West of Eden by Harry Harrison Read Free Book Online Page A

died. Will she be missed?"
    Vanalpè was silent, eyes lowered in thought. When she did speak it was obvious that she had considered her responsibilities and weighed her words carefully. "There has been bad-feeling in this city and many say that Deeste was responsible for that. I agree with that opinion. Very few will miss her."
    "Those few…?"
    "Personal associates. You will quickly discover who they are."
    "I understand. Now send for Stallan and order her to attend me. While we wait show me your city."
    Vanalpè led the way between the high roots, then pushed aside a hanging curtain that shivered at her West of Eden - Harry Harrison
    touch. It was warmer inside and they dropped their cloaks onto the pile beside the door. The cloaks extruded slow tentacles that probed the wall until they smelled the sweetness of the saptree and attached themselves to it.
    They passed through the temporary structures close to the waterfront, translucent sheets fastened to skeletal, fast-growing trees. "This technique is new," Vanalpè explained. "This is the first city to be founded in a very long time. Since the last founding the days were used wisely and great improvements have been made in design." She was animated now, smiling as she slapped her hand against the brittle sheets. "I developed these myself. A modified insect pupa greatly enlarged. As long as the pupae are well fed in the larval stage they will produce large numbers of these sheets. They are peeled off and joined together while they are still soft. They harden with exposure. Nor is this resource wasted. See, we come to the city tree now."
    She pointed to the network of heavy roots that now formed the walls, where they wrapped and engulfed the translucent sheets. "The sheets are pure carbohydrate. They are absorbed by the tree and form a valuable energy input."
    "Excellent." Vaintè stopped under a light that huddled next to a heater which had spread its membranous wings. She looked about in unfeigned admiration. "I cannot tell you how pleased I am. I have read all of your reports, I knew what you were accomplishing here, but seeing the solidity of the growth itself is a different matter. It is impressive impressive impressive." She indicated a repetition and enlargement of the last word. "My first report to Entoban* will say just that."
    Vanalpè turned her head away in silence, not daring to speak. All of the work of her lifetime had been in city design and Alpèasak was the culmination of those labors. The new Eistaa's unchecked enthusiasm was overpowering. Long moments passed before she was able to speak, pointing to the heater. "This is so new you won't have seen it in the reports." She stroked the heater which withdrew its fangs from the saptree for a moment, turned sightless eyes towards her and squeaked thinly. "I have been breeding these experimentally for years. I can truthfully report now that the experiments were successful. They are longer-lived and need no nourishment other than the sugars of the saptree. And feel the body temperature, it is certainly higher than any other."
    "I can only admire."
    Proudly, Vanalpè led the way again, between the curtains of entangled roots. She bent as she went through an opening, holding the roots up so Vaintè could enter, then pointed at the thick trunk that formed the rear wall. She laughed and held out her hand, palm upwards. "It lay there on my hand, that small, it seemed impossible to believe the days and days of labor needed to prepare the mutated gene chains that went into it. And no one was absolutely sure until it grew that our work had been successful. I had this area cleared of brush and trees, insect life as well, then I fertilized and watered the ground myself, pushed a hole into it with my thumb—then planted the seed. I slept beside it that night, I couldn't leave. And next day there was the tiniest green shoot. I can't describe how I felt. And now—it is this."
    West of Eden - Harry Harrison
    With great pride