Freedom's Landing by Anne McCaffrey Read Free Book Online Page B

were now homing in on the crates. Reinforcements were needed.
    â€œC’mon, you,” Mitford said to Mahomet and jerked his head to indicate the Catteni should move with them. “And you,” he added coldly to Kris.
    Kris briefly considered a belated apology to Arnie and decided not to make the effort. Arnie didn’t seem the forgiving type and she might even make matters worse. Mahomet had not moved and when two of the men swiped at him with their knives, he ignored them and gestured for Kris to precede him. Quickly she fell in behind Mitford, hearing the surprised exclamations from the men.
    â€œSee how well he knows her,” one of them said in a salacious tone of voice.
    â€œShe conked him, didn’t she?”
    â€œYeah, but before or after, Murph?”
    â€œBefore, Murph,” she answered for herself, making her voice as strident as she could. That wasn’t too difficult considering how scared she was. The situation had turned very ugly. “And that goes for
anyone
with the same dirty ideas.”Looking straight ahead, she strode as confidently as she could back to the crates.
    Once there, Mitford signed two of the men to take her and Mahomet behind the crates until he was finished with the new arrivals. He jumped up to his vantage point and, arms cocked on his belt, began his spiel. “I’m here to see that these supplies get doled out properly. So one at a time.” He repeated the advice in lingua Barevi, speaking with a fluency that Kris hadn’t expected.
    Arnie was helping Mitford on the crates but some of those who had been lounging on the ground behind the barricade got curious and wandered up to Kris and Mahomet.
    â€œWhat’s with the Cat?”
    â€œMitford’s going to question him,” said the lankier of the two, a good head taller than Kris and nearly as tall as Mahomet.
    â€œOkay, Murph, give Arnie a hand with the supplies now,” Mitford said, jumping down. “Now, Cat, tell me why we should keep you alive.”
    â€œWhat is needed to know?” Mahomet asked in Barevi, his voice even, his manner diplomatic.
    Kris let relief flood through her. Thank God he had sense enough—for a Catteni—to know how dangerous his situation was.
    â€œWhere we are. Who lives here. Any bad animals. What can we eat that won’t kill us.” Mitford tapped the blanket where his ration bars were stashed. “These won’t last long.”
    Mahomet let out a dry rasp, tried to clear his throat to form words. Kris knew he’d be as dry as anyone else but she didn’t dare ask for the favor of water for him. She mustn’t be seen to favor, much less help, him.
    â€œHere, give me that cup, Bass,” Mitford said, snapping his fingers at one of the onlookers who had a cup in his hand.
    â€œHuh? Give a Cat a drink?”
    â€œIf that helps him tell us what we need to know. Give it. You’ve been guzzling water for the past hour.”
    â€œI like that!” But Bass handed over the cup. “I want it back.”
    Mahomet held up his own cup and, with a nod of his head toward Bass, accepted the water Mitford doled out. He took a small sip, rinsing his mouth, and then a longer one.
    â€œI remember some details. This planet surveyed. I did not read all.”
    â€œWhat did you read then?” Mitford demanded.
    â€œLonger day, mild climate, some…” He frowned, trying to find the words, “species not other found. Three types deathly.” He paused for another sip and then circled the cup to indicate the field. “Better go from here soon. Open field dangerous.”
    â€œThen why was we put down here?” Arnie demanded from his vantage on the crates. “So we could all get killed?”
    â€œNo.” Mahomet shook his head, a rueful grin on his lips. “To live, to fight what is here. This how Catteni settle planets—the not easy ones.” He finished the water then,