The Ship Who Sang Read Online Free PDF Page B

face was deeply lined with sorrow as well as fatigue; there weredark smudges under the closed eyes. The mouth was dragged down at the corners from familiarity with pain. The long, blunt-ended fingers twitched slightly in reflex to a disturbing dream and Helva could see the inherent strength and sensitivity, the marks of use in odd scars on palm and fingers, unusual in an age where manual work was mainly confined to punching buttons.
    Jennan had used his hands, too, came the unbidden comparison. Mourning reclaimed Helva.
    â€˜How long did I sleep?’ Theoda’s voice broke into Helva’s reminiscences as the woman wove sleepily into the forward cabin. ‘How much longer is the trip?’
    â€˜You slept 18 hours. The tape estimates an elapse of 49 hours galactic to Annigoni orbit.’
    â€˜Oh is there a galley?’
    â€˜First compartment on the right.’
    â€˜Umm, is there anything you require?’ Theoda asked, halfway to the galley.
    â€˜My needs are supplied for the next hundred years,’ Helva said coldly, realizing as the words were formed that her critical need could not be met.
    â€˜I’m sorry. I know very little of your ships,’ Theoda apologized. ‘I’ve never had preferential treatment like this before,’ and she smiled shyly.
    â€˜Your home planet
is
Medea?’ inquired Helva with reluctant courtesy. It was not uncommon for a professional person to claim the planet of his current employer.
    â€˜Yes, Medea,’ Theoda replied. She made immediate noise with the rations she held, banging them onto the table with unnecessary violence. Her reaction suggested some inner conflict or grief, but Helva could recall nothing of great moment connected with Medea, so she must assume Theoda’s problem was personal.
    â€˜I’ve seen your type of ship before, of course. We of Medea have reason to be grateful to you but I’ve never actually been in one.’ Theoda was talking nervously, her eyes restlessly searching over the supplies in the galley cupboards, rearranging containers to see the back of the shelves. ‘Do you enjoy your work? It must be a tremendous satisfaction.’
    Such innocent words to drop like hot cinders on Helva’s unhealed grief. Rapidly Helva began to talk, anything to keep herself from being subjected to another such unpredictably rasping civility.
    â€˜I haven’t been commissioned long,’ she said. ‘As a physiotherapist you must certainly be aware of our origin.’
    â€˜Oh, yes, of course. Birth defect,’ and Theoda looked embarrassed as if she had touched on a vulgar subject. ‘I still think it’s horrible.
You
had no choice,’ she blurted out, angrily.
    Helva felt suddenly superior. ‘Initially, perhaps not. But now, it would be very difficult to give up hurtling through space and be content with
walking
.’
    Theoda flushed at the almost scornful emphasis of the final word.
    â€˜I leave that to whoever is my brawn,’ and Helva inwardly cringed as she reminded herself of Jennan.
    â€˜I’ve recently heard about one of your ships who sings,’ said Theoda.
    â€˜Yes, I have, too,’ said Helva unencouragingly. Must everything remind her of Jennan’s loss!
    â€˜How long do you live?’
    â€˜As long as we wish.’
    â€˜That is . . . I mean, who’s the oldest ship?’
    â€˜One of the 200s is still in active service.’
    â€˜You’re not very old then, are you, being an 800?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜I am,’ said Theoda, staring at the empty ration unit she held in one hand. ‘I am near my end now, I think.’ And there was no regret in her voice, not even resignation.
    It occurred to Helva that here, too, was someone with deep sorrow, marking time.
    â€˜How many more hours until planetfall?’
    â€˜47.’
    â€˜I must study,’ and abruptly Theoda rummaged in her kit for filmfile and