after the Wars, and another four in more leisurely fashion. The latest was barely out of diapers. The oldest two had children of their own. Coleen, the youngest of the first group, still lived at home, but lately she spent most of her time studying. Coleen wanted to go back to the stars.
    She'll outgrow that, Justin thought. He had. It wasn't possible, not now, not in Coleen's lifetime. There was just too much to do with this world before they could rebuild and refuel Geographic-and beyond that was the problem no one could solve. Slower-than-light travel meant decades between stars. Stay awake and die of boredom, or go into frozen sleep and risk hibernation instability, ice on my mind. He shuddered.
    He saw motion through the plastic, and hurried past. Carolyn McAndrews was coming out of the greenhouse. He was out of sight before she emerged.
    Carolyn had been like an aunt to him until he was twelve or so. He had sensed her withdrawal without understanding it. She