assistant navigator, and an extremely expendable security arm." He leaned closer to Cadmann, who lowered his eyelids slightly. "I hear that you want to be part of the mainland expedition I'm putting together. Just watch your step. Be very careful that you don't suddenly become obsolete. I'd hate to see Colonel Weyland pulling weeds or mucking out the stables to earn his bread."
He turned and stalked away.
Wordlessly, Carlos tossed Cadmann a pouch of beer.
Cadmann bit it open and took a mouthful of brew, feeling some of the foam running down his chin. Terry grabbed Sylvia by the arm and pulled her aside for a talk. His gestures were violent and jerky, like a puppet with tangled strings. Sylvia's face was impassive, her answers calm, and finally he quieted.
The entire beach seemed to heave a sigh of relief, and slowly the music and laughter rose up from a soft burr and swallowed the silence.
Carlos poked his arm. "He's wrong about you, isn't he, amigo? You've never made a move on the lovely lady."
"Not yet."
"Meaning?" Carlos's dark face was split in a suggestive grin.
"Meaning that I'm going for a walk."
"Have a good walk, amigo! I think I'm going to investigate Carolyn."
"She's a tease."
"She's also depressed. I have just the thing for her."
"Your generosity never ceases to amaze me. Bon appetit." Cadmann moved off down the beach, toward and past the huge beached shuttle. He didn't stop until he was lost in the shadows. When Marnie's guitar was no more than broken rhythm against the surf he turned to look at the wavering lights and listen to the sounds downbeach. The night wind brought a whiff of seaweed and salt and roast samlon, and the sound of merriment.
A finger stroked lightly along his spine, and he turned, startled. Mary Ann smiled at him. She was breathing heavily, wet sand splashed along her calves from a jog in the surf. Her eyes were wide and luminously dark. "You're a strange one," she said. "You know how I can always find you?"
"How?" He reached out, lacing his fingers behind her neck. Impossibly, her skin seemed cool and hot at the same time. I don't want you, he said silently, but I need...
"I just look for where people are having fun, they're getting together. Enjoying themselves. There you are. Cadmann Weyland, off to the side, watching."
Go away. Just go away, he thought, drawing her closer. "Watching," he said. She shivered as he traced a circle under her ear. "I don't always just watch." Suddenly, he wanted very, very much to put the lie to her words.
Her eyes reflected the glowing surf. When she spoke again, her voice was husky. "Well, I tell you what. Why don't you show me what you do when you're not just watching?" She linked her arms around his neck.
He didn't know whom he needed to convince more, himself or Mary Ann. But there are times when twin aims share a single purpose, like twin moons casting a single shadow.
She took his hand and led him away from the campfires, toward warmth.
Something was ahead of her. Sheena strained to reach it. A shadow bigger than herself, it seemed to move in jumps, waiting until she was almost on top of it, then streaking away into the dark, cutting behind the animal cages, across the stream, into the cultivated ground.
Sheena yipped in confusion, disbelieving what she had seen. Machines moved that quickly, but not animals. She sniffed the ground. The new smell was already faint, so fast had it moved, but there was no mistaking it. Wet and warm, and unlike men or calves or chickens or anything in the compound: the stink of it was a mortal insult! She streaked after it, splashing through the icy water, shaking her fur before continuing on into the dark.
She was beyond the plowed area, into the zone filled with burnt crumbled tree stumps and sprigs of tough grass just now puffing up through the blackened crust of the earth. Where was it? Clouds were moving across the smaller moon, and Sheena sniffed the ground again, purring low in her throat.
The
He turned and stalked away.
Wordlessly, Carlos tossed Cadmann a pouch of beer.
Cadmann bit it open and took a mouthful of brew, feeling some of the foam running down his chin. Terry grabbed Sylvia by the arm and pulled her aside for a talk. His gestures were violent and jerky, like a puppet with tangled strings. Sylvia's face was impassive, her answers calm, and finally he quieted.
The entire beach seemed to heave a sigh of relief, and slowly the music and laughter rose up from a soft burr and swallowed the silence.
Carlos poked his arm. "He's wrong about you, isn't he, amigo? You've never made a move on the lovely lady."
"Not yet."
"Meaning?" Carlos's dark face was split in a suggestive grin.
"Meaning that I'm going for a walk."
"Have a good walk, amigo! I think I'm going to investigate Carolyn."
"She's a tease."
"She's also depressed. I have just the thing for her."
"Your generosity never ceases to amaze me. Bon appetit." Cadmann moved off down the beach, toward and past the huge beached shuttle. He didn't stop until he was lost in the shadows. When Marnie's guitar was no more than broken rhythm against the surf he turned to look at the wavering lights and listen to the sounds downbeach. The night wind brought a whiff of seaweed and salt and roast samlon, and the sound of merriment.
A finger stroked lightly along his spine, and he turned, startled. Mary Ann smiled at him. She was breathing heavily, wet sand splashed along her calves from a jog in the surf. Her eyes were wide and luminously dark. "You're a strange one," she said. "You know how I can always find you?"
"How?" He reached out, lacing his fingers behind her neck. Impossibly, her skin seemed cool and hot at the same time. I don't want you, he said silently, but I need...
"I just look for where people are having fun, they're getting together. Enjoying themselves. There you are. Cadmann Weyland, off to the side, watching."
Go away. Just go away, he thought, drawing her closer. "Watching," he said. She shivered as he traced a circle under her ear. "I don't always just watch." Suddenly, he wanted very, very much to put the lie to her words.
Her eyes reflected the glowing surf. When she spoke again, her voice was husky. "Well, I tell you what. Why don't you show me what you do when you're not just watching?" She linked her arms around his neck.
He didn't know whom he needed to convince more, himself or Mary Ann. But there are times when twin aims share a single purpose, like twin moons casting a single shadow.
She took his hand and led him away from the campfires, toward warmth.
Something was ahead of her. Sheena strained to reach it. A shadow bigger than herself, it seemed to move in jumps, waiting until she was almost on top of it, then streaking away into the dark, cutting behind the animal cages, across the stream, into the cultivated ground.
Sheena yipped in confusion, disbelieving what she had seen. Machines moved that quickly, but not animals. She sniffed the ground. The new smell was already faint, so fast had it moved, but there was no mistaking it. Wet and warm, and unlike men or calves or chickens or anything in the compound: the stink of it was a mortal insult! She streaked after it, splashing through the icy water, shaking her fur before continuing on into the dark.
She was beyond the plowed area, into the zone filled with burnt crumbled tree stumps and sprigs of tough grass just now puffing up through the blackened crust of the earth. Where was it? Clouds were moving across the smaller moon, and Sheena sniffed the ground again, purring low in her throat.
The
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