"Hey!"Lars had not taken off his briefs and stared after her as she strode-regally, he thought-across the lounge.
"Brendan won't mind," Killa said absently
"Indeed I don't, but I find it difficult to see that all that food-"
"Don't!"Killa held both hands up toward his column."Don't even think that word!"She gagged and hurried to their cabin and into the sanitary unit.
"Anything I can get you?" the ship asked solicitously as Lars hurried after his partner.
"Not a damned thing, Bren," Lars said resignedly.
Killa was already in the shower, sluicing her body down, staggering occasionally as even the mild force of the water unbalanced her.When Lars entered the enclosure, they clung to each other, until they had soaped and soaked themselves clean.
Wrapping the generous towels about their bodies, they reeled to the wide bunk and, with groans of immense relief, crawled on and sprawled across it.As Brendan watched, their limbs relaxed despite what he considered to be uncomfortable postures.They were oblivious to any externals.
"These crystal singers don't do anything by halves.As bad as Boira in some respects."His voice echoed in the silent living quarters.
Delicately, as a mother will carry her sleeping babe to its cot, the Brendan/Boira-1066 lifted off Opal, though his passengers wouldn't have stirred no matter what g force he used in takeoff.A week of sleep?Well, if he "turned left"-now why was that sentence vaguely familiar-made one Singularity Jump and headed straight on, he would reach the Lepus sector, which offered the system Nihal.The primary was G2, and it had an inhabited third planet.Taking that route, Brendan would also have the chance to get a closer look at the very red Mira Variable R. Leporis.Boira would be interested in his observations over that anomaly.
Serendipitously, it occurred to him that he was under no obligation to return immediately to Regulus Base.From the last report piped to him, Boira had another six or seven weeks to go in rejuvenation and then time in rehab and retraining.He really didn't have to take another short-term assignment or jump about on a courier route: they'd cleared all 1066's indebtedness with the bonus and danger money from the assignment that had put Boira in hospital.
But was the Nihal system where Killashandra meant to go?She'd told Lars that she'd pick after she'd had some sleep.Brendan accessed his galactic encyclopedia.Nihal's third planet had some unusual recreational facilities and was regarded as an ideal honeymoon planet.Killa and Lars were well past that stage of a partnership, but they might still appreciate a place like that for the extended vacation they intended to take from Ballybran and singing crystal.If he had misinterpreted her remark-and Killa's somewhat incoherent directions had sounded a bit like a quotation-they could change their minds when they woke up.
Then he remembered to do the medscans that he had been programmed to carry out, to ensure that the symbiont was indeed protecting the singers.What would the Heptite Guild do if they had been contaminated?Exile them?Where?In those Crystal Ranges, until the next storm took care of the problem?The Guild was known to be ruthless, arrogant, and powerful.This pair had been the best company he'd had the entire time he'd been solo-he'd hate to see them mistreated… or worse.But just as the dust of their suits had shown no contaminants, neither did their bodies.Reassured, he added the medical data of this latest investigation to the private file.
"Nihal?Never heard of it," Killashandra said between sips of the fruit beverage she had requested of Brendan.Lars was still slumbering beside her.
"That's where we're going on the heading you gave me."
"What heading?"Killashandra skewed around on the wide bunk until she could see through the open cabin door to his column.
" 'Turn left and straight on till morning.' "Brendan's search through his library files had made him no wiser.
"Shards!That wasn't a direction, Bren."
"So you were quoting?"
Killashandra snickered."And you couldn't find the source?How far back do your files go?No, abort that.I don't want to know.It's from an old children's story, and I didn't even remember that I remembered it.And that spurious direction leads us to Nihal?What's there?"
"A rather nice climate, temperate to cold, recreational, excellent-ah, can I use the f-word now?"
"Food?Oh, yeah, but we won't need anything more than liquids for a day or two."
"So was that a direction from your subconscious?"
Killashandra finished the last of her drink and yawned."I'll know when we get there.How long did I sleep?"
"Five days."
"Wake me in another two, huh?"And she was asleep before Brendan could propose that he stay with them a while longer.
"Have a brain ship as our private yacht?"Lars exclaimed, sipping a clear soup.
"Well, I would have to ask you to pay for fuel, supplies and landing fees," Bren answered tentatively."You see, Boira and I have bought ourselves free…"
Lars recalled that the brain ships could do so, working off the immense debt with Central Worlds occasioned by their early childhood care and the cost of the ship itself.Some partners never did discharge the debt, but a good pair could earn enough in bonuses to do so."My sincere congratulations on that feat, Brendan!"
"But I don't want to go into our savings."
"Medical expenses high?"Lars asked solicitously.Most humans complained about services singers never required.
"Oh, that!Repairs and injuries are part of our contract, and the contractor has to pay the full tab of Boira's rejuv since they neglected to inform us of the hazards inherent in the assignment."Bren sounded both irritated and smug."So, all her expenses are paid.I just have to-well, sing for my supper."
"How long a contract did you have with Heptite?"
"To the conclusion of your investigations plus travel time to return you to Shankill Moon Base and me to my base."
"And you wouldn't object to carting us about?"
"If you defray my costs…"
"Sure, we can do that.Any sailing on this Nihal planet?"
"It's more known for its mountain sports."
"Oh!"Lars took the last gulp of his soup, yawned, and settled back down under the thermal beside Killashandra.
"Lemme sleep on it, wouldja, Bren?S'a great ideeeeee… ah… mmm."
When Killashandra woke from her second sleep, she woke alert, with that sense of having slept deeply and well-and of being mildly hungry.She rolled out of the bunk so as not to rouse Lars and made it to the sanitary facility before she burst.She showered and shrugged into the loose, colorful striped robe she preferred to wear in transit.
She paused by the broad bunk to see how Lars looked-his face was no longer gaunt so she thought he'd awaken soon.As soon as she had closed the door and was out in the short corridor, Brendan gave her a good morning.
"Is it?"
"Well, it is morning, Nihal time, early morning."
"Oh!Yes, Nihal, of course.That G2-straight on till morning.How far away is it, Bren?"She was in the galley now, making herself a hot caffeine-rich drink.
"Relatively not far at my present speed."
"And it's not a water world?"
"It has water, of course, but mountain sports are featured."
"Hmmm, in that case, I'm not averse to it.Haven't done any hiking or skiing or climbing in-well, I can't remember when."
"There are lakes…"
"Lakes don't fascinate Lars as much as seas do," Killa said with some feeling.
"There are seas, but not much traffic on them.The fishing is limited to shoreline nettings, though there are said to be some tasty bivalves."
"Hmmm.You know, I'm hungry, but not ravenous, if you appreciate the distinction."