Part 8 (1/2)

”No,” Aubrey said. ”Just you. You inspire that reaction in people, Holloway.”

”It's a gift,” Holloway said. ”But as long as we're talking promises, now that you've had your strong-arm attempt, are you going to release the compensation you've been illegally withholding from me? The cost of the initial exploration of the seam came out of my own pocket. Now that you're exploiting it, you're obliged to pay me back. And my dog is out of explosives.”

”Lovely,” Aubrey said. He nodded to Landon. Landon fiddled with his infopanel.

”Done,” Landon said. ”Enjoy your eight thousand two hundred sixteen credits, Mr. Holloway. Don't spend it all in one place.”

Holloway smiled in spite of himself as he walked away.

Joe DeLise was waiting at Holloway's skimmer. ”You didn't steal anything, did you?” Holloway asked.

DeLise smiled. ”I'm sure going to miss you, Jack,” he said.

”Don't get mushy, Joe,” Holloway said. ”I'm not going anywhere just yet.”

Chapter Ten.

Isabel came up to the skimmer as soon as it landed. ”We need to talk,” she said.

”Yeah, we do,” Holloway said, exiting the vehicle. ”You think you could stop telling people that I let Carl detonate explosives?”

”What?” Isabel said.

”Stop telling people I let Carl set off explosives,” Holloway said.

”You do do let Carl set off explosives,” Isabel said. let Carl set off explosives,” Isabel said.

”Yes, but you don't have to tell tell people about it,” Holloway said. By this time the topic of conversation had come over, tail wagging. Holloway petted him. ”I'm apparently becoming famous galaxy-wide for it. I'd rather not be.” people about it,” Holloway said. By this time the topic of conversation had come over, tail wagging. Holloway petted him. ”I'm apparently becoming famous galaxy-wide for it. I'd rather not be.”

”When you train your dog to blow things up, it tends to be noted,” Isabel said. ”And for the record, I don't don't talk about it. The only time I talk about it. The only time I did did talk about it was at that inquest, which I will remind you, Jack, was caused by your own procedural shortcuts.” talk about it was at that inquest, which I will remind you, Jack, was caused by your own procedural shortcuts.”

”You didn't have to talk about it then, then, either,” Holloway said. either,” Holloway said.

”Really?” Isabel said, thinning her lips. ”Because I was under the impression that when one is forced to testify at a company inquest and continuing one's job is contingent on telling the truth, when one is asked 'What other unusual surveying practices have you personally witnessed Jack Holloway engage in?' it might be prudent to describe what they are.”

”It didn't make my problems any easier,” Holloway said.

”Well, I'm sorry my telling the truth about the stupid things you do is inconvenient for you,” Isabel said, in the clipped, quiet voice she used when she was truly p.i.s.sed off. ”Although now that you mention it, your calling me a liar about that and other things at your inquest didn't do wonders for me, me, either. When the inquest gave you the 'not proven' judgment, either. When the inquest gave you the 'not proven' judgment, I I got a markdown in my employment record. It says that my 'judgment might be impaired due to close or romantic relations.h.i.+ps.' I suppose that may be true enough, because I got a markdown in my employment record. It says that my 'judgment might be impaired due to close or romantic relations.h.i.+ps.' I suppose that may be true enough, because I was was with you, which was a clear case of impaired judgment. But it wasn't impaired in the way they thought it was, and I certainly don't deserve a mark against me because with you, which was a clear case of impaired judgment. But it wasn't impaired in the way they thought it was, and I certainly don't deserve a mark against me because you lied, you lied, Jack.” Jack.”

Holloway watched Isabel, remembering the cold fury she'd shown him after the inquest, which this outburst was a pale echo of. ”I told you I was sorry,” Holloway said.

”Right, when you tried to give me that rock,” Isabel said. ”And I told you then that I'd be happy to hear you were sorry when you meant it. But you're still angry with me about something you you did. So I guess I'm still waiting for you to actually be sorry.” did. So I guess I'm still waiting for you to actually be sorry.”

By this time, Baby Fuzzy had come up to Isabel and tugged on her pant leg. Isabel looked down. Baby Fuzzy held out her arms. Isabel picked her up, sat her in the crook of her arm, and scratched her head. Baby Fuzzy seemed to enjoy this.

”She really is like a cat,” Holloway said. The conversation he was having with Isabel had gone bad quickly. Holloway was ready to dump it and start a new one.

”She's really not,” Isabel said. ”That's what I had wanted wanted to talk to you about, before you started hammering on me about Carl and we got sidelined.” to talk to you about, before you started hammering on me about Carl and we got sidelined.”

”Sorry about that,” Holloway said. ”That's a small, immediate apology. I had a meeting with Wheaton Aubrey the Seventh, and it was brought up.”

”I take it the meeting didn't go well, then,” Isabel said.

”No,” Holloway said. ”He condescended to me, I was antagonistic to him, he made a dismissive offer couched in contempt, I threw it back in his face and promised legal action if he tried to cross me again.”

”So, the usual with you,” Isabel said.

”I suppose,” Holloway said.

”The more I know you, the more I realize why you live hundreds of kilometers from anyone else,” Isabel said.

”Let's get back to the thing you wanted to talk about,” Holloway said. He started walking toward the cabin; he wanted a beer.

”All right,” Isabel said. ”These fuzzys. These animals you've discovered. I'm starting to wonder if they are are animals.” animals.”

”I think you'll be laughed out of the biologist club if you suggest they're plants,” Holloway said.

”That's not what I'm saying, obviously,” Isabel said. ”When I say I don't think they're animals, I mean I don't think they're just just animals. I think they're something more.” animals. I think they're something more.”

Holloway stopped walking and turned to face Isabel. ”Tell me you're not about to say what I think you're about to say,” he said. ”Because I know know I don't want to hear it.” I don't want to hear it.”

”I think they're sapient,” Isabel said. ”I think these creatures are intelligent on a level beyond just animals. These things are people, people, Jack.” Jack.”

Holloway turned, irritated, and threw up his hands. He resumed his walk to the cabin. ”You could have told me that before I turned down half a billion credits, Isabel,” he said.

Isabel followed, confused. ”What does that have to do with anything?” she said.

”Zara Twenty-three is a Cla.s.s Three planet,” Holloway said. He paused at the cabin door and pointed to Baby Fuzzy, who now appeared to be dozing lightly. ”If that that is a person, then this becomes a Cla.s.s Threea planet-a planet with native sapient life-and ZaraCorp's E and E charter is suspended. That means everything stops here, Isabel. No more mining, no more drilling, no more harvesting. It means I don't get paid for the sunstone seam.” is a person, then this becomes a Cla.s.s Threea planet-a planet with native sapient life-and ZaraCorp's E and E charter is suspended. That means everything stops here, Isabel. No more mining, no more drilling, no more harvesting. It means I don't get paid for the sunstone seam.”

”Well, I'm sorry you might possibly be out a bit of money, Jack,” Isabel said.

”Jesus, Isabel,” Holloway said. He opened the door. ”A bit bit of money? Try at least a couple billion credits. That's of money? Try at least a couple billion credits. That's billion, billion, with a with a b b. Saying that's a bit bit of money is like saying a forest fire is a nice way to roast some marshmallows.” He went into the cabin. Isabel followed. of money is like saying a forest fire is a nice way to roast some marshmallows.” He went into the cabin. Isabel followed.

Inside the cabin, the other fuzzys lounged about; it had gotten hot and humid outside and Holloway's cabin had climate controls. As Holloway glanced over, he saw Mama Fuzzy had taken a book down from the bookcase and she and Papa were examining it carefully. Closer examination showed Mama Fuzzy was holding it upside down.

”Maybe they're not as smart as you think,” Holloway said, pointing out the upside down book to Isabel. He reached into his kitchen cooler to retrieve a beer.

Isabel looked at him, and then set Baby Fuzzy down. She padded off toward the rest of her family; Isabel headed to the kitchen. ”Papa,” she said. The fuzzy looked up from his book, curious, then headed toward the kitchen.

”Excuse me,” Isabel said to Jack. She pushed him aside to get at the cooler. From the cooler she retrieved smoked turkey, cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard. She set them on the small kitchen table. She closed the cooler, and then reached over to the counter to take the last two bread slices and placed them on the table. Finally, she opened the utensil drawer and put a b.u.t.ter knife next to all the food. She looked down at the fuzzy.

”Papa,” Isabel said. ”Sandwich.”

The fuzzy squeaked in joy.