recordings I made, if I could get to Earth or Canyon... but even that's too risky." Even in a daydream, the ARM would have claimed his possessions. "But I could read up on the Fringe War before we come back here. Tunesmith doesn't know enough. Maybe nobody does. It'll be like the War of the Roses, or the Vietnam War, or Avenge Mecca: it could last forever. Nobody knows how to turn off a war."
"Stet, take me to human space. Will they grant me my place, my rights?"
Louis laughed. "No. Stick to Interspeak, the way Chmeee and I taught it to you. We'll claim you're from Sheathclaws or Fafnir, grown up in a Kzin-and-human community. They'd expect you to be a little strange. Tanj, why haven't we moved? Hindmost!"
Long Shot was lost in starscape and sunglare, and Needle wasn't doing anything at all.
Louis shouted, "Do something, Hindmost!"
The puppeteer squawked. Then, tonelessly, "Louis. Acolyte. The carrion eater has disabled my hyperdrive motor."
Louis had nothing to say.
The puppeteer said, "I could have circled in hyperspace to hide my point of return into Ringworld system! Now every telescope in the system will be watching while I try to reach safety. We'll be under fire for... two days as a most optimistic estimate. Tunesmith has much to answer for."
"You would have run," Louis said.
The puppeteer snorted an orchestral dischord. Needle swung about.
Clouds of missiles and a score of ships began drifting in from the comets an hour after the Hindmost started his run. They watched it all coming while Needle accelerated toward the sun.
The Hindmost remained on the flight deck. Acolyte and Louis were sealed in their own quarters. They talked of this, voices low, as if they couldn't be heard that way.
Louis watched the Fringe War coming.
The faster missiles weren't a danger. Nothing with high thrust would carry antimatter. You couldn't risk antimatter jarring against its containment. Some ships, particularly those elongated ARM ships, might carry antimatter bullets and a linear motor to fire them, but those ships would be slow, too slow to catch Needle.
Tracking Long Shot gave the invaders no problem at all. The mile-wide sphere was conspicuous and undefended.
On the second day missiles began to arrive. Most of them gathered in a cloud around Long Shot.
Tunesmith had added a laser turret to Needle. The Hindmost shot down the few scores of missiles that sought Needle out. The sun grew large. Louis wondered if more ships waited in the inner system.
"Shouldn't we be making turnaround, Hindmost?"
"That's just what they'll be expecting," the puppeteer said.
Louis wondered what the puppeteer intended. Then, looking ahead, he knew.
How dangerous could it be? Puppeteers are cowards, right? Louis Wu couldn't show fear before a Kzin. Better if he could persuade himself that he was having fun. It's a ride!
But the Hindmost was more afraid of his pursuers than of what he was doing.
Louis took a moment to consider his words. Then, "Hindmost, everything new about Needle, even the hyperdrive, has been built or rebuilt by Tunesmith and never tested afterward. Do you still trust it all? Even the stasis field?"
"I must," the Hindmost said. "Out here I'm prey. Any creature with a telescope might have seen our attack on Long Shot. Are we a mere diversion? Will Tunesmith throw our lives away for misdirection? Louis, he is your kind more than mine!"
Being asked for his opinion of Tunesmith, Louis gave it. "Don't trust him. Take your best shot. Assume he reacts very fast."
"Even if we can reach the Ringworld, I'm still his prisoner," the Hindmost said. "But I will not accept that. I will not. I tire of being put at risk for purposes I don't understand."
"Tell me about it."
Hot Needle of Inquiry had picked up considerable velocity and was still accelerating as it passed the rim wall. As it did, ships lifted from the Ringworld's black underside. Then Needle was inside the Ringworld's arc in a glare of sunlight and a halo of
"Stet, take me to human space. Will they grant me my place, my rights?"
Louis laughed. "No. Stick to Interspeak, the way Chmeee and I taught it to you. We'll claim you're from Sheathclaws or Fafnir, grown up in a Kzin-and-human community. They'd expect you to be a little strange. Tanj, why haven't we moved? Hindmost!"
Long Shot was lost in starscape and sunglare, and Needle wasn't doing anything at all.
Louis shouted, "Do something, Hindmost!"
The puppeteer squawked. Then, tonelessly, "Louis. Acolyte. The carrion eater has disabled my hyperdrive motor."
Louis had nothing to say.
The puppeteer said, "I could have circled in hyperspace to hide my point of return into Ringworld system! Now every telescope in the system will be watching while I try to reach safety. We'll be under fire for... two days as a most optimistic estimate. Tunesmith has much to answer for."
"You would have run," Louis said.
The puppeteer snorted an orchestral dischord. Needle swung about.
Clouds of missiles and a score of ships began drifting in from the comets an hour after the Hindmost started his run. They watched it all coming while Needle accelerated toward the sun.
The Hindmost remained on the flight deck. Acolyte and Louis were sealed in their own quarters. They talked of this, voices low, as if they couldn't be heard that way.
Louis watched the Fringe War coming.
The faster missiles weren't a danger. Nothing with high thrust would carry antimatter. You couldn't risk antimatter jarring against its containment. Some ships, particularly those elongated ARM ships, might carry antimatter bullets and a linear motor to fire them, but those ships would be slow, too slow to catch Needle.
Tracking Long Shot gave the invaders no problem at all. The mile-wide sphere was conspicuous and undefended.
On the second day missiles began to arrive. Most of them gathered in a cloud around Long Shot.
Tunesmith had added a laser turret to Needle. The Hindmost shot down the few scores of missiles that sought Needle out. The sun grew large. Louis wondered if more ships waited in the inner system.
"Shouldn't we be making turnaround, Hindmost?"
"That's just what they'll be expecting," the puppeteer said.
Louis wondered what the puppeteer intended. Then, looking ahead, he knew.
How dangerous could it be? Puppeteers are cowards, right? Louis Wu couldn't show fear before a Kzin. Better if he could persuade himself that he was having fun. It's a ride!
But the Hindmost was more afraid of his pursuers than of what he was doing.
Louis took a moment to consider his words. Then, "Hindmost, everything new about Needle, even the hyperdrive, has been built or rebuilt by Tunesmith and never tested afterward. Do you still trust it all? Even the stasis field?"
"I must," the Hindmost said. "Out here I'm prey. Any creature with a telescope might have seen our attack on Long Shot. Are we a mere diversion? Will Tunesmith throw our lives away for misdirection? Louis, he is your kind more than mine!"
Being asked for his opinion of Tunesmith, Louis gave it. "Don't trust him. Take your best shot. Assume he reacts very fast."
"Even if we can reach the Ringworld, I'm still his prisoner," the Hindmost said. "But I will not accept that. I will not. I tire of being put at risk for purposes I don't understand."
"Tell me about it."
Hot Needle of Inquiry had picked up considerable velocity and was still accelerating as it passed the rim wall. As it did, ships lifted from the Ringworld's black underside. Then Needle was inside the Ringworld's arc in a glare of sunlight and a halo of
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