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"Sit down," he suggested, trying to sound as friendly and nonthreatening as
possible. "We don't have to be un-comfortable yet. If we take turns, at least
we won't wear ourselves out early. That thunderstorm took a lot out of
us."
She did sink down, back against a tree, but said nothing. "You take a pain
pill with a stim?" he asked her.
"I took the stim. Maybe you're right on the pain. I used to go fifteen
kilometers with a full pack in the workout rooms, but this is already more
tiring."
"Gravity does it."
"There was gravity on the ship."
"True," he agreed, "but it's a standardized gravity, just eighty percent of
one universal gee unit.
That's been found to be the most comfortable with the least
complica-tions for long, cramped voyages. Air pressure is a stock one point
seven five kilometers, humidity's forty percent, air is just exactly so, and
it's always that way. Your body gets used to it. Now, suddenly, we're on a
world that's at least one standard gee pressure at sea level, with the air
extra-dense from eighty to ninety percent or more hu-midity and a temperature
that's hotter than we've been in in quite some time, even this late at
night. We're all feeling it. Even N'Gana is feeling it, probably more than any
of us.
He's at least ten years older than any of us."
"He looks pretty spry to me. So do the rest of you."
"It was said long ago, in ancient times, by some ancient soldier maybe just
back from walking half a world and fighting the whole way, that the trick
wasn't not to feel pain, exhaustion, and all the other ailments. The trick
was not to show it, particularly to those below you in rank. I
think maybe
Mogutu's probably in the best shape of any of us, and I can tell by how he
reacted and how he's moving that he's feeling it, too."
"Then we're never going to make it! If it's this bad now ..."
"We'll make it. It won't get much easier, but, after a while, it won't seem to
get any worse, either.
If we have the willpower to stick out the walk all the way, then by the time
we really need to be in top trim, we will be. At least, that's the theory. Who
knows what's in this brush that might be out to get us?"
"I thought there weren't any large animals left "
"There aren't, or so the good father assures us. But something out here is
dangerous bet on it.
Maybe even our own people. And don't put down plants or insects, ei-ther. Some
of them can be real killers."
"Thanks a lot," she responded 'sourly. "You've given me a lot more
confidence."
"Listen, the biggest threat I can think of right now, as-suming
nobody knows we're here, is
accidents. Stepping off a ledge, even just off a little path that could twist
or break an ankle or snap a ligament. Those more than anything get you.
"
"What happens if that does happen? If one of us can't walk or something?"
"If it can't be repaired and they can't keep up, they'll be left in place with
as much provisions and care as we can manage. It's like the colonel said no
matter how much we suffer, we're doing this for whole worlds of people. Men,
women, children, even furry snakes with tentacles." He looked around in the
darkness. "Speaking of which, I think it's time one of us made the rounds.
I'll do it first I have the experience in this. I'm just going to walk
com-pletely around the camp at maybe ten, fifteen meters out a slow circle
from here to here around them."
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"What are you looking for?" she asked him.
"Anything unusual. I know that sounds idiotic since we're on an alien planet,
but it's the best I can do. Always trust your senses and your instincts. If
something feels odd or wrong, it probably is.
You're picking up something on a subconscious level, but it's a survival trait
handed down from our ancient ape ancestors no matter what Chicanis says. Just
stay here and don't go to sleep. Just watch and listen, that's all. I'll be
back shortly, so don't get so nervous you shoot a hole in me, okay?"
"I I don't think I could if I tried," she answered, but she understood what he
meant.
It was an eerie walk, through territory not scouted by daylight first, but he
tried to keep the circle manageable, listen and smell as much as look, and to
not get himself lost in the portion that was in the grass.
Insects were occasionally biting any skin he had exposed. No worry about alien
microorganisms;
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