"Black, or maybe dark brown?"
Tau looked past him to Jellico. The captain nodded.
"I'd agree with that."
Tau cupped his hands over his eyes for a moment and his lips moved as if
he were counting. Then he took his hands away and stared up-slope. Dane
watched the medic's eyelids blink slowly. "Nothing but black or brown?"
Tau pressed.
"No." Jellico supported his injured arm upon his knees, leaning forward,
as intent upon the designated rock as if he expected it to assume some
far more startling appearance.
"Queer," Tau said to himself, and then added briskly, "You're right, of
course. That sun can play tricks with one's eyes."
Dane continued to watch the finger rock. Maybe strong sunlight could
play tricks, but he could see nothing odd about that rough lump. And
since the captain asked no questions of Tau, he did not quite want to
either.
It was perhaps a half-hour later, and the medic and Jellico had both
succumbed to the quiet, the heat, and their own fatigue, when Dane did
sight a movement up-slope. The throbbing in his feet was worse now that
he had nothing to occupy his mind but his own troubles, and he was
sitting facing the finger rock.
Pages:
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64