Freedom's Landing by Anne McCaffrey Page B

inquiries.
    â€œOkay, listen up!” Mitford’s voice assumed parade-ground volume. “I need some volunteers—you, you, you and you. Roll up your sleeves. We got samples we need to test.”
    Suddenly the press of bodies thinned out as many decided not to be “volunteered” for any other bright ideas Mitford had in mind.
    â€œWas food all that was found?” Kris asked as she moved toward Mitford.
    â€œIsn’t that enough?” a woman asked in an irritable voice.
    â€œIt’s a help, surely, but we need so
many
things to set up a habitable place…”
    â€œHabitable? That’s a laugh,” the woman said and moved away from Kris.
    â€œAll that food could be a laugh, too,” Greene said, appearing at her side, “if we can’t stomach it.”
    â€œAnyone got any idea why there are such stores?” Kris asked him. “And what will happen if the three bears come home and find Goldilocks?” She gestured to indicate they were cast as Goldilocks.
    â€œNope. Zainal hadn’t any idea either. He insisted that the Catteni survey said the planet was uninhabited…”
    â€œWith sentient life forms?”
    â€œMmmm. Yes, he did make that distinction,” Greene replied and then grinned. “Scared the hell outa even the Sarge when they came across metal doors, fer God’s sake, across the cave entrances.”
    â€œHow’d they get in, then?” Kris asked.
    Greene chuckled again. “We got guys in this outfit with some very interesting skills.”
    Kris grinned back at him. “Where are these sesame caves?”
    â€œA good half day’s trek from here, so don’t worry. And no road in or out. How’d they get crops in there without making some kinda tracks is puzzling.”
    â€œStray mechanical things are more nervous-making than some honest-to-god alien creatures,” Kris said.
    â€œIf you say so. Only the Sarge has sent a detail to scout about and see if they can figure out how and from where the silos get filled. He’s calling a meeting this evening anyway, to explain everything. We might even have more to eat this evening, too.” Greene licked his lips and Kris found herself doing the same thing as the tantalizing smells were wafted toward them on the breeze. “I could’ve eaten a whole one by myself.”
    â€œYou didn’t finish off your bars, did you?”
    â€œHell no, and watch yours, will ya? As I said, we got guys, and gals, with taking ways as well as interesting skills.”
    â€œOh, lord, Patti Sue,” Kris said and, ducking around Greene, started back to where the girl still slept. She paused long enough to ask Bart if she could take Patti’s share to her.
    â€œI can count on you give it to her and nobody else?” Bart said, fixing her with a stern eye.
    â€œYes, you can,” Kris said solemnly, and found herself a rock on which to carry the hot meat.
    Patti Sue was still asleep. Her food packet was gone.Someone had rolled the girl over to get at it. Kris fumed and then decided that Patti Sue would just have to take some responsibility for herself. She leaned over, careful not to tip the hot meat onto the dirty floor of the cave, and shook Patti Sue’s shoulder. The girl’s reaction—flailing about with hands and kicking out with her feet—was so unexpected that Kris ended up juggling the hot meat from hand to hand, trying to keep it from dropping to the floor.
    â€œHey, Patti. Easy now, gal. Don’t make me drop your food. It’s hot,” she cried, trying to duck away from the girl’s windmill of limbs.
    â€œKris?” Patti’s voice broke and she stopped her battering. “Ohhhh, you scared me.”
    â€œDidn’t mean to. Sit up, will you. This’s hot! Use your sleeve…”
    Patti rolled down the overlong cuff and using it as a pad, took the piece from Kris who set about licking her fingers