Sky Run by Alex Shearer Page B

That’ll take a week to fix at the very least.’
    â€˜It’ll
what
?’ Peggy stared at him.
    â€˜Oh yes. Had a small meteorite land on our yacht, smashed a solar, got my top Drool on the case, took him a week and cost a small fortune. But don’t worry about the cost of yours. You’re our guests. Put it on my tab.’
    Peggy bristled.
    â€˜I pay my way,’ she said. ‘Always have, always will. When I get to be a charity case, that’s when you can start stitching up the winding sheet.’
    â€˜Really, Peggy, it’s not a problem. I’ve told a Drool to get your rooms ready. You can stay with us.’
    â€˜Thanks, but I don’t think we’ll need to. We’ll be on our way shortly. I’ll just go down and check on progress.’
    â€˜Very well. If you insist. If you want to go and look at it, I’ll order the sedans.’
    â€˜We,’ Peggy said, ‘will walk.’
    Reynold looked at her as if she were mad.
    â€˜Walk?’
    â€˜Yes, walk. Back down to the harbour.’
    â€˜But you can’t do that.’
    â€˜Why not? It’s downhill, isn’t it?’
    â€˜Only Drools walk.’
    â€˜We’re walking too.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜We like walking.’
    â€˜But – that’s not how we do things here. You don’t
need
to walk.’
    â€˜I
want
to walk,’ Peggy said. ‘I want to feel the ground under my feet and stretch my old legs.’
    â€˜But –’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜The Drools might think … that you’re Drools too.’
    â€˜Let them think it.’
    â€˜They might try to strike up a conversation with you.’
    â€˜Fine by me. I’ll talk to anyone. So’ll they. Won’t you?’
    She turned to us. Martin and I just had to nod.
    â€˜Well, really … I don’t know what to say …’ Reynold spluttered.
    â€˜Thanks for your help and hospitality. We won’t break up the party. We’ll just slip out. Say goodbye to Tania for us.’
    â€˜Your boat won’t be ready. When you’ve checked on the progress, just come back here.’
    â€˜It’ll be ready.’
    So we had to put down our long, cool drinks in the tall, crystal glasses, and slip out into the heat and dust of the day, and we took the track that descended through the dusty town of Ignorance and led us to the harbour.
    It was weird. People stared at us, both the ones in the sedan chairs and the Drools. The occupants of the chairs just looked baffled, or slightly offended, at our appearance. They tugged the curtains shut, to keep the insects and the dust and the sight of us out.
    The Drools made me uneasy. They weren’t like they had been when we were with Tania and being carried around in sedans. They looked sly now, more than clever; cunning, rather than intelligent. They seemed like opportunists, just waiting for a chance to come along. And while before they had appeared kind, now they seemed to have a latent brutality, as if they boiled inside with simmering resentment and a sense of long-harboured injustice.
    Once or twice we were jostled and shoved. These incidents could have been accidents, but I didn’t feel they were. Martin was the same height as most of the Drools, only he was still growing, whereas they were done with it. They didn’t seem to mind him; it was as if he was one of them; but I was elbowed and pushed, and so was Peggy; there was no respect for age.
    We made it to the harbour. Some Drools were gathered by our boat. They looked up at our approach. One of the Drools was better dressed than the others. Not for him old shorts and T-shirts. His clothes were as good as Reynold’s had been, though he lacked Reynold’s height.
    â€˜How is it? Is it done?’
    â€˜My dear lady … Casper Jones, at your service.’
    Peggy gave him the once-over.
    â€˜So? Is it done?’
    â€˜Done? My dear lady, your solar