"Broken down at the diggings. We came back to get parts."
Fatso and Jocco cussed loudly. Rick quieted them. "Get the parts," he
told Leeda.
"You bring any water?" she asked.
"You haven't any?" Fatso's voice rose shrilly.
Leeda reached to her waist and the small attached flask. "Just this.
And Terry has--had--one just like it. Enough for a couple old-timers
like us. Not near enough for everyone now. Particularly with you being
new to Mars."
Jocco snatched the flask from Terry's waist.
"I'll take that, Jocco," Rick commanded. "And yours too," he gestured
to Leeda.
She handed it over obediently.
"But, Rick," Fatso began.
"No arguments. Share and share alike. I'll dole it out. Now get the
parts," he told Leeda. "You go with her, Fatso."
As soon as they were back, the men began to move off. For the first
time Leeda lost control of herself. "For God's sake, aren't you going
to at least bury him?"
Rick's face twisted with its wry grin as he walked back to her. "Give
the Sand Vulture a break. He's got to eat."
"But ..." she began to protest.
Swiftly he was beside her, doing something to her fingers. The pain
surged up her arm; brought her stomach up into her throat gaggingly.
Then he released her. Gave her a shove. "When I say move, that's what I
mean. Get going."
* * * * *
The cold, dry Martian air sucked the moisture irresistibly through the
skin and suits. As the day slid slowly by, the ever near horizon stayed
practically featureless. The red sand bored like Callisto hornets into
the skin.
Lips began to crack. Twice they stopped to sip the water. The second
time, Rick looked at her. "How the devil do you know where we are?"
"Maybe I don't," she taunted.
"You'd better. We've no way of checking on you. But if you double-cross
me, I'll strip your clothes off and leave you to the first Sand Vulture
that comes along. Understand?"
"Don't worry," she answered, "I know the way. I've covered it often
enough. There are many little landmarks if you know what to look for."
When evening came, Rick let each of them barely wet their lips. Then
he said, "I need sleep and I can't trust anyone. So I'm going to hide
the water in the desert. If anything happens to me, you'll all die of
thirst. Now turn your backs."