But he remembered Tau commenting on the powdered purifier pills at their
first camp.
"That's it!" Tau dug further into his kit, brought out the vial of white
powder with its grainy lumps. Pouring a little into the palm of his hand
he smelled it, touched it with the tip of his tongue. "Purifier and
something else," he reported. "It could be one of half a dozen drugs, or
some native stuff from here which we've never classified."
"True. There are drugs we have found here." Asaki scowled down at the
green mat of jungle. "So our water is poisoned?"
"Do you always purify it?" Tau asked the Chief Ranger. "Surely during
the centuries since your ancestors landed on Khatka you must have
adapted to native water. You couldn't have lived otherwise. We must use
the purifier, but must you?"
"There is water and water." Asaki shook his own canteen, his scowl
growing fiercer as the gurgle from its depths was heard. "From springs
on the other side of the mountains we drink--yes. But over here, this
close to the Mygra swamps, we have not done so. We may have to chance
it.
Pages:
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82