Halfling Moon Read Online Free PDF

his head, looking beyond Syl Vor,
as if expecting someone to emerge yet from the interior of the
ship.
    Quin gulped, and stepped forward, his hand
on Father's arm.
    "She's not here," he said, his voice
wavering.
    Father looked back to him, his face suddenly
still. Frighteningly still.
    "Is she not?" he murmured.
    "There were intruders," Grandfather said,
turning from a low-voiced discussion with the pilot who so looked
like Grandmother. "Truly, the pilot came to us in the very nick of
time, boy-dear -- and stayed behind with your mother to deal with
the problem. Neither would see wolves among the Clan's holdings,
nor would they have us pursued."
    "Of course not," Father said, his voice cool
and smooth. His gambling voice, Quin thought. He shook himself,
then, and looked back, to where the big man tarried on the
gantry.
    "Mr. McFarland," he said in Terran, "I shall
be returning immediately to Runig's Rock. Pray you take my father,
and our children under your care, and see them safe to the delm at
Jelaza Kazone."
    "All right, sir. Daav sitting second?"
    "I wouldn't miss it for worlds," the pilot
who looked like Grandmother said, his voice deep and rough.
    "I'm coming, too," someone said, as
Grandfather and the rest sorted themselves without question,
preparing to accompany Mr. McFarland.
    Quin blinked, recognizing his own voice --
and the rightness of his assertion.
    "Oh?" Father considered him, one eyebrow
raised. "By what right?"
    Quin cleared his throat, and glanced at the
elder pilot, who gave him an encouraging nod.
    "I left them there," he said. "Pilot Natesa
and Grandmother."
    "You can scarcely argue the pilot's
melant'i," the elder pilot said.
    "Can I not?" Father gave him a cold stare.
The usual effect of such a stare was a glance aside and a bow of
submission.
    The elder pilot laughed, then looked to
Quin, black eyes glinting.
    "I have the honor to be your grandmother's
brother. My name is Daav. You will address me, please, as Uncle
Daav, as I don't feel able to support Grand-Uncle." He returned his
attention to Father. "Pat Rin, do you go?"
    "At once."
    "Excellent. I engage to talk the Tower into
giving us a quick lift while you, Pilot Pat Rin, look to your
course. Pilot Quin, the jump-seat for you, sir; you've flown
enough, and there are two here able to relieve you."
    Uncle Daav had an oddly decisive way about
him, for someone who proposed to sit second, Quin thought, but he
folded into the jump-seat with a certain amount of relief.
    He considered the screens as the pilots
began their work, and so it was that he was the first to have eyes
on the neat, and very familiar ship coming down near to hand.
    "They're here!" he cried, snapping upright.
He pointed -- and then froze, looking to Father's face.
    "It may not be --"
    Uncle Daav touched the toggle and the
general port babble filled the cabin.
    "
Shadow Drake
," came Pilot Natesa's soft, calm voice, riding a
wave of argument over an extended wait time. "We are down and
locked. Shutdown proceeds immediately."
    From the pilot's chair, a sound between a
laugh and a cry.
    "Bother," said Uncle Daav, sweeping his hand
down the board. "I had so been looking forward to a flight." He
sighed, theatrically, reminding Quin of Cousin Shan. "Well, I
suppose one must make the most of it. Shall we go over and display
our manners, Pilot Pat Rin?"
    Father gave a long sigh, and reached out to
trigger the final shutdown.
    "Indeed," he said, his voice not quite
steady; "we should."
    * * *
    "It will require Housekeeping," Natesa told
Pat Rin, after they had embraced and he had assured himself that
she was well. "And -- I regret -- there was damage to the Clan's
holding."
    "Damn the Clan's holding," Pat Rin said into
her hair, and sighed.
    "Such terrible risks, Inas."
    "Nonsense," she answered. "And, you know, I
would not have your mother think me faint-hearted, or unworthy of
you."
    He laughed at that, which was well, and
allowed her to step out of his embrace, though he retained a