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Lyda mulled that statement over before answering.
"That's a good observation, Ivan. Sometimes I get so busy with trying to keep everyone alive and
organized for survival that I tend to think thatis the purpose. I've noticed my failings in that area before,
but it seems every time I finally get to a point where I can concentrate on the broader picture, the aliens
gather us up and dump us somewhere else and it all starts from scratch again."
"Scratch?"
"Beginning."
"Oh. A pretty piece of slang there. English is such a wonderful language. I'm glad my intelligence and
memory has improved so much that I'm able to absorb the myriad nuances of it now. Yes, there is the
constant uprooting. That would be enough to drive many people mad, yet here we are, stronger than
ever. He chuckled.  I wonder if the aliens intended that?"
"I don't know but think about how many of us have died getting to here, Lyda said quietly,
remembering all the deaths she had seen and been a party to.
Ivan sobered.  Yes. We're fortunate, I admit."
Lyda gestured toward Shaguff and Spidey and the Hive creatures; all nearby.  Have you wondered if
perhaps those beings have gone through the same winnowing process we have?"
The concept startled Ivan. He stumbled, then caught back up with her.  No. I haven't thought of that at
all, nor have I heard anyone else mention such a possibility. You're a unique individual, Miss Brightner.
You think, how do they say, out of the box. What do you believe?"
"There's no way of telling for sure, Lyda said honestly,  but if I had to guess, I'd say no, for one very
simple reason. I haven't seen a sign yet of them fighting among themselves, and they must be as strange to
each other as we are to them."
Ivan nodded.  That sounds logical."
"Which doesn't necessarily mean it's true. Conclusions are only as good as the data they're based on.
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Since we don't understand how to communicate with any of them other than in a very limited fashion, we
don't really have enough information to say. Privately, Lyda believed the other intelligent beings they
were interacting with were simply one more trial designed for humans, but she was as blind as ever to the
ultimate purpose.
"Look, Ruth said from her other side.  We're getting close."
They had been traveling about four hours. Lyda called a halt so everyone could rest and stock up on
enough of the pseudomushrooms and scrub fruit to last for several days. After that, they entered the first
great hall, with Soo leading the way at his insistence.
* * * *
Lyda split the group into four parties to explore the first corridors and some of the entranceways from
them for a minimal distance. They all led from the hall into unknown terrain. Each party took a corridor
with instructions to return within two hours. Lyda wanted to proceed carefully and compare notes.
When they had all returned and were together again, it was Ivan who reported the most interesting find.
Lyda had remained with a core of five others to provide support if needed, but none of the other
explorers had found anything except endless metallic byways.
"There's a huge cavern at the end of the second hallway that branches from this main one. It's a different
kind of place. We could see a plain of tall grasses and small knolls and big trees that look like firs with
big cones like ... like small furry pineapples. From where we entered, we went to the top of the first knoll
to get a better view of the place. We could see a large band of humans chasing little Volkswagens with
multiple antennas, but they only look like cars; they are actually animals. Their little feet just move so fast,
they resemble wheels when they're in motion. We didn't try to go any closer."
"Did they see you? The humans, I mean."
Ivan shrugged.  Not that we could tell, and I thought it best to return without trying to contact them."
"Good. You did fine, Ivan. So did the rest of you. Now we know where to look for more people. Let's
all eat and get some sleep, then start that way tomorrow."
Lyda posted the guards as she did every  night". Like most of the environments they were subjected to,
there was continuous daylight. She had become so used to it by now that it didn't bother her, nor many of
the others.
The next day, she led the way toward the cavern, which Ivan had told her was very large but not
unlimited.
* * * *
They ran into trouble almost immediately. It was no little animals the size of the German cars, but what
resembled a dinosaur from earth, like one of the predecessors of Tyranosaurus Rex. It stood over eight
feet tall and had the same great hindquarters, but its forelegs extended far enough from the body to be
useful. They were tipped with four clawed digits that could function together like a hand. This was
evidenced by the snapped off trunk of a sapling, which it was using as a club to beat off the attacking
humans, who were armed with makeshift spears.
The sight of Lyda's group interrupted the battle long enough for the dinosaur to break through the circle
of humans and stride off at an angle between Lyda's group and the others. Several of the people who had
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been attacking began yelling something at them. They were just far enough away for the intermixed calls
to be undecipherable. Lyda found out what they were hollering about only when she heard a scream from
Ruth.
Lyda whirled around. A second great reptile was charging them, obviously having heard the cries of its
own kind and was coming to the rescue. It bowled several people off their feet and made directly for
Lyda, as if it somehow knew she was the driving force behind this party of humans. Its head was lowered
with its toothed jaws gaped open, ready to snap her body in two.
There was nothing Lyda could do except take the second before the dino was upon her to crouch and
prepare to dodge, if she could. She never got a chance to find out whether or not she would have [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]