Runaway World

Return to Work

     "If they don't make it, for some reason," said Philip, "are they likely to blame New London? Those army guys seemed rather paranoid and we've got two soldier boys here with us who look like they're just waiting for an excuse to fill us full of holes."

     Andrew couldn't keep his eyes from flicking around to the soldier watching him from the doorway. He grinned back at him. "I wouldn't worry about them," he said. "They know they can't get back to their city without us to drive the rovers. They kill us, they kill themselves." He was rewarded by the sight of the man's grin wavering a little.

     "They've got their own rover," pointed out Valentina, who had also appeared beside Lungelo and had been helping to console him. She let go of him now, though, and gave her full attention to the screen in front of her. "The life support systems will keep then alive for months. Plenty of time for the IceRunner to get back and go rescue them. All they've got to do is follow our tracks."

     "Their rover is ancient," said Philip, though. "I admire the courage of men willing to go on a ten thousand kilometre round trip in a vehicle cobbled together from spare parts."

     "Once they're within a few hundred klicks of the city they can call on New London for help if they need it," said Andrew.

     "Which would give New London hostages they can exchange for New Philadelphia's hostages," Philip replied. "They may have been ordered not to let themselves be taken alive at any cost."

     "Would they obey an order like that?" asked Valentina. "Do they have that kind of loyalty?"

     Andrew didn't think it was a good idea to question the loyalty of men who were pointing guns at her at that very moment. And as the only New Londoner who didn't have a loved one held hostage back in New Philadelphia, the soldiers would be keeping a particularly close watch over her.

     "I'm pretty sure they would," he said, just to placate the soldiers. They were all going to be in close quarters for several weeks yet. They would have to get along with each other. "We know they've been told not to go any closer to New London than they have to. They're going to stop the moment they're in contact with the satellite and make their demands from a safe distance."

     "Their demands," said Susan under her breath. "I wonder how the council will react to being given demands. Do this if you want to see your people again. If you want the dysprosium you need."

     "Always negotiate from a position of strength," said Joe, appearing behind his father. "And if you don't have a position of strength, you pretend you do. That's been known for thousands of years."

     "But the very fact that you had to take hostages means that you're not in a position of strength," said Philip, giving his son a cold look. "Taking hostages is a sign of weakness, not strength."

     "We don't know exactly what they've been told to say," Valentina reminded him. "I suggest we put them out of our minds and concentrate on getting safely back to LaSalle. We've got several weeks of work ahead of us before we need to worry about anyone other than ourselves."

     "You're right," said Andrew. "So let's go. I'll take the lead. Everyone turn on your tracking systems. All we've got to do is follow our own tracks back to the habitat so it'll be a nice easy drive."

     At that moment Grey, the other soldier, appeared beside his companion in the doorway. "Everything okay up here?" he asked.

     "Pretty much," Arness replied. "Some of them seem unsure of our loyalty to the city, but apart from that..."