Mutant Star Read Online Free PDF Page B

being panhandled by normals just so I can make their lives easier.
    He glanced over at Alanna and saw that his daughter was riveted to Hawkins’s every word.
    Uh-oh. Bad sign there. Alanna was just impressionable enough to sign on for the next floating colony. And no daughter of his was going into orbit, not if he had anything to say about it.
    “You look like a thundercloud,” Narlydda whispered.
    I feel like one. Who needs these damned pitchmen coming in to steal our young?
    “Steal our young?” Narlydda repeated his mind-speech aloud, staring at him as though she doubted his sanity. “I thought you liked Hawkins. You were certainly glad to see him, once upon a time.”
    That was once upon a time.
    Around them, people stirred. At least one telepath politely suggested that they keep their discussion private.
    Skerry boosted Narlydda’s mindspeech on a narrow band to avoid creating further distraction.
    What are you talking about? He’s not sitting there with a big net and fishing pole.
    No, Lydda. But he’s on some damned fishing expedition just the same. And from the looks of it, he’s about to hook Alanna.
    You worry too much. Narlydda patted him on the arm. Alanna is at the age when everything is fascinating. Including Melanie’s sons. If I were you, I’d be more worried about that. Did you see the way Rick was looking at her? Young lust. Makes me nostalgic.
    Skerry frowned. Rick Akimura was not exactly his idea of the perfect escort for his daughter. Too unpredictable, that boy. Wild and violent. A couple of years ago, Skerry had pulled him off Tomas Carpenter after he’d made some slighting remark concerning Rick’s null status. Well, Carpenter had it coming, no doubt about it. But Rick would have killed him. Skerry had seen the intent, bright red and burning hot, in Rick’s mind. And it scared him. God knows, he was the last to condemn youthful high spirits. But Rick was different. Dangerous, and maybe unstable. And his mother’s favorite.
    I wouldn’t mind if Julian were interested in Alanna. But that Rick is bad news.
    And you are turning into an old fogey. A couple of years ago, you’d have invited him out drinking.
    That was then. I didn’t have a daughter at a risky age. On one side, fancy entrepreneurs want to hire her away into space. On the other, some punk wants to take her away on his jet cycle.
    Which would you prefer?
    Neither.
    You know, sooner or later, Alanna is going to start her own life and leave us behind, Skerry. And no amount of worrying can change that fact.
    Thanks, sweetheart. You’ve made me feel a whole lot better. He scowled and turned his attention back to Hawkins.
    ***
    What a beautiful voice he has, Alanna thought. She listened, spellbound, to Ethan Hawkins speak. How exciting, she thought. Space colonies. She would love to visit them. She saw her father frowning at Hawkins and fought back an urge to giggle. Neither of her parents were fond of space travel, and she couldn’t really blame them after what they’d been through years ago. But why shouldn’t she go? Despite first impressions, she thought Hawkins was all right. After all, he was a hero. He had saved her parents, not to mention Melanie and Yosh.
    “Thank you, Colonel.” Vincent Guindelle stood. “We’ll take a quick break during which our guest speaker will be available to answer your questions.”
    The auditorium brightened as the light bars overhead came to life. Alanna rose and stretched.
    “Did you enjoy that?” her mother asked.
    “Yeah, he was extreme,” Alanna said. “Will anybody sign up, do you think?”
    “Who cares?” her father said. “You don’t need to worry about Hawkins. He seems to be very good at looking out for himself.”
    Melanie and Yosh had drifted over to stand with them. “Skerry, don’t be so hard on Hawkins,” Yosh said. “He seems harmless to me.”
    “That kind is never harmless.”
    “Kind? What kind?” Alanna said.
    “The kind whose bottom line is what