Jinx on a Terran Inheritance by Brian Daley Read Free Book Online

and melting ice, dirt and debris. Redlock glanced at him but didn't answer, going back to his council of war.
    Floyt caught Alacrity's shoulder. "This doesn't have anything to do with us, you know, or with what we came here for."
    "Ho, I have to get a look inside that Precursor site."
    "Is there any point in asking you why, goddammit? No, never mind; you'll only get vague on me again."
    Floyt was also puzzled that the Earthservice conditioning didn't force Alacrity to hold back from becoming involved. Something deep within the breakabout must have overruled it on this subject.
    "I'll explain it some time, Ho."
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    "Don't put yourself out. Let's go."
    They were both hobbling a bit. Alacrity showed only an instant's surprise that Floyt was coming along.
    Floyt himself didn't understand it too clearly. Alacrity was still a major factor in accomplishing the mission, so that was a rationale to use against the conditioning. More to the point, Floyt, on his way to receive his bequest a few hours before, had realized that at some time in their misfortunes they'd become friends.
    "We volunteer, sort of," Alacrity declared as they joined the others near the Pearl's main hatch.
    "Wallflowers at the landing party," Floyt muttered. One of the bandswomen laughed.
    The shuttle descended. Below, the stealth vessel had grounded lopsidedly, smoke and flame still rising from her. Seven Wars, studying the craft through a pair of outsize vision enhancers, said, "They're abandoning her. It's difficult to tell who they are through the smoke."
    "What if they're faking?" Floyt wondered aloud.
    "All their systems appear to be out," Redlock observed. "Still, I don't plan to board the intruder. I only wish to secure the site and post guard until the King's Ransom and the other aircutters show. I want to make sure they don't get back in, and that they didn't leave anyone inside."
    He consulted his proteus. "That shouldn't be more than another few minutes."
    The Pearl settled in some distance from the downed ship, with a ridge of ground between them for protection just in case. Alacrity and Floyt followed the others down the ramp, then the shuttle rose again, to stand off and make sure the intruder vessel remained where she was.
    The landing party had been set down near a hill, half of which had been removed. A tunnel mouth, a precise equilateral triangle ten meters on a side, angled down into Epiphany. There were construction lights, apparently rigged by Weir research teams.
    "Underground site," Alacrity murmured to Floyt. "I never heard of one before."
    "Is that why they wanted to keep it to themselves? Weir's people, I mean?"
    "Ho, nobody shares a Precursor find, not if they can help it."
    "Citizen Floyt; Master Fitzhugh." Redlock spoke in the easy, listen-up voice of an experienced squad leader. "If you gentlemen will be good enough to mount guard here, the rest of us will proceed. Our proteuses aren't integrated and they'll be of no use once inside anyway. Recognition signals will be verbal and visual. Our challenge will be 'interlock,' and the countersign, 'downcheck.' Understood?"
    "Got it," Alacrity replied. Floyt was bewildered.
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    The others already had their instructions. The point man was a Celestial sergeant from the Pearl's crew, wearing vision enhancers set for night work. The officer who'd greeted Alacrity and Floyt when they'd first dashed inboard was next, with two more of Redlock's elite. After them would go the governor and Dorraine, along with the Severeemish. The four musicians would bring up the rear and do flanker duty as necessary.
    "About two hundred and fifty meters in, there's a