[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
what I've always fought to be.
-- Lutt Hanson, Sr.
From the penthouse atop his shop building near Seattle, Lutt saw the wreckage
of his Vortraveler on the concrete pad ten stories below: a charred and
twisted carcass. Workers scurried around it like carrion insects. The shop's
early-afternoon shadow touched the far edge of the wreck, cutting across the
demolished drive section in a wavy line.
Here in the privacy of his own quarters, Lutt dared speak aloud to the partner
of his flesh. "So they didn't return any of your Dreen ship?"
I could identify nothing familiar.
"Zone Patrol bastards! What are they doing?"
They're watching, and the slightest mistake could land us in jail. . .
permanently.
"I have to assume you're right."
Why else do you think I haven't resumed control of our body? I'm still not
sure I could mimic all normal human responses.
"So you say."
I say the truth. Tell me, Lutt, why do you treat your own brother in such
abominable fashion?
"Did you see how quick he forked over the first payment?"
But your father gave you so much.
"Nowhere near enough! You see that ship down there? I'm going to rebuild it
and do it right.
You're going to help."
How can I help? You're planning a very dangerous --
"You don't know the first thing about danger! But you'll learn if you don't
tell me all the secrets of Spiral travel."
I was only a passenger on an automatic ship.
"Don't lie to me!"
file:///F|/KaZaA%20Lite/My%20Shared%20Folde...20Herbert%20-%20Man%20of%20Two%2
0Worlds.txt (91 of 281) [10/27/03 6:59:23 PM]
file:///F|/KaZaA%20Lite/My%20Shared%20Folder/Frank%20Herbert%20-%20Man%20of%20
Two%20Worlds.txt
Lutt slammed open the sliding window in front of him and, before Ryll could
interfere, climbed out on a narrow ledge. He teetered there, one hand holding
a window frame.
What're you doing?
"You think you could idmage our flesh back to life if I dived onto that
wreckage?"
Ryll experienced terror and the ticklings of a memory from his schooldays --
something about separating from merged flesh at a moment of death. All he
said, though, was: You wouldn't!
For answer, Lutt released his hold on the window frame and swayed against a
wind blowing along the ledge.
All I know is it takes seventy Dreen minutes by Spiral to reach Earth from
Dreenor!
Lutt resumed his grip on the window frame. "I've heard of a Venusian hour but
what the hell is a
Dreen minute?"
Approximately 2.57 Earth minutes. Please! Let us go inside.
Lutt ducked back through the window but left it open.
Not daring to try for control of their body lest Lutt dive through the window
in the struggle, Ryll focused on the opening through which Lutt stared at a
distant snow-crowned mountain.
Page 82
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Privately, Ryll thought he would have to tell desperate lies, concealing
innate knowledge of
Spirals known to every Dreen.
"You see that mountain?" Lutt asked. "When you refuse to help me or answer my
questions, I'll hang glide from the top."
Memories in Lutt's mind made it clear what he intended.
Don't do that! Ryll protested.
"Treacherous downdrafts up there," Lutt said. "They can drop you to the
ground -- much farther down than out this window."
You're insane!
"Old L.H. taught me how to get what I want. And you know my glider was
designed only for my original height and weight."
But we're heavier and taller now!
"I've been warned not to use that glider if I gain five pounds. Very
dangerous. This could be real sport."
Why would you take such chances?
"I enjoy danger. You read me and know that."
But you were never this crazy before the accident.
"So maybe the crash changed me. This is the new Lutt."
Ryll did not know what to do or say. The evil situation was getting worse by
the minute.
When Ryll did not respond, Lutt said: "You try to take over our body and I'll
jump out that window or something worse first chance I get."
Ryll experienced a surge of anger. Ingrate! I brought you back to life. Is
this the thanks I
get?
file:///F|/KaZaA%20Lite/My%20Shared%20Folde...20Herbert%20-%20Man%20of%20Two%2
0Worlds.txt (92 of 281) [10/27/03 6:59:23 PM]
file:///F|/KaZaA%20Lite/My%20Shared%20Folder/Frank%20Herbert%20-%20Man%20of%20
Two%20Worlds.txt
"What's that funny smell?" Lutt demanded.
Smell? Oh, that's the odor of Dreen rage.
As he revealed this, Ryll knew he had made a mistake.
"Kind of a floral perfume," Lutt said. "I'll remember it. I wish Morey gave
off signals like that. Did you see how mad he was when he handed me the
money?"
He looked angry enough to kill.
"Morey? Kill? He's too much of a coward."
I'm told Earthers change when pushed into a corner.
"Is it the same with Dreens?"
I have no way of knowing.
"Interesting. You know what I like about our arrangement, Ryll? It's how
healthy I feel. And right now, I'm hungry."
Will you at least let me have some say in what we eat? If this gets too dull,
I may become desperate.
"I'll know it when you give me that wonderful smell."
Wonderful? It's a terrible smell.
"That should tell you how different we are. There probably are lots of things
I'd think are marvelous and you'd hate . . . or vice versa. Sauce for the
goose could poison the gander."
Ryll's thoughts went immediately to bazeel.
"I've a great place to eat," Lutt said.
Pausing only to don a dark-blue cape, he ordered up a long Cadichev limo and
drove it himself, much too fast through dense foot and vehicular traffic in
the city streets.
Ryll dipped into Lutt's memories, recognizing their destination when they came
to it. A red neon sign across the front of a high-rise building announced:
"The House of Health."
Page 83
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
what I've always fought to be.
-- Lutt Hanson, Sr.
From the penthouse atop his shop building near Seattle, Lutt saw the wreckage
of his Vortraveler on the concrete pad ten stories below: a charred and
twisted carcass. Workers scurried around it like carrion insects. The shop's
early-afternoon shadow touched the far edge of the wreck, cutting across the
demolished drive section in a wavy line.
Here in the privacy of his own quarters, Lutt dared speak aloud to the partner
of his flesh. "So they didn't return any of your Dreen ship?"
I could identify nothing familiar.
"Zone Patrol bastards! What are they doing?"
They're watching, and the slightest mistake could land us in jail. . .
permanently.
"I have to assume you're right."
Why else do you think I haven't resumed control of our body? I'm still not
sure I could mimic all normal human responses.
"So you say."
I say the truth. Tell me, Lutt, why do you treat your own brother in such
abominable fashion?
"Did you see how quick he forked over the first payment?"
But your father gave you so much.
"Nowhere near enough! You see that ship down there? I'm going to rebuild it
and do it right.
You're going to help."
How can I help? You're planning a very dangerous --
"You don't know the first thing about danger! But you'll learn if you don't
tell me all the secrets of Spiral travel."
I was only a passenger on an automatic ship.
"Don't lie to me!"
file:///F|/KaZaA%20Lite/My%20Shared%20Folde...20Herbert%20-%20Man%20of%20Two%2
0Worlds.txt (91 of 281) [10/27/03 6:59:23 PM]
file:///F|/KaZaA%20Lite/My%20Shared%20Folder/Frank%20Herbert%20-%20Man%20of%20
Two%20Worlds.txt
Lutt slammed open the sliding window in front of him and, before Ryll could
interfere, climbed out on a narrow ledge. He teetered there, one hand holding
a window frame.
What're you doing?
"You think you could idmage our flesh back to life if I dived onto that
wreckage?"
Ryll experienced terror and the ticklings of a memory from his schooldays --
something about separating from merged flesh at a moment of death. All he
said, though, was: You wouldn't!
For answer, Lutt released his hold on the window frame and swayed against a
wind blowing along the ledge.
All I know is it takes seventy Dreen minutes by Spiral to reach Earth from
Dreenor!
Lutt resumed his grip on the window frame. "I've heard of a Venusian hour but
what the hell is a
Dreen minute?"
Approximately 2.57 Earth minutes. Please! Let us go inside.
Lutt ducked back through the window but left it open.
Not daring to try for control of their body lest Lutt dive through the window
in the struggle, Ryll focused on the opening through which Lutt stared at a
distant snow-crowned mountain.
Page 82
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Privately, Ryll thought he would have to tell desperate lies, concealing
innate knowledge of
Spirals known to every Dreen.
"You see that mountain?" Lutt asked. "When you refuse to help me or answer my
questions, I'll hang glide from the top."
Memories in Lutt's mind made it clear what he intended.
Don't do that! Ryll protested.
"Treacherous downdrafts up there," Lutt said. "They can drop you to the
ground -- much farther down than out this window."
You're insane!
"Old L.H. taught me how to get what I want. And you know my glider was
designed only for my original height and weight."
But we're heavier and taller now!
"I've been warned not to use that glider if I gain five pounds. Very
dangerous. This could be real sport."
Why would you take such chances?
"I enjoy danger. You read me and know that."
But you were never this crazy before the accident.
"So maybe the crash changed me. This is the new Lutt."
Ryll did not know what to do or say. The evil situation was getting worse by
the minute.
When Ryll did not respond, Lutt said: "You try to take over our body and I'll
jump out that window or something worse first chance I get."
Ryll experienced a surge of anger. Ingrate! I brought you back to life. Is
this the thanks I
get?
file:///F|/KaZaA%20Lite/My%20Shared%20Folde...20Herbert%20-%20Man%20of%20Two%2
0Worlds.txt (92 of 281) [10/27/03 6:59:23 PM]
file:///F|/KaZaA%20Lite/My%20Shared%20Folder/Frank%20Herbert%20-%20Man%20of%20
Two%20Worlds.txt
"What's that funny smell?" Lutt demanded.
Smell? Oh, that's the odor of Dreen rage.
As he revealed this, Ryll knew he had made a mistake.
"Kind of a floral perfume," Lutt said. "I'll remember it. I wish Morey gave
off signals like that. Did you see how mad he was when he handed me the
money?"
He looked angry enough to kill.
"Morey? Kill? He's too much of a coward."
I'm told Earthers change when pushed into a corner.
"Is it the same with Dreens?"
I have no way of knowing.
"Interesting. You know what I like about our arrangement, Ryll? It's how
healthy I feel. And right now, I'm hungry."
Will you at least let me have some say in what we eat? If this gets too dull,
I may become desperate.
"I'll know it when you give me that wonderful smell."
Wonderful? It's a terrible smell.
"That should tell you how different we are. There probably are lots of things
I'd think are marvelous and you'd hate . . . or vice versa. Sauce for the
goose could poison the gander."
Ryll's thoughts went immediately to bazeel.
"I've a great place to eat," Lutt said.
Pausing only to don a dark-blue cape, he ordered up a long Cadichev limo and
drove it himself, much too fast through dense foot and vehicular traffic in
the city streets.
Ryll dipped into Lutt's memories, recognizing their destination when they came
to it. A red neon sign across the front of a high-rise building announced:
"The House of Health."
Page 83
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]