Highest and nearest, right under the titanic shape lifting jagged against the icy stars from the crest of the ridge.
The Ship.
Kirk's voice was soft in his thick throat. "I would like to kill them," he said. "I would like to kill them all."
"Yah!" cried a shrill voice over his shoulder. "All but the Captain's yellow daughter!"
Kirk spun angrily around. Lil, next below himself, danced back out of reach, her kilt of little skins flying around her thin hips.
"Yah!" she said again, and wrinkled her flat nose. "I've seen you looking at her. All yellow from head to foot and beautiful pink lids to her eyes. You wouldn't kill her, I bet!"
"I bet I'll half kill you if you don't shut up!"
Lil stuck out her tongue. Kirk aimed a cuff at her. She danced behind his arm and jerked the curtain down and shot away again, making two jumps over the brawling young ones and the box of heat-stones.
She squatted demurely beside Ma Kirk and said, as though nothing had happened, "Ma says will you please not let so much heat out."