The Man-Kzin Wars 01 (39 page)

“
M
en do not eat captives," Scarface said.
“
Y
ou speak of honor and yet you lie.
”

“
O
h, I wouldn't eat you. But they would. There are two
kzinrett
here who, if you'll recall, hate everything you stand for."

Scarface looked glumly at Kit.
“
C
an this be true?
”

She replied,
“
C
an it be true that modern
kzinrett
have been bred into cattle?"

“
B
oth can be true," he conceded.
“
B
ut monk
men are devious, false, conniving little brutes. How can a
kzinrett
of your intelligence approve of them?"

“
R
ockear has defeated your entire force-with a little help, she said. I am content to pledge my honor to a male of his resourcefulness, especially when he does not abuse his leadership. I only wish he were of our race," she added wistfully
.

Scareface
:
“
M
y parole would depend on your absolute truthfulness, Rockear." A pause from Locklear, and a nod.
“
Y
ou've got it as of now, but no backing out if you get some surprises later.
”

“
O
ne question, then, before I give my word: are all my crew truly casualties?
”

“
D
eader than this beam rifle," Locklear said, grinning, holding its muzzle upward, squeezing its trigger
.

Later, after pledging his parole, Scarface observed reasonably that there was a world of difference between an insufficient charge and no charge. The roof thatching burned slowly at first; slowly enough that they managed to remove everything worth keeping. But at last the whole place burned merrily enough. To Locklear's surprise, it was Scarface who mentioned safe removal of the zzrou, and pulled it loose easily after a few deft manipulations of the transmitter
.

Kit seemed amused as they ate al fresco, a hundred meters from the embers of their manor.
“
I
t is a tradition in the ancient culture that a major change of household leadership requires burning of the old manor," she explained with a smile of her ears
.

Locklear, still uneasy with the big kzin warrior so near and now without his bonds, surreptitiously felt of the sidearm in his belt and asked,
“
A
m I not still the leader?"

“
Y
es," she said.
“
B
ut what kind of leader would
deny happiness to his followers?" Her lowered glance toward
Scareface
could hardly be misunderstood.

The ear umbrellas of the big male turned a deeper hue. I do not wish to dishonor another warrior, Locklear, but-if I am to remain your captive here as you say, um, such females may be impossibly
over stimulating
."
“
N
ot to me," Locklear said.
“
N
o offense, Kit; I'm half in love with you myself. In fact, I think the best thing for my own sanity would be to seek, uh, females of my own kind.
”

“
Y
ou intended to take us back to the manworlds, I take it," said Scarface with some smugness
.

“
A
fter a bit more research here, yes. The hell with wars anyhow. There's a lot about this planet you don't know about yet. Fascinating!"

“
Y
ou will never get back in a lifeboat," said Scarface, and the cruiser is now only a memory.
”

“
Y
ou didn't!"

“
I
assuredly did, Locklear. My first act when you released my bonds was to send the self-destruct signal.
“

Locklear put his head between his hands.
“
W
hy didn't we hear the lifeboat go up?
”

“
B
ecause I did not think to set it for destruct. It is not exactly a major asset.
”

“
F
or me it damned well is," Locklear growled, then went on.
“
L
ook here: I won't release Kit from any pair-bonding to me unless you promise not to sabotage me in any way. And I further promise not to try turning you over to some military bunch, because I'm the, uh, mayor of this frigging planet and I can declare peace on it if I want to. Honor bound, honest injun, whatever the hell that means, and all the
rigmarole
that goes with it. Goddammit, I could have blown your head off.
”

“
B
ut you did not know that."

“
W
ith the sidearm, then! Don't ch'r
–
don't fiddle me around. Put your honor on the line, mister, and put your big paw against
m
ine if you mean it." After a long look at Kit, the big kzin commander reached out a hand, palm vertical, and Locklear met it with his own.
“
Y
ou are not the man we left here," said the vanquished kzin, eyeing Locklear without malice.
“
B
rown and tough as dried meat-and older, I would say.
“

“
G
etting hunted by armed kzinti tends to age a feller," Locklear chuckled.
“
I
'm glad we found peace with honor.
“

“
W
as any commander"' the commander asked no one in particular, "ever faced with so many conflicts of honor?
”

“
Y
ou,
“
resolve them," Locklear predicted.
“
T
hink about it: I'm about to make you the head captive of a brand new region that has two newborn babes in it, two intelligent
kzinrett
at least, and over an eightsquared other kzinti who have been in stasis for lo
nger than you can believe. Wake
'em, or don't, it's up to you, just don't interfere with me because I expect to be here part of the time, and somewhere else at other times. Kit, show him how to use the airboat. If you two can't figure out how to use the stuff in this Outsider zoo, I miss my-
”

“
O
utsiders?" Scarface did not seem to like the sound of that.
“
T
hat's just my guess," Locklear shrugged.
“
M
aybe they have hidden sensors that tell 'em what happens on the planet Zoo. Maybe they don't care. What I care about, is exploring the other compounds on Zoo, one especially. I may not find any of my kind on Newduvai, and if I do they might have foreheads a half-inch high, but it bears looking into. For that I need the lifeboat. Any reason why it wouldn't take me to another compound on Zoo?"

“
N
o reason." After a moment of rumination, Scarface put on his best negotiation face again.
“
I
f I teach you to be an expert pilot, would you let me disable the hyperwave comm set?
”

Locklear thought hard for a similar time.
“
Y
es, if you swear to leave its local functions intact. Look, fella, we may want to talk to one another with it."

“
A
greed, then," said the kzin commander
.

That night, Locklear slept poorly. He lay awake for a time, wondering if Newduvai had its own specimen cave, and whether he could find it if one existed. The fact was that Kzersatz simply lacked the kind of company he had in mind. Not even the right kind of cathouse, he groused silently. He was not enormously heartened by the prospect of wooing a Neanderthal nymphet, either. Well, that was what field research was for. Please, God, at least a few Cro-Magnons! Patience, Locklear, and earplugs, because he could not find sleep for long
.

It was not merely that he was alone, for the embers near his pallet kept him as toasty as
kzinrett
fur. No, it was the infernal yowling of those cats somewhere below in the ravine.