To Choke an Ocean Page 4

inmind," Bergdorf agreed. "This place looks like something left behind bya cow."

  I couldn't help the chuckle. The simile was too close for comfort. Itilted the rotors and we went down to hover about ten meters off thebeach. Bergdorf pointed down the beach. I headed the 'copter in thatdirection as Bergdorf looked out of the bubble, intently scanning thewaters of the lagoon. Finally he looked up with an expression ofunderstanding on his lean face.

  "No wonder I missed them!" he murmured with awe. "There are so many thatthere's no floor of the lagoon to spot them against. They cover theentire bottom! You might as well set her down here; it's as good a placeas any."

  I throttled back and landed the whirlybird on the beach. "You had yourquota of vorkum?" I asked as Bergdorf reached for the door handle.

  The biologist made a wry face. "Naturally. You think I'd be fool enoughto go outside without it?"

  "I wouldn't know. All I'm sure of is that if you're going to get outhere, you'd better be loaded." I followed after him as he opened thedoor and jumped down to the ground.

  A small horde of siths instantly left the cover of the jungle and buzzedout to investigate. A few years ago, that would have been the signal forray beams at fan aperture, but both Bergdorf and I ignored them,trusting in the protection of the vorkum. The beasties made a tacticalpass at Heinz, thought the better of it and came wheeling over in mydirection. I could almost see the disappointed look in their eyes asthey caught my aura, put on the brakes and returned disappointed totheir shelter under the broadleaves. Whatever vorkum did, it certainlyconvinced insects that we were inedible and antisocial.

  One or two ventured back and buzzed hopefully around our heads beforegiving up in disgust.

  "It beats me what they live on," Bergdorf said, gesturing at theiridescent flash of the last bloodsucker as it disappeared beneath thebroadleaves.

  "As long as it isn't us, I don't give a damn," I said. "Maybe they liveon decaying vegetable matter until something live and bloody comesalong. Anyway, they seem to get along."

  Bergdorf walked the few steps to the water's edge. "I won't even have togo swimming," he said as he walked into the water a few steps, bent andcame up with what looked like a handful of rocks.

  "Oysters?" I asked, turning one over in my hand.

  "Yep. Nice little _O. lurida_. About three years old, I'd guess, andjust ripe for breeding. You know, I've never seen them growing so closeto the shore. They must be stacked on top of each other out there aways. There's probably millions of them in this lagoon alone!"

  "Well, we've found where they're coming from. Now all that's left is tofigure out what to do about it."

  "We'd still better check Beta. They might possibly have reached there."

  "Not unless someone's planted them," I said. "You're forgetting theocean currents."

  "No. I was thinking of planted areas."

  "Well, think again. You may know your biology, but I know Niobians.They're too suspicious to bring untried things too close to where theylive. They've been that way as long as I can remember them, and I don'tthink that anything--even something as delightful as an oyster--wouldmake them change overnight."

  "I hope you're right."

  "Oh, we'll check Beta, all right," I said. "But you can send a couple ofyour boys to do it. There's no sense in our wasting time with it."

  I heard the noise behind us before Bergdorf did. We turned in time tosee four Niobians emerge from the jungle and glide purposefully towardus. The tribal tattoos on their chests identified them as members ofTovan Harl's commune. I nudged Heinz and murmured, "We've got company."

  The natives approached to within a few paces. They stood politely toleeward while one of their number approached. "I'm sorry," he saidwithout the normal introduction, "but this is leased land. You will haveto leave at once. And you will please return the oysters to the lagoon.It is not permitted to remove them."

  "Oh, all right," I said. "We're through here anyway. We'll visit theother islands and then be off."

  "The other islands are also leased property. When you leave I will radiothe other guards, and you will not be permitted to land."

  "This is not according to your customs," I protested.

  "I realize that, Mr. Lanceford," the native said. "But I have given oathto keep all trespassers out."

  I nodded. It wasn't usual. I wondered what Harl had in mind--possibly aplanetary monopoly. If that was his plan, he was due for a surprise.

  "That's very commendable," Bergdorf said, "but these oysters are goingwith me. They are needed as evidence."

  "I'm sorry, sir," the native said. "The oysters stay here."

  "Don't be a fool, Heinz," I interjected. "They're in the right. Theoysters are their property. If you try to take them you'll be in troubleup to your ears."

  "But I need those oysters, Arthur! Probably the only adult oyster tissueon Niobe is on these islands. I need a sample of it."

  "Well, it's your neck." I turned to the native. "Don't be too hard onhim," I said. "He's quite an important man."

  The Niobian nodded and grinned. "Don't worry, sir. He won't feel athing. But I really wish to apologize for our rudeness. If conditionswere different--"

  He paused and turned toward Bergdorf who was climbing into the 'copterwith the oysters still in his hand.

  * * * * *

  I wasn't surprised that he didn't make it. In fact, I'd have been moresurprised if he had. Heinz crumpled to the ground beside the ship. Oneof the natives came forward, took the oysters from his limp hand andthrew them back into the lagoon.

  "All right," I said to the spokesman. "You fellows clobbered him, so nowyou can get him into the ship."

  "That is only fair," the native said. "We do not want to cause you anyextra inconvenience." He gestured to his companions. Between them theygot Bergdorf's limp body into the ship and strapped into one of theseats. They got out, I got in, and in a minute the two of us got out ofthere, going straight up through to overcast to get a celestial bearingfor home.

  I kept looking at Bergdorf's limp body and grinning.

  It was nearly an hour later before Bergdorf woke up. "What hit me?" heasked fuzzily.

  "Subsonics," I said. "They should have scared you to death."

  "I fainted?"

  "Sure you did. You couldn't help it. They hit like a ton of brick."

  "They certainly do," he said ruefully.

  "They can kill," I said. "I've seen them do it. The Niobians generatethem naturally, and they can focus them fairly well. Probably thisquality was one of their forms of defense against predators in theirearly days. It's a survival trait; and when there are enough nativespresent to augment the impulses they can be downright nasty."

  Bergdorf nodded. "I know," he said. He stopped talking and looked outover the sun-drenched top of the overcast. "It looks like Tovan Harlwants to keep this oyster farm a private matter. In a way he's doing usa favor, but I'd still feel happier if I had one or two of thoseoysters."

  "Why do you need them?"

  "Well, I figured on getting a couple of the Navy's organic detectors andsetting them for oyster protoplasm. You know how sensitive those gadgetsare. There might be a small but significant change in oyster protoplasmsince it has arrived here."

  "Well, you don't need to worry," I said. "I put one of your pets in mypocket before the natives showed up, so you've got what you need." Ipulled the oyster out and handed it to him. It didn't look any the worsefor its recent rough treatment.

  Bergdorf grinned. "I knew I could trust you, Chief. You're sneaky!"

  I laughed at him.

  * * * * *

  We arrived back at Alpha without trouble. I shooed Bergdorf back toVarnel with the one oyster and a promise that I'd back him up in anyrequisitions he cared to make. After that I checked up on the BEEbusiness I had neglected for the past couple of days and, finally, latethat night took one of the Base's floaters and drove slowly down thetrail to Kron's village.


  While Earth-style civilization had done much to improve transport andcommunication on Niobe, it hadn't--and still hasn't for thatmatter--produced a highway that can stand up to the climate. Roadssimply disappear in the bottomless mud. So whatever vehicular transportexists on Niobe is in the form of floaters, whose big sausage-shapedtires give enough flotation to stay on top of