Terra's World by Mitch Benn Read Free Book Online Page A

alarm.
    Strannit struggled out into the umbilical and looked at the closed hatch. There was a small triangular window set into it. Looking through this window was the smiling face of the perfectly conscious Ymn girl.
    - The Walkers of the True Path, is it? Be sure to give them my regards and tell them I’m sorry I couldn’t make it, said Terra.
    - Open that door! shouted Strannit.
    - Now why would I want to do that? Terra replied.
    Strannit’s mind raced. His powers of persuasion were legendary, if he did say so himself. He had urgent need of them now.
    - I’m sure we can come to some sort of arrangement. He smiled.
    - We have come to an arrangement. I’m in here and you’re out there , said Terra. I like this arrangement.
    - Now be reasonable, young Ymn, said Strannit with his most ingratiating simper. What have I done to you?
    Terra’s nose wrinkled and her eyebrows became horizontal. - You mean other than hire a giant insect to abduct me so you can sell me to a bunch of savages? she asked. Is that a trick question?
    - It was business! squeaked Strannit. A simple transaction! Nothing personal!
    - I’m a person. Everything you do to a person is personal. Terra frowned.
    While Strannit struggled to think of a smooth rejoinder (and found none) he noticed that Terra’s attention had moved from him to something on the other side of the hatch.
    - What are you doing? gibbered Strannit, his face now sky-blue.
    - I’m trying to figure out these door controls. Is it the big orange pad that releases the umbilical?
    - Y-yes, stammered Strannit. It’s on a twelve-blip delay.
    - Oh. Well, I’d get back into that little ship and shut the hatch if I were you, ’cos I pressed it about four blips ago . Terra smiled.
    - No! No, look . . . Strannit pointed to the chest of ingots on the floor behind him. I’ve got money!
    - I don’t want your money, I’ve got your ship. Bye now . And Terra turned away.
    Strannit scrambled into the Tastak ship and fumbled with the hatch controls. The umbilical started to make a high-pitched pinging sound. At the exact moment the little ship’s hatch clicked shut, the umbilical disengaged. The whoosh of escaping gas sent the Tastak craft drifting away from his trading vessel; Strannit toppled over with the sudden movement.
    Billy looked through the hatch window at the wasp-like Tastak ship as it drifted away. ‘So that’s what it looks like,’ he said, reaching into his pocket and switching off the translation cube. Billy became aware that Terra was gazing at him in admiration.
    ‘What?’
    ‘That was . . . AMAZING ,’ said Terra.
    Billy shrugged. ‘Did the trick.’
    ‘What was that voice supposed to be? Clint Eastwood?’
    ‘Bit of Clint, bit of Jason Statham, bit of all-purpose tough guy.’ Billy grinned, then coughed and rubbed his neck. ‘Glad we got rid of the fat blue bloke when we did, my throat’s killing me.’
    ‘It was YOU who got rid of him.’ Terra beamed.
    ‘It was your plan,’ said Billy.
    ‘Yes, but, you played it so . . . How did you come up with all that?’
    Billy smiled. ‘Remember, I go to that improv workshop at the Youth Theatre on Saturdays? Kept trying to persuade you to come along but you wouldn’t. And there’s the Golden Rule.’
    Terra’s nose wrinkled. ‘Golden Rule?’
    ‘When in doubt, just ask yourself: what would James Bond do?’
    Terra shook her head and smiled. ‘It’s amazing you’ve lived this long. Come on, we’ve got another spaceship to try to figure out.’
    * * *
     
    Strannit saw his ship drift out of sight and then gazed glumly at the interior of the Tastak vessel. On the navigation console lay the navigation computer, ripped from its housing, a mess of crystal circuits and bio-cabling. In a little while the Walkers would arrive to collect their prize. He doubted he’d have drifted far enough by then.
    Strannit took a deep breath. It was fine, it was all right; he could explain everything. He had a chest of Dolfric ingots