DS02 Night of the Dragonstar Read Free Page A

been a pain in the butt with his laconic attitudes, ever since Phineas had known him at the Academy. How he had achieved his high rank, Kemp could never understand. Perhaps the service figured they needed a token cynic to anchor their attitudes. If Phineas Kemp was the IASA’s head in the stars, then Gus Waterford was the ass planted firmly on solid ground.
    “What’s going on up there?” Kemp said, suddenly realizing that there was a crowd of people by the entrance, all waving their arms excitedly as the black limo approached.
    “No harm, sir,” said a spit-and-polish corporal named Garcia, seated by him. “Just the Saurie Friends. At any rate, we’ve stationed the proper security, and there won’t be any crazy crowds at the conference.”
    The car stopped. Only the armed guards prevented the large, frantic crowd from happily charging.
    “That’s nice to know,” Kemp said with distaste as he warily eyed the motley crowd. “Saurie Friends, huh? Just who are they?”
    Corporal Martin, up front, chuckled. “You must have been on the Moon, sir,” he said, and they all laughed at the joke. “No, sir. The people of the U.S. have taken the news of the existence of another group of intelligent beings in an ... interesting way. But look for yourself.”
    The people hailing his arrival wore T-shirts, buttons, and hats, all emblazoned with images of the Saurians, the intelligent dinosaurs Ian Coopersmith and Becky Thalberg had encountered behind that amazing wall at one end of Artifact One.
    “Incredible,” Kemp said. “I’ve been out of touch.”
    “Yes, sir,” Garcia said. “There are Saurie toys, Saurie bubble gum — the IASA really should have put a franchise on the little guys — we could have financed our whole project for a year with the income. They’ve already got TV shows and movies in the works. The Saurie Friends are a group formed to welcome the critters to Earth, should they ever come.”
    Kemp grunted. “Well, let’s get down to business.”
    The chauffeur opened the doors. Kemp put on his best media smile, with just the right amount of the boyish American charm that the country had come to expect from their astronauts, and made his way quickly through the path that parted the crowd.
    “Tell the Sauries we love them!” a fat, breathless woman screeched. Autograph books were waved in his face.
    A chant started. “We love Sauries! We love Sauries!”
    Kemp gritted his teeth, smiled, waved, and got through the cheering crowd as fast as he could, feeling a curious elation at the attention. When he stepped through the doors of the Sheraton’s lobby and met with his welcoming committee, his feeling of nervousness and stage fright had evaporated into a definitely up mood.
    “Colonel Kemp,” said a striking brunette, holding out a welcoming hand. “I’m Kathleen Ennis of NBC. I’m the field producer for your news conference.”
    Kemp took her slender hand, noting what a nice smile she had and the sparkle of her eyes. “Nice to meet you. Are you a Saurie Friend?”
    She shook her curls, throwing her head back in a sexy laugh. “No, I’m too addicted to men. Just call me Kate, okay? This way, please. I’m sure you’ve had your fill of reptile fanciers.”
    She guided him down the hall toward the room where he would speak. People in the foyer stopped in mid-conversation, turning his way as he passed, recognizing him, no doubt, from pictures. “We’ve got a green room with refreshments from which you’ll make your entrance. “
    “Are all the satellite hookups functioning?” Kemp asked.
    “Yes, that manly uniform will be seen all over the world.” Her fashionable outfit swished as she walked.
    “An Arthur C. Clarke special, eh?” Kemp joked, loosening up thanks to her casual presence.
    “Yes,” the pretty producer said, clearly flirting with him. “Satellite communication can be such a ball, can’t it?”
    She led him to a small room adjoining the larger hall where the podium and