Dangerous Planet
CHAPTER 11 For the time that Shirra approached them, Jema did not drop her weapon for a second and kept peering intently at the heaps of things that in some places formed a kind of barricade by their heap. But when Shirra approached both women exchanged smiles and introduced themselves to each other.
"I was so scared," Shirra confessed. "I thought: we are again waiting for someone." "Me too," Jema agreed, nodding her head. She was a little above Shirra and, despite the fatigue, looked more attractive. Now that Stan had the opportunity to compare Shirra with someone else, it immediately caught his eye. "I'm so glad you came," Jema said after a pause, and put her arm round Shirra's shoulders. "After Sean left the river and did not return, we were all alone." "Is there anyone else besides you?" Shirra was surprised. "Jill," Jema sighed and looked at Stan with bright eyes. "It's good that I missed, otherwise I would feel terrible if I fell." "Me too," Stan said, staring at the ceiling and the nearest compartment. "Where do you live all this time?" Shirra asked. "Here?" "No, of course not," Jema smiled, and shook her head. "We come here for food, but we live on the other side. Several cabins were left there." "And how many are left?" Stan asked. "Eight people," Jema replied. "But they all died." "Sorry," Stan said. "Sean was missing last," Jema said, and looked at the gun in her hand. "I even sleep with a weapon." Otherwise, you can not wake up. "I do that too," Stan thought for a second then asked: "And where is your friend now?" "In the cabin," Jema replied quickly. "And anyway ... let's go to us." she smiled and took her hand. "Jill, I think she'll be pleased when she sees you." "Is she so bad?" asked Shirra. "A shock," Jema explained. Then they went on in silence, and Jam only occasionally indicated where to turn and where to be careful not to fall. All this time they moved inside the ship and never went outside. Stan carefully examined everything on his way, but he did not see anything like the cargo hold. Apparently, he broke away even earlier and fell completely in another place. * * * After twenty minutes of continuous looping through the distorted corridors and adapters, Jema stopped near an unremarkable cabin and gestured for them to enter. "Jill, we have guests," she said cheerfully, holding the door with her hand. Stan silently walked inside and stopped in the center of the cabin. True, there was a certain order here, and it was possible to go from corner to corner, without fear of turning your neck around. "Where have you been for so long?" the young girl asked excitedly, rising to meet them. "I already thought that something had happened to you." "It's all right," Stan answered instead of Jema. "We collided on the ship, and there was not a big misunderstanding between us." But ... Stan smiled. "Everything turned out." Jill looked blankly at Jema, and she hurried to explain: "They are the same passengers as us." "Ah," said Jill, in a low voice, and returned to her seat. "She decided you were from the rescue ship," Jema explained in a whisper, turning to Stan. "Yes-ah?" Stan asked in surprise, and, after a moment's hesitation, sank into an armchair, "but you are quite well settled here," he praised. "By the way, how are things going with the products?" he asked suddenly. Before he could answer, Jema exchanged a quick glance with Jill and only then with a smile said: "So far enough. I'm almost every day exploring the wreckage of the ship and always find something." "Hmmm," Stan said, and for a while thought. "How many days did you go?" Jema interrupted his thoughts. "Two." "Oh!" "What's wrong?" Stan did not understand. "I would not venture to leave the ship for such a long time," Jema explained. "These bipeds ..." she did not finish and winced. "By the way, what kind of bipods are these?" Stan asked. At the beginning of their acquaintance, he wanted to find out what these mysterious creatures were. "I already told you ... still that one." Jema smiled and waved her hand. "None of us really saw them, but they quickly, very quickly kill a man, and only bones remain of him." "How quickly do they do it?" Stan squinted at one eye. "Very fast. Within a few seconds." Hearing this, Stan could not resist and whistled in surprise. Such creatures he had not yet seen. "It's something new," he said thoughtfully. "But you will not have to worry about them any more." "If only," Jema smiled wearily and threw her hair from her forehead. "They find and kill when you least expect it." "Nothing, Jema, the hunter will cope with them," Stan reassured her and looked at the open door. The hunter was not there, "Shirra, did you see where he went?" Stan turned his head and looked inquiringly at his companion. "He left as soon as the shooting started." "Where?" "How do I know?" Shirra shrugged and fell silent for a second. "I tried to stop him, but you know: the hunter does not really adore me." She grimaced and squinted at Jema. She pretended to be busy, and began to lay out some boxes. "He'll be back," Stan said confidently, and for a while everyone was silent in the cabin. "Excuse me, Stan, but what kind of hunter is this?" Jill asked who all this time was silent more than others and watched the work of her friend. "An extraterrestrial creature," Stan explained. "I brought him from one planet, and he has been accompanying me for several years. "What's he like?" Jema asked now. "Oh, I must see this myself. A hunter-like creature is difficult to meet anywhere." "And why did you say that he would handle the two-legged creatures?" apparently for Jema this question was of most interest. "A hunter is a telepath; he can tear apart even the largest elephant from a great distance." Moreover, he himself does not differ in size." "It's interesting," Jema said, and, not knowing what else to do, she sat down in the next chair. Stan, unlike her, did not torment such questions and he, having analyzed the current situation, asked his question. "Tell me, Jema," he began slowly. Why this ... like him," he snapped his fingers and frowned. "Yes, why, Sean went to the river, and what was he going to do there?" "Sean?" Jema asked again, and her face lost its gaiety again. "Yes," Stan confirmed. "And where is the river?" "Where the river is, I do not know," Jema replied at once, "but Sean was looking for the wreckage of the cargo bay of the ship. He said that from what could have survived there, you can build an aircraft and get out on it in space. Of course, we discouraged him from this venture, but he went on a search already twice, and on the third – did not return. For the first time two times he reached a river and returned back." "But did he find what he was looking for?" Stan asked sharply. "No," Jema answered after a pause. "I understand that the cargo compartment is on the other side of the river, and Sean, for some reason, could not cross it "Did he go there alone?" "First with Martin and Bart. But both of them died in the forest. Sean died the last. "Jema sighed heavily and looked at Jill. "How are you today?" she asked gently. "Okay, do not worry." Jill smiled gratefully and blushed for some reason. "I see," Stan said, puzzled. The report about the river was for him a complete surprise and, I must say, not from a number of pleasant ones. "Why do you need this?" Jema asked. "Can not we wait for help while we are here?" I've said this to Sean more than once, but he did not listen to me and did everything his own way. "He was right," Stan said. "Help us not wait from where." "And where did you go then?" Jema asked in surprise. "There, where he was: looking for a cargo compartment." Stan smiled and looked at Shirra. "Tell her." "That's right," Shirra nodded her head, and once again carefully examined Jema: she was beautiful. "Hmmm," Stan said again, not knowing what he'd better do: either rest and think it over carefully, or inspect the wreckage of the ship. But Jema, as if guessing his intentions, said: "Sean rummaged everything, but found nothing worthwhile." "Who is he by profession?" Stan asked incredulously. "Engineer of galactic systems," Jema replied. "At least for the past ten years he has worked in this field." "This is serious," Stan said with respect in his voice, understanding that if such a specialist had not managed to glue anything sensibly, then he should not undertake it. At least until the moment when he finds the cargo hold. "All right," he said. "We will solve all problems afterwards." "I also think so," Jema agreed quickly. "Still, it's a great success that we met and, I think, we should note this event, "How are you, Stan?" she looked inquiringly at first to Stan, and then to Shirra. Jill ignored her. "We do not mind," Shirra agreed. "Really, Stan?" "True," said Stan, busy with his thoughts. The only thing he clearly understood was that Jema and Jill would sit on his neck, except for Shirra. And if he pulls such a burden, he did not know yet. Meanwhile, the woman quickly set the table and built a dozen dishes, combining the products of canned food. Everything turned out quite tasty and looked quite appetizing. Stan, smirking, silently ate and half-ear listened to female chatter. He did not interfere with it in his habit, and it was interrupted only once, when a hunter crawled into the cabin. True, after a brief panic, Stan managed to calm everyone down and settle them in their places. Shirra played a special role in appeasing new acquaintances. She was so colorful in convincing women of the safety of the hunter that Jema and Jill believed her, and the feast continued again. "Where are his eyes?" Jill asked, still glancing sideways at the hunter. "And the devil only knows," Stan replied contentedly. "I guess I hid them or left them somewhere." "How?!" Jema and Jill cried at once. "Stan, is this a joke?" "If only." Stan leaned back in his chair and gave them a short but informative lecture on the capabilities and abilities of the hunter. "This is our friend," he finished his speech and took a cup from the table with a drink. "Without it, we would have had to be very, very difficult." Then everyone was talking about what, but everything was spinning around the ship, the position in which they found themselves, and the possible options how to get out of this planet. Jema did not hide that with Stan's appearance, she did not doubt that they would survive and return home. Stan listened to her in silence and only regretted that he lacked the same certainty. But to upset her, like Shirrou and Jill, he did not. Let them think as they want. When the holiday came to an end, Stan hinted at Jema where they could stay for the night. After all that had happened, he was a little tired and was not averse to rest. "Here, of course," Jema said, as a matter of course. "We all lived in the same cabin. Otherwise, the bipeds will destroy everyone." Stan did not really believe in the omnipotence of the unidentified bipeds, but until he himself met them. I decided not to express my opinion and agree to Jema's proposal. The fact that he will sleep surrounded by some women, a little embarrassed Stan, but not enough to get into an empty compartment. He did so, he would be followed by Shirra, and Jema and Jill would surely be offended. When all, at the end, lay down, Stan called the hunter and ordered him to inspect the nearest compartments of the ship, and with a telepathic blow to destroy everything that would fall into his sight. Hunter understood it or not Stan did not know but when he turned off the control unit and touched the dry skin of the hunter, a head appeared from the body, and all three eyes moved to the ugly forehead. Then the hunter slipped silently out of the cabin and began exploring the territory. He was absent a little more than an hour, and during this time, to Stan's ears, there was a kind of muffled noise and someone's shrill screams. With these sounds, Jema and Jill jumped from their beds instantly and with unshakable confidence declared that it was the bipeds that were shouting. Stan only nodded his head with satisfaction and asked them not to worry, saying at the same time that the hunter coped and not with such creatures. | |
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