[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
you should go where you feel secure: the Isles of Cloud, or perhaps back to
Smargash. Wherever you decide, we will go;
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20Vance/Vance,%20Jack%20-%20Tschai%203%20-%20The%20Dirdir.
txt (13 of 81) [2/4/03 10:46:08 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20Vance/Vance,%20Jack%20-%20Tschai%203%20-%20The%20Dirdir.
txt then perhaps you will allow me to continue in the sky-car."
Anacho's long harlequin face assumed an expression almost prim. "And where
will you take yourself?"
"You mentioned the spaceyards at Sivishe; this will be my destination."
"What of money? You will need a great deal, as well as subtlety and, most of
all, luck."
"For money there is always the Carabas."
Anacho nodded. "Every desperado of Tschai will tell you the same. But wealth
does not come without extreme risk. The Carabas lies within the Dirdir Hunting
Preserve; trespassers are fair game. If you evade the Dirdir, there is Buszli
the Bandit, the Blue Band, the vampire women, the gamblers, the hook-men. For
every man who gains a handful of sequins, another three leave their bones, or
fill Dirdir guts."
Reith gave an uneasy grimace. "I'll have to take my chances."
The three sat looking into the fire. Traz stirred. "Once long ago I wore
Onmale and never am I
entirely free of the weight. Sometimes I feel it calling from under the soil.
In the beginning it ordained life for Adam Reith; now, even if I wished, I
would not desert Adam Reith for fear of
Onmale."
"I am a fugitive," said Anacho. "I have no life of my own. We have destroyed
the first
Initiative,* but sooner or later there will be a second Initiative. The Dirdir
are pertinacious.
Do you know where we might find the most security? At Sivishe, close under the
Dirdir city Hei. As for the Carabas ..." Anacho gave a doleful sigh. "Adam
Reith seems to have a knack for survival. I
have nothing better to do. I will take my chances."
"I'll say no more," said Reith. "I'm grateful for your company."
For a space the three looked into the flames. Outside the wind whistled and
blustered. "Our destination, then, is the Carabas," said Reith. "Why should
not the sky-car give us an advantage?"
Anacho fluttered his fingers. "Not in the Black Zone. The Dirdir would take
note and instantly be upon us."
"There must be tactics of some sort to lessen the danger," said Reith.
Anacho gave a grim chuckle. "Everyone who visits the Zone has his private
theories. Some enter by night; others wear camouflage and puff boots to muffle
their tracks. Some organize brigades and march as a unit; others feel more
secure alone. Some enter from Zimle; others come down from
Maust. The eventualities are usually the same."
Reith rubbed his chin reflectively. "Do Dirdirmen join the hunt?"
Anacho smiled into the flames. "The Immaculates have been known to hunt. But
your concept has no value. Neither you nor Traz nor I could successfully
Page 14
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
impersonate an Immaculate."
The fire became coals; the three went to their tall dim chambers and slept on
hard couches under linens smelling of the sea. In the morning they ate a
breakfast of salt biscuit and tea, then settled their tariff and departed the
inn.
The day was dreary. Cold tendrils of fog sifted through the chymax trees. The
three boarded the sky-car. Up they rose through the overcast, and finally
broke out into the wan amber sunlight.
Westward they flew, over the Draschade Ocean.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
CHAPTER FOUR
THE GRAY DRASCHADE rolled below: the ocean which Reith-it seemed an eon
ago-had crossed aboard
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20Vance/Vance,%20Jack%20-%20Tschai%203%20-%20The%20Dirdir.
txt (14 of 81) [2/4/03 10:46:08 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20Vance/Vance,%20Jack%20-%20Tschai%203%20-%20The%20Dirdir.
txt the cog Vargaz. Anacho flew close above the surface, to minimize the risk
of detection by Dirdir search-screens. "We have important decisions to make,"
he announced. "The Dirdir are hunters; we have become prey. In principle, a [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
you should go where you feel secure: the Isles of Cloud, or perhaps back to
Smargash. Wherever you decide, we will go;
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20Vance/Vance,%20Jack%20-%20Tschai%203%20-%20The%20Dirdir.
txt (13 of 81) [2/4/03 10:46:08 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20Vance/Vance,%20Jack%20-%20Tschai%203%20-%20The%20Dirdir.
txt then perhaps you will allow me to continue in the sky-car."
Anacho's long harlequin face assumed an expression almost prim. "And where
will you take yourself?"
"You mentioned the spaceyards at Sivishe; this will be my destination."
"What of money? You will need a great deal, as well as subtlety and, most of
all, luck."
"For money there is always the Carabas."
Anacho nodded. "Every desperado of Tschai will tell you the same. But wealth
does not come without extreme risk. The Carabas lies within the Dirdir Hunting
Preserve; trespassers are fair game. If you evade the Dirdir, there is Buszli
the Bandit, the Blue Band, the vampire women, the gamblers, the hook-men. For
every man who gains a handful of sequins, another three leave their bones, or
fill Dirdir guts."
Reith gave an uneasy grimace. "I'll have to take my chances."
The three sat looking into the fire. Traz stirred. "Once long ago I wore
Onmale and never am I
entirely free of the weight. Sometimes I feel it calling from under the soil.
In the beginning it ordained life for Adam Reith; now, even if I wished, I
would not desert Adam Reith for fear of
Onmale."
"I am a fugitive," said Anacho. "I have no life of my own. We have destroyed
the first
Initiative,* but sooner or later there will be a second Initiative. The Dirdir
are pertinacious.
Do you know where we might find the most security? At Sivishe, close under the
Dirdir city Hei. As for the Carabas ..." Anacho gave a doleful sigh. "Adam
Reith seems to have a knack for survival. I
have nothing better to do. I will take my chances."
"I'll say no more," said Reith. "I'm grateful for your company."
For a space the three looked into the flames. Outside the wind whistled and
blustered. "Our destination, then, is the Carabas," said Reith. "Why should
not the sky-car give us an advantage?"
Anacho fluttered his fingers. "Not in the Black Zone. The Dirdir would take
note and instantly be upon us."
"There must be tactics of some sort to lessen the danger," said Reith.
Anacho gave a grim chuckle. "Everyone who visits the Zone has his private
theories. Some enter by night; others wear camouflage and puff boots to muffle
their tracks. Some organize brigades and march as a unit; others feel more
secure alone. Some enter from Zimle; others come down from
Maust. The eventualities are usually the same."
Reith rubbed his chin reflectively. "Do Dirdirmen join the hunt?"
Anacho smiled into the flames. "The Immaculates have been known to hunt. But
your concept has no value. Neither you nor Traz nor I could successfully
Page 14
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
impersonate an Immaculate."
The fire became coals; the three went to their tall dim chambers and slept on
hard couches under linens smelling of the sea. In the morning they ate a
breakfast of salt biscuit and tea, then settled their tariff and departed the
inn.
The day was dreary. Cold tendrils of fog sifted through the chymax trees. The
three boarded the sky-car. Up they rose through the overcast, and finally
broke out into the wan amber sunlight.
Westward they flew, over the Draschade Ocean.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
CHAPTER FOUR
THE GRAY DRASCHADE rolled below: the ocean which Reith-it seemed an eon
ago-had crossed aboard
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20Vance/Vance,%20Jack%20-%20Tschai%203%20-%20The%20Dirdir.
txt (14 of 81) [2/4/03 10:46:08 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20Vance/Vance,%20Jack%20-%20Tschai%203%20-%20The%20Dirdir.
txt the cog Vargaz. Anacho flew close above the surface, to minimize the risk
of detection by Dirdir search-screens. "We have important decisions to make,"
he announced. "The Dirdir are hunters; we have become prey. In principle, a [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]