Deep Space Dead by Edward Chilvers Read Free Book Online Page B

although he was sounding desperate now.
    “You know the rules,” said Kalp. “One ranger team only to complete the first sweep. If you both go out and something happens we’ll be stuck and without any line of defence.”
    Jak looked round towards the rest of the Council, looking for support but the councillors had their heads down. Some had already left. It was clear they wanted nothing to do with this argument and at that moment Jak knew he had been defeated. Only Arianna opened her mouth to support him but Jak quickly shook his head. He knew exactly how that would look.
     
    “You’re putting everyone at risk, you know that Sol?” Snapped Jak, unable to contain his temper. “We need both sets of rangers to make a good stab at this colonisation and Wal just doesn’t cut it. You know that as well as I do.”
    The ranger had followed his rival out of the council chambers and now he rounded on him angrily in the corridor as Arianna looked on.
    Sol shrugged. “This was nothing personal,” he said sternly. “Wal has earned his right to this sweep. He’s up for it and he’s ready. What’s more he’s curious and curiosity is what we need if we’re going to make the most of this world.”
    “It doesn’t matter what the reasoning was behind it. The point is you argued against Jak because you don’t like him,” snapped Arianna. “Because you can’t take the fact he took all the glory last time and now you just want to deny him anything else he has earned through his own talents. I don’t know why you can’t just be happy with what you’ve got. But then that’s the problem isn’t it?” Her blood was up and she was in a mood to be malicious. “You’ve got nothing on Jak, can’t hold a candle to him and you know it. That’s why you’re using everything in your feeble little armoury to try and prevent him from getting what he deserved. Well good men shine through, you know that Sol? Jak is going to be a part of this new world whether you like it or not and he’s going to be a hero too. Meanwhile you’re going to be stuck here calming down drunks and watching the city go up around you whilst you stand around doing nothing as usual.”
    Sol looked straight past Arianna and towards Jak, an ugly sneer on his face. “I should have argued for you to go,” he said with real malice. “At least you would be out of the way so you couldn’t try and win my daughter over as your own.”
    Jak threw back his head and laughed out loud. “Oh so this is what it’s all about is it?” He said sarcastically. “Well you carry on like this and I daresay you’ll lose her of your own accord. In case you haven’t noticed this is a time of hope and optimism, Sol, and you with your bitterness and envy at every turn don’t exactly fit the current mood. Let’s hope you wake up before it’s too late.”
    “I’m already wide awake,” retorted Sol, coming to stand close to him. “You think you’re such a damned hero, don’t you Jak? Well there hasn’t been any need for heroes for thousands of years now, and for good reason. Heroes fall, Jak, and that’s exactly what’s going to happen to you. Just don’t you ever think you’re going to drag my daughter down with you.”
    Jak looked at Sol for a long time and for a moment Arianna thought they were about to come to blows. But at last the ranger turned abruptly on his heel and started to stomp off back down the corridor. “Have a nice evening, Sol,” said the ranger flippantly. “I hope the happy sound of families playing in the fields doesn’t distract you too much from your lonely little dinner for one.”
     
    Jak attended the sending off of the rangers for the sake of appearances so as not to appear churlish. The enthusiasm for Wal’s expedition was just as high as it was for Jak’s jaunt, if not higher. Wal set out with twelve of his rangers in three rover pods. A geologist named Fratia Bel would also go out with them, taking the computer with her so she