delighted to hear about
the challenge and received the data with an enthusiasm that as always she found
infectious. He and Kutch would work together on the project, the two men happy
partners in development as joint Special Projects Directors. They worked
together well, with complementary skills and talents, Aaron being brilliant on
the technical side while weak on people. Kutch was strong on the technical but
most importantly provided that important people skills link that enabled easy
working with every other arm of the organization.
Having lightened her data load Regan's mind
drifted back to Gliese, and the expanding Reubus empire.
Perhaps you dominate energy supply for
the moment Reubus my friend, but things will change. I would love to even that
playing field again.
Twelve days remaining before departure for Rigel.
Where is Jared?
* * *
Brian Timu unslung the hunting rifle and
placed it carefully against the twelve point stag he shot earlier. Jared
carefully placed his own rifle flat on the rock and but looked less content,
staring out over Lake Waikaremoana and not really interested in the view from
the top of Panekiri Bluff. His mind was still on his own missed shot from an
hour ago and it was eating away at him quietly. He stole occasional envious glances
at Brian's kill while saying nothing.
Brian broke the silence. "Mate, breathe
out, squeeze the trigger, it works for me."
The boy didn't answer.
Brian grunted in frustration. "Jared,
I've missed more deer than you've had hot dinners; get used to it, sometimes
you just miss."
The boy kicked at a stone, sending it
tumbling into the void and down the cliff face. "I'm just disappointed Sir;
we need to head home soon and I was really hoping . . ." He gazed off into
the distance wistfully before turning back to the man, "But thank you, this
has been great. I really appreciate you bringing me." He kicked at another
rock, which ricocheted sideways off the face . . . and nudged his rifle, which
began to shift, and slide toward the edge. Scrabbling, Jared dived to grab it, a
reckless action on the slope which steepened alarmingly. He quickly lost
control with his momentum carrying him forward over the rifle and toward the
edge.
As Jared vainly clawed at the rock Brian flung
himself forward to grab a trailing hand, just as the boy dropped over the edge.
He jerked to a stop there, dangling in space from the strong arm.
"HAM!" Brian yelled painfully.
Having landed on Jared's rifle, the butt pressed into his ribs with every swing
of the boy's body adding to the misery.
"What are you two up to? This isn't a
time for games." The voice boomed in Brian's earpiece.
Looking across the lake Brian could just
see the Pod drifting in from the north. It didn't seem to be in any particular
hurry.
"Just get here Ham, I can't hold on
forever."
"What do you want me to do?" Ham
sounded particularly uninterested.
"Well do something; can't you just pop
him in there?"
"Hmm, not so easy, how attached are
you to that right hand?"
There was a short pause as Brian considered
the prospect of losing it in the displacement.
"Very . . . so what would you
suggest?"
"Just drop him; he needs to learn a
lesson."
"I'm not dropping him."
"Then prepare for application of plan
A; in five, four, three . . ."
Brian released the hand and suddenly the
boy was falling.
From the Pod Ham watched as Jared initially
flailed and then bunched into a ball, turned one full somersault then extended
into a perfect swan dive plummeting toward the earth.
"Grrrrrrmmm . . ." a sound like
grinding teeth filled the cabin.
In the final second Ham snatched him from
the air and deposited the boy in the Pod; he was still smiling.
"Jared, you must be more careful. If
you let your attention drift from the job at any time - anything could
happen."
"Ha - I knew you wouldn't let me hit
the ground."
"But what if I wasn't there boy? I
might not always be able to help."
"Oh you'll
the challenge and received the data with an enthusiasm that as always she found
infectious. He and Kutch would work together on the project, the two men happy
partners in development as joint Special Projects Directors. They worked
together well, with complementary skills and talents, Aaron being brilliant on
the technical side while weak on people. Kutch was strong on the technical but
most importantly provided that important people skills link that enabled easy
working with every other arm of the organization.
Having lightened her data load Regan's mind
drifted back to Gliese, and the expanding Reubus empire.
Perhaps you dominate energy supply for
the moment Reubus my friend, but things will change. I would love to even that
playing field again.
Twelve days remaining before departure for Rigel.
Where is Jared?
* * *
Brian Timu unslung the hunting rifle and
placed it carefully against the twelve point stag he shot earlier. Jared
carefully placed his own rifle flat on the rock and but looked less content,
staring out over Lake Waikaremoana and not really interested in the view from
the top of Panekiri Bluff. His mind was still on his own missed shot from an
hour ago and it was eating away at him quietly. He stole occasional envious glances
at Brian's kill while saying nothing.
Brian broke the silence. "Mate, breathe
out, squeeze the trigger, it works for me."
The boy didn't answer.
Brian grunted in frustration. "Jared,
I've missed more deer than you've had hot dinners; get used to it, sometimes
you just miss."
The boy kicked at a stone, sending it
tumbling into the void and down the cliff face. "I'm just disappointed Sir;
we need to head home soon and I was really hoping . . ." He gazed off into
the distance wistfully before turning back to the man, "But thank you, this
has been great. I really appreciate you bringing me." He kicked at another
rock, which ricocheted sideways off the face . . . and nudged his rifle, which
began to shift, and slide toward the edge. Scrabbling, Jared dived to grab it, a
reckless action on the slope which steepened alarmingly. He quickly lost
control with his momentum carrying him forward over the rifle and toward the
edge.
As Jared vainly clawed at the rock Brian flung
himself forward to grab a trailing hand, just as the boy dropped over the edge.
He jerked to a stop there, dangling in space from the strong arm.
"HAM!" Brian yelled painfully.
Having landed on Jared's rifle, the butt pressed into his ribs with every swing
of the boy's body adding to the misery.
"What are you two up to? This isn't a
time for games." The voice boomed in Brian's earpiece.
Looking across the lake Brian could just
see the Pod drifting in from the north. It didn't seem to be in any particular
hurry.
"Just get here Ham, I can't hold on
forever."
"What do you want me to do?" Ham
sounded particularly uninterested.
"Well do something; can't you just pop
him in there?"
"Hmm, not so easy, how attached are
you to that right hand?"
There was a short pause as Brian considered
the prospect of losing it in the displacement.
"Very . . . so what would you
suggest?"
"Just drop him; he needs to learn a
lesson."
"I'm not dropping him."
"Then prepare for application of plan
A; in five, four, three . . ."
Brian released the hand and suddenly the
boy was falling.
From the Pod Ham watched as Jared initially
flailed and then bunched into a ball, turned one full somersault then extended
into a perfect swan dive plummeting toward the earth.
"Grrrrrrmmm . . ." a sound like
grinding teeth filled the cabin.
In the final second Ham snatched him from
the air and deposited the boy in the Pod; he was still smiling.
"Jared, you must be more careful. If
you let your attention drift from the job at any time - anything could
happen."
"Ha - I knew you wouldn't let me hit
the ground."
"But what if I wasn't there boy? I
might not always be able to help."
"Oh you'll
Similar Books
