Jacqueline Lichtenberg [Lifewave 02] City of a Million Legends

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thirsting for air as he crouched gasping, his head pounding, reducing all to
impressions. Khelin's voice shouting; Ley's steps pounding; a human male voice
calling, "Arshel!"
The other two kren came racing from their room, skidding down the steps and
falling over each other to reach Zref. Zref pulled himself up, the waves of
pain receding. "It's nothing," he gasped, fending off Arshel's firm hands.
He climbed back to his feet, felt his knees begin to give
and collapsed in a deeply padded chair. Arshel sat on the arm of the chair.
"Da you need oxygen?"
"No, no." And he told them of his conversation with the Captain. "I
accidentally intercepted Epitasis's computer, and the Guarantees threw me.
It's nothing, really."
"Nothing! I thought you were dead!" said Ley.
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Catching his breath, Zref rummaged in the drawer of an end table and found a
pad of ship's notepaper. Tearing off one sheet, he wrote, These rooms are
sound-tapped by the ship's computer maybe visuals as well the information is
squirted to Lantern Enterprises.
Reading over his shoulder, they looked at each other wide-eyed. Aloud Zref
said, "Here's the number of the account you opened with Lantern." And he
wrote, I don't have the number yet, but there is an account.
Arshel started to say something, but Zref opened and dropped a message to
Rodeen, telling her about the bugging, adding, "Kren can't live under
surveillance. I can't touch that computer to turn off the recorder. We're
getting off at Sirwin unless you can do something about this. Zref."
"Surveillance was no part of our agreement. One moment. Rodeen." She came
back, "It's taken care of. The next time the Epitasis checks in with a Guild
astrogation beam, Epitasis will be instructed to black out your three pond
rooms and your person. Your person only, Zref. I'm guarding the Guild's
reputation, not your privacy. Rodeen."
Zref came back to awareness to see consternation on human and kren faces. "Now
let's go to dinner," he said, scribbling, I'll tell you when it's safe to talk
aloud. But even then don't mention this to anyone until we see what
Star-Treader will do next.
CHAPTER FOUR
Almural
The dining saloon was a cavernous, lozenge-shaped room with the ship's
structural members disguised as towering trees from many planets. The gently
blowing air was scented with living springtime, the lighting simulating the
spectra of half a dozen suns. At barely half capacity, tables were scattered.
Brilliant white and gold tablecloths contrasted with the riotous shapes and
colors of formal attire. A Jernal with a triangle of white and gold cloth
pinned to its pink fluff suggesting a ship's uniform, escorted Zref and Arshel
to the Captain's table as a Sirwini led Khelin, Ley, Shui and Iraem to a table
in front of the Captain's. Bending its six spindly legs in a suggestion of a
bow, the Jernal indicated a long bar curved around one end of the room and
said in its reedy voice, "Please help yourselves to drinks. The Captain will
be along momentarily."
When it had gone, Zref asked, noting Arshel's tension, "Would you like
something to drink?"
"I don't know," she answered. "It's been so long since expression, I'm afraid
I'm going to disgrace myself."
Zref understood the gnawing hunger a kren experienced after a full voiding. He
glanced about wishing he could check with the ship's computer, but then he
found what he wanted the doors, hidden by heavy draperies, leading to rooms
for such functions as kren venom kills of their dinner.
"Come." He led the way. As expected, one door was discreetly labeled
Expression Rooms, and Zref knew it would also provide pre-feeding facilities.
He urged Arshel forward. "Go ahead, while I get us something to drink."
When the door closed behind her, Zref turned to the bar where Khelin was
ordering drinks from the steward. Beside him stood a human woman who looked to
be about Ley's height if one discounted the heaps of auburn hair piled atop
her head. It was the woman of the tasseled shawl, now wearing an eve-
ning gown of brilliant white sequins accented with forest green satin,
archaically cut to leave her shoulders bare. The full-length circle skirt
emphasized her tiny waist.
As Zref approached, Khelin was saying very quietly so others along the bar
wouldn't overhear, "I volunteered to fetch the drinks because I wanted to talk
to you."
Recalling the conversation he'd walked in on earlier, Zref veered aside and
turned to survey the room. Others were being seated at the Captain's table
though the Captain herself had not arrived. Faculty and crew were spreading
among the students at formally mixed tables. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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