"No farther!"
Tony pushed the door open. He was vaguely uneasy; there was a hard,
fixed expression on the leathery face, and the old creature's voice had
a sharp edge he had never heard before. "Thanks," he murmured. He hopped
down into the red dust and signaled his EEP. It released its magnetic
lines, and instantly the truck started up with a roar, passing on inside
the city.
Tony watched it go, still dazed. The hot dust lapped at his ankles; he
automatically moved his feet and slapped at his trousers. A truck
honked, and his EEP quickly moved him from the road, up to the level
pedestrian ramp. Pas-udeti in swarms moved by, endless lines of rural
people hurrying into Karnet on their daily business. A massive public
bus had stopped by the gate and was letting off passengers. Male and
female Pas. And children. They laughed and shouted; the sounds of their
voices blended with the low hum of the city.
"Going in?" a sharp Pas-udeti voice sounded close behind him. "Keep
moving--you're blocking the ramp."
It was a young female, with a heavy armload clutched in her claws. Tony
felt embarrassed; female Pas had a certain telepathic ability, part of
their sexual make-up. It was effective on Earthmen at close range.
"Here," she said. "Give me a hand."
Tony nodded his head, and the EEP accepted the female's heavy armload.
"I'm visiting the city," Tony said, as they moved with the crowd toward
the gates. "I got a ride most of the way, but the driver let me off out
here."
"You're from the settlement?"
"Yes."