Close to Critical by Hal Clement Read Free Book Online Page B

Swift's men did not announce their coming. They simply came.
    They were unarmed, rather to Nick's surprise, but they approached the hut door without hesitation, almost as though they expected him to stand aside for them. When he didn't, they stopped, the foremost half a spear's length away. He may have intended to say something, but Nick spoke first.
    "What do you want? My friends are all wounded and can't help you. There is no room in the hut. Go to the others, if you want shelter."
    "Swift sent us for wood." It was a calm statement, with no "or else" concealed in it, as far as Nick could tell by the tone.

    "I have only enough to keep my own fire going for the night. You will have to use the other piles."
    "They are used up."
    "That isn't my fault. You know that wood burns up in a fire; you shouldn't have put so much on."
    "You didn't tell us that. Swift says that you should therefore give us your own wood, which we saw you taking, and tell us how much to use."
    It was evident that the chief had seen through at least part of Nick's scheme, but there was nothing to do now but carry it through.
    "As I said, I have only enough for this fire," he said. "I shall not give it up; I need it for myself and my friends."
    Very much to his surprise, the fellow retreated without further words. Apparently he had gone as far as his orders extended, and was going back for more. Initiative did not flourish under Swift's rule. Nick watched the group as it rejoined the main crowd and began to push its way through to the chief. Then he turned and nudged Jim.
    "Better get up, you and Nancy," he whispered. "Swift can't let this go. I'll fight as well as I can; you keep me in ammunition."
    "What do you mean?" Nancy's thoughts were less swift than usual.
    "I can't fight them with axes; they'd be through in two minutes. I'm tired and slow. I'm going to use torches - remember what it feels like to be burned? They don't; I warned them about it when I was at their village, and they were always very careful, so none of them has any real experience. They're going to get it now!"
    The other two were on their feet by this time. "All right," agreed Jim. "We'll light torches and pass them to you whenever you call. Are you going to poke with the things, or throw them? I never thought of fighting that way."
    "Neither did I, until now. I'll try poking first, so give me long ones. If I decide to throw, I'll call for really short ones - we don't want them throwing the things back at us, and they will if there's enough to hold on to. They're not too stupid for that - not by a long day's journey!"
    Jim and Nancy gestured agreement and understanding, and turned to the piles of firewood that almost covered the floor. The fire was burning quite close to the doorway; Nick took his stand once more in the opening, and the other two on either side of the blaze, where they could hand torches to him as rapidly as he might need. Everything was ready when the party returned to the hut.
    It was a little larger this time; Swift himself had joined it. They approached to within half a dozen yards, and spoke briefly and to the point.
    "If you don't let us in to get the wood, my knives will take care of you. You have seen what I mean." "I have seen," acknowledged Nick. "That's why I want nothing to do with you. If you come any closer, it is at your own risk."
    He had never before seen Swift hesitant or uncertain, but for just a moment now the chief seemed to be running over the implications of Nick's words. Then he was himself again.
    "Very well," he said, and swept forward with four spears couched along his forearms. Nick's battle plan had to be scrapped at the beginning; the spears were longer than his torches. He did succeed in striking their points aside before they touched him, but he could not reach Swift even with the spears out of the way. His hatred of the chief paralyzed his judgment for an instant, and he hurled both his left-hand torches at the giant's chest.
    Swift