Deathworld by Harry Harrison Page A

head.”
    “A sense of humor,” Jason said. “The only native-born one on Pyrrus. Congratulations, there’s hope for the planet yet.”
    Meta glanced back and forth between them. “I don’t understand. I can’t believe it. I mean a new department — why?”
    “I’m sorry,” Kerk said. “I didn’t mean to be cruel. I thought perhaps you might feel more at ease. What I said was true. Jason has a way — or may have a way — to be of immense value to Pyrrus. Will you help him?”
    Meta had her composure back. And a little anger. “Do I have to? Is that an order? You know I have work to do. I’m sure you will realize it is more important than something a person from off - planet might imagine. He can’t really understand —”
    “Yes. It’s an order.” The snap was back in Kerk’s voice. Meta flushed at the tone.
    “Perhaps I can explain,” Jason broke in. “After all the whole thing is my idea. But first I would like your co-operation. Will you take the clip out of your gun and give it to Kerk?”
    Meta looked frightened, but Kerk nodded in solemn agreement. “Just for a few minutes, Meta. I have my gun so you will be safe here. I think I know what Jason has in mind, and from personal experience I’m afraid he is right.”
    Reluctantly Meta passed over the clip and cleared the charge in the gun’s chamber. Only then did Jason explain.
    “I have a theory about life on Pyrrus, and I’m afraid I’ll have to shatter some illusions when I explain. To begin with, the fact must be admitted that your people are slowly losing the war here and will eventually be destroyed —”
    Before he was half through the sentence Meta’s gun was directed between his eyes and she was wildly snapping the trigger. There was only hatred and revulsion in her expression. Kerk took her by the shoulders and sat her in his chair, before anything worse happened. It took a while before she could calm down enough to listen to Jason’s words. It is not easy to have the carefully built up falsehoods of a lifetime shattered. Only the fact that she had seen something of other worlds enabled her to listen at all.
    The light of unreason was still in her eyes when he had finished, telling her the things he and Kerk had discussed. She sat tensely, pushed forward against Kerk’s hands, as if they were the only things that stopped her from leaping at Jason.
    “Maybe that is too much to assimilate at one sitting,” Jason said. “So let’s put it in simpler terms. I believe we can find a reason for this unrelenting hatred of humans. Perhaps we don’t smell right. Maybe I’ll find an essence of crushed Pyrran bugs that will render us immune when we rub it in. I don’t know yet. But whatever the results, we must make the investigation. Kerk agrees with me on that.”
    Meta looked at Kerk and he nodded agreement. Her shoulders slumped in sudden defeat. She whispered the words.
    “I . . . can’t say I agree, or even understand all that you said. But I’ll help you. If Kerk thinks that it is the right thing.”
    “I do,” he said. “Now, do you want the clip back for your gun? Not planning to take any more shots at Jason?”
    “That was foolish of me,” she said coldly while she reloaded the gun. “I don’t need a gun. If I had to kill him, I could do it with my bare hands.”
    “I love you, too,” Jason smiled at her. “Are you ready to go now?”
    “Of course.” She brushed a fluffy curl of hair into place. “First we’ll find a place where you can stay. I’ll take care of that. After that the work of the new department is up to you.”
     

CHAPTER X
    There were empty rooms in one of the computer buildings. These were completely sealed to keep stray animal life out of the delicate machinery. While Meta checked a bed-roll out of stores, Jason painfully dragged a desk, table and chairs in from a nearby empty office. When she returned with a pneumatic bed he instantly dropped on it with a grateful sigh. Her lip