Free Misfits by Steve Miller, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller Page B

laughed.
    "Not snow, no. What is happening is that we
have new water flows in the ocean, new and unstable. This will
affect the--… the--… mesoscale events, the regional weather and
possibilities for local and regional. Weather we cannot predict so
well. We are um--… perhaps aided in that we know where you are and
will be able, to some extent at least, to concentrate our efforts
in predicting for you. It would be best for us and for you, if we
can receive frequent updates. They needn't be non-stop, but perhaps
a reading each orbit or two that we travel overhead--…"
    "That's what--about fifteen times a day?"
She chewed her lip. "I'll see what we can do. Might need to add
somebody to the talk list--… but if mostly you need the unit
switched on, we ought to be good for that."
    A pause then, and then Brunner's voice came
as if he was partly turned away from the mike.
    "Yes, we will monitor at all times, but will
expect voice communication as you need, else three times per day.
Perhaps you should take our tide warnings and we will set a
schedule from there?"
    "I can do that. Send away!"
    * * *
    Brunner woke, his body already calling for
tea and chernubia. He kept time now by the next time he was needed
at the microphone, or what sort of weather was imminent. It
happened that this time, his waking and first meal coincided with
the day's first scheduled report from the surface, where Lizardi's
Lunatics slowly moved through the smoldering remains of what had
once been a vast forest toward an abandoned hilltop farmstead,
hoping to find shuttles waiting to bear them to the station.
    That there would actually be shuttles--that
sat between the Scout and the station master.
    He heard raised voices as he approached the
weather room, one of them Boylan's, one the Scout's. Then Jack
chimed in and the level rose.
    "We have to go in!"
    "There's nothing we can do."
    "The chief insists that we cannot land."
That was the Scout, and it hurried Brunner's steps. Cannot land?
But--
    "It's disturbing the science!" Boylan
shouted. "We knew from early on there was little chance--…"
    Brunner ran, bootheels noisy against the
floor.
    "What has happened?"
    His three associates fell silent. The Scout
bowed, slowly, as between equals.
    "I see we need not wake you for this
news."
    Jack stepped up, ushering Brunner toward his
seat.
    "I slept late and had a meeting with the
intern," said Boylan defensively, "and when I arrived, we were
beyond range already."
    Brunner turned to face her, his stomach
twisting. "What has happened?"
    She turned away from him. It was the Scout
who leaned forward and touched the pad, started the recording.
There was noise, bursts of sounds that once he would have mistaken
for thunder.
    "Tech! Recon squad found us a nest of
leftovers. Liz tried to talk to 'em but you hear what they're
saying. Hold them ships till you hear from us cause it looks like
they got themselves some anti-air stuff. Bastard's tried to sneak
in through--… damn. Out."
    "Last orbit?" Brunner demanded, though he
could see the time on the scan. "This happened and no one told me?"
He spun, coming up out of the chair so quickly the Scout fell back
a step.
    Boylan turned to face him. "What could you
have done?" She shouted. "Nothing! There's nothing you can do for
them, Brunner, and the sooner you stop pretending--and him,
too!--the better, for you and for the mission! Mercenaries are paid
to die!"
    Breath-caught, Brunner took a step, his hand
going out of its own accord, snatching up a coffee cup left on the
counter--
    Jack moved, clinks subdued, caught Brunner's
shoulder and pried the cup from his hand.
    "Sorry, Tech." The hand squeezed his
shoulder, perhaps meaning comfort, then Jack turned, cup yet in
hand as he nodded to the planetologist.
    "Let's get some breakfast, hey? We'll be
able to work better after we've had something to eat."
    Boylan looked at Jack, then at Brunner, her
eyes wide and her face hard.
    "Later today," she said, and her voice