Part 72 (1/2)

Basil said: Yes.

Aiken said: Name your gratuity.

Basil said: One day's rest. Then while the others get on with the ferrying and reactivation I wish to climb to the summit of Monte Rosa. Alone. If I have not returned after three days you will a.s.sume that I have perished in the attempt. No one must risk his life or these aircraft in futile rescue manoeuvres. This is the only personal request I make of you.

Aiken said: It is granted.

Phronsie Gillis set aside her book-plaque of Grey Lensman and stared out of the flight-deck port of Old Number One at the thickening blizzard. ”Sweet chariot, just look at that snow. If it's coming down like this on top of the mountain, poor Basil's quickfrozen by now. He hasn't got a Chinaman's chance.”

Miss w.a.n.g looked up from her feng-huang embroidery and said plaintively, ”I wish you would use less offensive metaphors.”

”Honey,” Phronsie retorted, ”I got insults for every race, ethnic group, religious faith, and s.e.xual orientation. Nothin' personal.”

Miss w.a.n.g hung her head and sniffled. ”Basil was a good leader. I shall miss him.”

”We all will,” said Stan Dziekonski. He slapped his cards on the navigator's tank. ”Gin.”

The three other cardplayers tossed in their hands gloomily.

”Can't you catch anything with your farsight?” Ookpik demanded of Bleyn.

The Champion shook his great blond head. ”It's the storm.

If Elizabeth is frustrated in her attempts to locate Basil, how shall I hope to succeed? And there is no response to our telepathic calls.”

”We have already waited longer than the specified time,”

Ochal the Harper told them. ”We'll have to go.”

”d.a.m.n the specified time!” Phronsie shouted, whacking the console of Old Number One with her book. ”You go off with Stan and Ooky in Number Two, Lord Harper, and let us hang on here another day. Bleyn won't mind-will you, Champ?”

Bleyn said, ”Both s.h.i.+ps must go, Phronsie. We are the last, and it was Basil himself who laid down the conditions.”

”He did,” said Miss w.a.n.g in a small miserable voice. She wiped her nose on her sleeve, took the pilot's seat, and began the preflight very slowly. ”Phronsie, please take the power readouts.”

There was a collective exhalation of breath from the others.

Stan said, ”Well, guess Ooky and Lord Harper and I better slog back to Two.”

”Yes,” said Bleyn. ”See you in Goriah.”

The departing trio pulled up hoods, zipped anoraks, and stuffed their hands into mittens. They shuffled back to the belly hatch. When Miss w.a.n.g cracked it open, the blizzard moaned a dirge.

”Rho-field generators looking good,” said Phronsie. ”Environmentals go. Hatch secure.”

Miss w.a.n.g stifled a sob. ”R-power to the external web. Wings back full. Ready for lift.”

Phronsie spoke into the RF com. ”You guys safe in Two, come back?”

”Affirm,” said Ookpik. ”And Harper did another scan while we were outside. Zip to the nth. But Basil's where he wanted to be.”