Free Rissa and Tregare by F. M. Busby Page A

close, but you didn't. I just wondered why all the flash. Well, keeping in practice is a good enough reason."
    "And perhaps I wished to remind myself that I can do some things well." 
    "What-" The intercom's buzz cut him off; he went to answer. From where she sat, Rissa could not make out the words. Then he crossed to the door and opened it. "View-screen cal; I'l take it on the scout-like to see who I'm talk-ing to when I can. I wish I'd thought to bring a portable to use in here." He smiled. "This shouldn't take long." The door closed behind him; Rissa poured his juice back into the pitcher and put it away to stay cool. She waited, and finally Tregare called her. "I'm stuck here for longer than I thought. You may as wel go ahead and have some lunch; I'l snack here from ship's stores. If you want the aircar this after-noon I won't be needing it after al. Al right?"
    "Yes. Perhaps I wil." She cut the circuit, thinking that the only way to hold this man to her was to make herself more of a part to his great project. And the doing, she decided, would not be as easy as the thinking.
    she made a light meal. Afterward she took the aircar down-slope, cruising at medium speed, skimming crests and dipping into valleys. An hour later, she crossed the last ridge-at its foot, the plains began. She flew straight out across their begin-nings.
    She saw few trees, mostly grouped around occasional ponds. A tall grasslike growth covered the gently rolling ground; now it waved in a light breeze. At first she sighted no animals, but after a few minutes a herd-thirty or forty, she guessed-sprang up from concealment among the grass-hummocks. About the size of goats, the creatures leaped and scattered, then grouped and ran steadily off to her right.
    She swerved and dipped for a closer look-they were tan, like the grass, and slightly dappled. Some had three horns; the rest had none. Satisfied, she returned to her previous course. She looked back once; the herd had stopped running.
    The sight of two half-eaten carcasses told her of carnivores, but she saw none. Something dark brown, looking like a small rhinoceros but without a horn, waddled seli-importantly across her course and did not deign to look up or hurry as she passed. She knew of no birds on Number One-when she thought she saw a flock, a closer look showed her a cloud of large, brightly colored insects.
    She looked at her watch. It was nearly time to turn back, but she went a little farther-for on the horizon she saw a shimmer. She lifted for better view and kept course for several minutes, until she saw it was a vast lake-or ocean, perhaps? No-above ground level of the far side of the Hils it could not be an ocean. Yet she could see no farther shore. Stil curious-but resigned to remaining so, this day-she turned back, holding altitude and pushing the car near to top speed. As she neared the Hils she climbed farther, until in the distance she discerned Tregare's plateau; then she leveled off, as near its height as she could determine. She held steady-course, speed, and altitude-until she approached Base One. She had guessed a bit low-she had to lift a few feet to clear the edge, then touched ground almost immediately and taxied to a stop near the cabin. The door was a few inches ajar; as she climbed the steps, Tregare opened it. His right hand held the big energy gun.
    "What-?"
    "The way you came in, Rissa-from below and then straight at me-it could have been anybody, and not wanting to give warning."
    "I had not thought-I am sorry, Bran, if I alarmed you."
    He grinned. "That's all right; it does me good to pull the string tight once in a while. I was only explaining why this hand cannon." He put it back in its place and bent to meet her kiss. Then, "Well, did you get a good look at the plains?"
    "Not long enough-far enough, I mean-but good, yes." She reported what she had seen. "That body of water, Bran-do you know what it is?"
    "Sure. That's Big Sink-sort of an inland sea, and mostly a