O'Dea raised an eyebrow and turned away. A fleet of powerful Centaur
dreadnaughts was landing. They had just performed the fabulous task of
transporting a huge frozen lake to Avignon--a miracle of coordination.
O'Dea filled his lungs with air. He removed the blanket from his
shoulders, let his chest rise and fall evenly.
"Almost as good as Earth," he said. "This air is wonderful now, but
it's wasted. Only two humans to breathe it--hey!"
He stared at the spindly mountain that rose to a dizzy peak at the far
end of the valley. A thin stream of smoke rose from it.
"I never noticed that before. Morguma--is that a volcano?"
Morguma, who had paused to watch them enjoy the air, looked toward the
steaming mountain top and uncovered his fangs in a friendly smile.
"Entirely without harm, my charming friends of Earth! Our great
scientists have performed in full an investigation. There is absolutely
no danger from that volcano!"
O'Dea peered suspiciously at the distant cone. "If that thing ever goes
off, this valley will be buried!"
"Oh fear not that this luscious land will be demolished, my beautiful
comrades! Not a hair of your lovely heads will be harmed!"
Hawthorne growled. O'Dea made a fist of his right hand, rubbed it
thoughtfully. But he shrugged, looking at the Centaur's twelve arms.
They continued into the noisy dining room.
As they entered, Hawthorne stopped short and glared. Suddenly shaking
with anger, he waved his fist at Morguma.
"This is the limit! You can kill me, but I don't have to stand
for--this!"
* * * * *
His gesture swept the huge room. On every chair was hung bouquets
of riotously colored Centaurian flowers. The walls were padded with
garlands, and huge vases were in the center of each table. From the
ceiling, more streamers of blossoms dipped low.
O'Dea's lips twitched, trying to hold back a grin. He watched the
solid, plain features of the husky pilot become dark with fury.
"Wait Paul," he said quickly, "until we find out what it's all about."
He turned to Morguma. "What happens here, my reptilian _amigo_?"
"A holiday! Tomorrow is the birthday of his supreme magnificence, _The_
Centaur! On the anniversary of his coming into the world as the son of
a humble fish cleaner, we honor this great person by desisting from all
labor!"
"Oh--the big shot's birthday." O'Dea held a hand on Hawthorne's arm
as the pilot started to cool off. He stared at the huge portrait of a
giant, moronic Centaur leering unintelligently down at them.
"A few little glands controlling a whole solar system," he mused. "I'm
glad that rhino never leaves his palace."
He turned his eyes from the dictator's portrait, took Hawthorne's arm
and guided him away. The two men walked to their customary places. When
they found their chairs, Hawthorne stopped and growled again. He stared
distastefully at the decorations on their chairs.
They were flowers--flowers from Earth.
And they were pansies.
Hawthorne pushed them disgustedly from the arms of his chair and
settled down in glum resignation.
Morguma took his place at O'Dea's left. O'Dea glanced at Hawthorne on
his right and chuckled. He turned to the Centaur,
"Terrestrial flowers? How come?"
"I ecstasize to see your pleasure," Morguma drooled. "One of our brave
captains took a ship to your delightful world, succeeded in plucking
fragrant specimens of fauna and flora to populate this world. There are
now animals and vegetation from Earth thriving happily on this globe!"
"So ... any humans?"
A tear trickled down Morguma's leathery cheek. "Oh it was so sad! The
humans resisted--poor misguided creatures! They all lost their valuable
lives and we will have to return for more!"
O'Dea put down the Centaurian mushroom he had been preparing to taste.
The grin disappeared from his face as he shoved back his chair and
faced Morguma. There was a deadly something in his eyes that seemed out
of place in the usually carefree features.
"Another of your nonchalant slaughters." His voice was a low monotone.
"Morguma, you'll pay for that--you and your grinning murder pals--"
His hand closed around the steaming cup of Centaurian coffee and he
flung the liquid into the Centaur's face.