Read The Man-Kzin Wars 01 for Free Online Page A

anyone, wish you harm? You specifically, I mean. Furthermore, conspiracy like that is not kzin behavior. It would violate the sense of honor that the meanest among them cherishes. No, this poor creature went wandering about, trying to walk off his anger and despair. When you chanced by, like a game animal on the ancestral planet passing a hunter's blind, it triggered a reflex that he lost control of “
    “ H ow can you be sure? How much do we really know about that breed?"
    “ I know more than most humans. ”
    “ Y ah," drawled Saxtorph, “ I reckon you do. ”
    Markham stiffened. His glance across the desk was like a leveled gun. For a moment there was silence .
    Saxtorph got his pipe lit, blew a cloud of smoke, and through it peered back in more relaxed wise. He could afford to; somatic presence does make a difference. Barely shorter than the Wunderlander, he was hugely broader of shoulders and thicker of chest. His face was wide, craggy-nosed, shaggy-browed, with downward-slanted blue eyes and reddish hair that, at age 45, was getting thin. Whatever clothes he put on, they soon looked rumpled, but this gave the impression less of carelessness than of activity .
    “ W hat are you implying, Captain?" Markham asked low .
    Saxtorph shrugged. “ N othing in particular, Commissioner. it's common knowledge that you have quite a lot to do with 'em." “ Y es. Certain among the rabble have called me 'kzin-lover.' I did not believe you shared their sewer mentality. “
    "whoa, there." Saxtorph lifted a palm. “ E asy, please. Of course you'd take a special interest. After all, the kzin empire, if that's what we should call it, it's still out yonder, and we still know precious little about it. Besides handling matters related to kzin comings and goings, you have to think about the future in space. Getting a better handle on their psychology is a real service. ”
    Markham eased a bit. “ L earning some compassion does no harm either," he said unexpectedly .
    “ H m? Pardon me, but I should think that'd be extra bard for you." Markham's history flitted through Saxtorph's mind. His mother had apparently married his commoner father out of necessity. Her husband died early, and she raised their son in the strictest aristocratic and martial tradition possible. By age 18 Markham was in the resistance forces. As captain of a commando ship, he led any number of raids and gained a reputation for kzin-like ruthlessness. He was 30 when the hyperdrive armada from Sol liberated Alpha Centauri. Thereafter he was active in restoring order and building up a Wunderland navy. Finally leaving the service, he settled on the planet, on a restored Reichstein estate granted him, and attempted a political career; but he lacked the needful affability and willingness to compromise. It was rumored that his appointment to the Space Commission had been a way of buying him off-he bad been an often annoying gadfly-but he was in fact well qualified and worked conscientiously .
    The trouble was, he had his own views on policy .
    With his prestige and connections, he had managed in case after case to win agreement from a voting majority of his colleagues .
    Saxtorph smiled and added, “ W ell, Christian charity is all the more valuable for being so rare. ”
    Markham pricked up his ears. The pale countenance flushed. “ C hristian!" he snapped. “ A religion for slaves. No, I learned to respect the kzinti while I fought them. They were valiant, loyal, disciplined and in spite of the propaganda and horror stories, their rule was by no means the worst thing that ever happened to Wunderland. ”
    He calmed, even returned the smile. “ B ut we have drifted rather far off course, haven't we? I invited you here for still another talk about your plans. Have I no hope of persuading you the mission is wasteful folly?" “ Y ou've said the same about damn near every proposal to do any real exploring," Saxtorph growled .
    “ Y ou exaggerate, Captain. Must we go