Part 44 (2/2)
I am not sure we can go back to the ill-rewarding occupation of fis.h.i.+ng. While I would not go about destroying towns with a casual wave of my hand, even if I could control the baleens, I think I could see my way to order the elimination of five embar- ra.s.sments ... I tell you.”
Cora stiffened. So they were to be killed after all, though not for the reasons she had first suspected. It was small consolation to see Hazaribagh wrestling with
the decision.
”You must try to understand my position. My peo- ple and I have made more profit in the time since I'a was destroyed than in our previous thirty years of licensing on Cachalot. We're not ready to give it up.
And while we would not murder the town people, we of the boats bear no love for them, I tell you.
”As to why the baleens have suddenly become sub- ject to organized ma.s.s insanity, I have certainly given it some thought.” He shook his head. ”I have no better idea than any of you. Unlike you, I do not much care, as long as they continue their actions. We have pa.s.sed many whales, many baleen. None have bothered us.
”If we should eventually be discovered salvaging the ruins of some town, then and only then will we have to curtail our activities. But such an operation would make us guilty of nothing beyond illegal con- fiscation of private goods. The court would fine us and warn us, but that would be all.
”Three more months,” he told them firmly, ”at the current rate of destruction will enable my people and
me to make enough credit to quit Cachalot forever and retire en ma.s.se to one of the pleasure worlds like New Riviera. Perhaps at that time,” he added thought- fully, ”we will reveal what we know about the baleens'
responsibility. Thus we will retire as heroes as well as newly wealthy.”
In a perverse fas.h.i.+on Cora discovered she was dis- appointed. She had expected some extraordinary genuis to be behind all this. Instead, the only humans so far known to be involved had turned out to be noth- ing more than petty crooks.
”If you intend to quit in three months,” Rachael pleaded, ”why not just hold us for that time and then let us go?”
”I'm sorry,” Hazaribagh said genuinely. ”I don't think that would be good business. You now know all about our activities. Despite any promises you might give, I'm not sure I could trust you to be silent in this matter. I think it would be safer to dispose of you, much as I regret the necessity. As to the man- ner of your death, I think that it will be ascribed to the general destruction of Vai'oire.”
Two guards shoved and pushed them toward the railing, then down to the lower deck. Hazaribagh followed. A section of rail was lowered, leaving them backed against the sea below.
”You could keep us for three months and then decide!” Rachael argued desperately. ”We'd still be your prisoners. You could kill us any time after. Why spoil your claimed record of not having murdered any- one and maybe have some jealous crewmember ex- pose you for it later in the future?”
”We don't have any jealous crewmembers,” Ha- zaribagh informed her. ”We suffered together. Now we're growing rich together. And we'll all be equally guilty.” He stood back while the guards, who had grown to six, checked their weapons.
”We have reasonably efficient facilities on this s.h.i.+p
190 CACHALOT.
for processing large quant.i.ties of meat.” He finished his drink, tossed the foil gla.s.s over the side. ”We wouldn't want to spoil the whales' record of not leav- ing any bodies to be found. We'll process you as quickly as we can.
”As for holding you for three months and then de- ciding, why should I give such obviously resourceful folk as yourselves ninety days to escape or sow dis- sension or put out a call for help? If I kill you now, then I won't be troubled by such possibilities, and this unfortunate business will be off my mind, I tell you.”
One of the guards stepped forward slightly and raised a weapon. Cora noted it was one of those that fired explosive sh.e.l.ls, and tensed. Hazaribagh appar- ently meant to finish them off as quickly as possible.
The guard sighted down the narrow barrel at Mataroreva.
Something huge and fast flew through the air like an ancient express train, blotting out the sun.
XIII.
..here were faint thumps. Half the gunman went one way. His lower torso and legs stood tottering on the deck while blood fountained everywhere. The im- mense shape landed on the planking, nearly breaking through the tough metal into the hold below. A second guard was crushed beneath it. The others fled in understandable panic.
Hazaribagh was stumbling backward for the near- est walkway leading to the upper level as four and a half tons of killer whale thrashed about and made a shambles of the stem deck, instrumentation, and any human being foolhardy or blind enough to come within range of flukes or teeth.
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