I Dare Read Online Free PDF Page B

she. "Gordy of course is of Korval, and also possesses all of nineteen Standard years. Too young by a year or so to stand command of a starship orbiting a world enduring post-war conditions."

    "True," she said, her voice soft across the distance that separated them. "And you cannot leave Miri and Val Con while they are so ill."

    "Miri is out of the 'doc," he said, suddenly recalling that he had not told her that. "Weak as a kitten, of course. Val Con . . . " His throat closed and he shook his head, as if she could see him.

    "The techs still believe he'll be . . . impaired?"

    "Impaired." He grinned without humor. "Yes, they do believe that, and quite ill-natured I find them for it, if you will have the truth."

    "I'm sure you do," she said gently. "I—when he is out of the 'doc and an evaluation is made, perhaps—"

    Shockingly, the portacomm on his belt buzzed. Shan jumped, swore, and thumbed the receive.

    "One moment, Priscilla—yos'Galan," he snapped into the portable.

    "Shan—Lord yos'Galan—it is Alys Tiazan. I am in the recovery room with Miri my cousin and two of the Clutch who are her brothers."

    Yes, of course , Shan thought. The situation had only lacked eight foot turtles .

    "How delightful for us, to be sure. I shall be down directly to make—"

    "Their Wisdoms," Alys interrupted, with a refreshing lack of deference for his station; "Their Wisdoms say that the songs of the machines are harming my cousin, your sister. They say that the autodoc may be preventing Val—preventing Lord yos'Phelium—from healing completely. The med tech is—" she paused, apparently decided that he could judge the med tech's state of mind for himself, and finished in a rush. "Cousin Miri says to get you down here ." The last four words were in Terran, pronounced in tones so authentically Miri-like that Shan grinned, even as his heart trembled.

    "One moment," he said to Alys, flicking the 'mute' toggle. He glanced at the desk unit. "Priscilla?"

    Her answer came slowly. "It is possible," she said, "that the rhythm of the machinery is interfering with total healing. It has been known to happen. Rarely." She was silent, then burst out. "Who knows what may harm them? They are linked, heart and mind, by that—edifice!—no more simple humans than—than the Clutch are. No," she corrected herself, more calmly. "More human than the Clutch are. And the Clutch may see truly—for their own kind."

    "Then it appears my task has been laid out for me," Shan said and flicked the portable on.

    "Please allow my sister to know that I am on my way to her side," he told Alys Tiazan. "Ask her, as she loves me, to stay her hand from the med tech until I arrive."

    There was a small snort, as if Alys had half-strangled a laugh, then a demure, "I will so inform my cousin, sir." The line cleared.

    "Priscilla, my love . . . "

    "Until soon, Shan."

    "Until soon. May your Goddess send it very soon."

    He thought he heard a soft sigh before the connection light went out. Sighing himself, he stood, and left the room at brisk walk.

    A short time later, he turned smartly into the hallway containing Miri's room, and nodded to the guard on duty.

    "I am summoned."

    The merc shook his head as he turned to put his hand against the plate. "They call this rest? She might as well hire a band and call it a party."

    The door slid open and the guard waved an impatient hand. Shan strolled across the threshold and—paused.

    Immediately before him, two very tall, green persons wearing a truly impressive quantity of tilework across their shoulders and down their backs, confronted an average-sized Liaden woman—which is to say, her nose was not quite level with the equator of the shorter tile-bearing person. That the woman was in high temper was obvious even without the abrasion of her passion against his Healer sense. The Turtles—were invisible to his Healer sight, in contrast to the rather irrefutable physical evidence. Shan glanced aside,