Part 61 (1/2)

The time of names had ended.

The long age of silence had begun.

Emily stood by the hatch, looking on as the two medics eased the unit through the umbilical that joined the shuttle to the mothers.h.i.+p, calling on them to make sure that they didn't move too quickly.

They knew their job, however, and were careful in those nil-gravity conditions not to let the ma.s.sive unit brush the side or jolt against the hatch. It slid through gently, easily, a third medic joining them, leaning on the end of the capsule to brake its momentum.

As the unit came alongside her, Emily stared down through its transparent lid at Daniel's pale, unconscious face and prayed to Kuan Yin herself that they were not too late to save him.

And then they were taking him away.

”You should not blame yourself, Emily.”

She turned, almost putting herself in a spin. But Kuei Jen's hand reached out and held her arm, stopping her.

”I was responsible for him,” she answered soberly. ”If not me, then who?”

”Maybe the b.a.s.t.a.r.d who shot him.”

She stared back steadily at Kuei Jen, then shook her head. ”No. DeVore was finished. It was stupid to pursue him.”

”Stupid?” Kuei Jen seemed surprised. ”And yet DeVore was evil. Is it not right to crush evil?”

”Right, yes, but . ..” Emily shrugged. ”Look, is there somewhere we can go ...?”

'To be near to Daniel?” Kuei Jen smiled gently, understanding Emily's concern.

”Of course. Come, I've prepared a room for you.”

The room, as it turned out, was in the medical centre itself, just down the corridor from the theatre where, even as she settled in, they were operating on Daniel.

It was there that Han Ch'in came to her.

Sitting on the edge of the chair, which was bolted to the floor in one corner of the cabin, he stared down at his hands a moment, then sighed. ”How bad?” she asked.

”Six thousand. Maybe six two.”

Her eyes widened. ”Is that all?”

Han Ch'in nodded. ”Three of the shuttles didn't make it off the ground. Another malfunctioned on the way up here. Or was tampered with. We'll never know.” ”But they're all our people, I take it?”

”Yes. Everyone's vouched for.”

Emily nodded. She could still feel the hard shape of her handgun against her hip, and realised that even now she had not relaxed; had not given up the habit of suspicion. She looked back at Han Ch'in. ”What do you think the floraforms will do with DeVore?” Han Ch'in shrugged. ”If they're wise, they'll not try to a.s.similate him.”

Her eyes met his, startled. ”Do you think ...?” ”That DeVore is bigger than the floraforms? No. He has the capacity to twist whatever he touches but the floraforms will know that. They seemed to know everything, didn't they?”

She nodded, then frowned. ”G.o.ds, ifs strange, isn't it? All those years fighting one enemy, and then ... well...”

Han Ch'in was smiling. ”Kuei Jen thinks if s nice. Poetical, or so he says.”

”You call her him?”

Han Ch'in laughed. ”Of course! t.i.ts or no t.i.ts, he's still my brother.”

”And mother of your nieces and nephews.”

”Thank the G.o.ds for it!”

”And what do they think?”

Han Ch'in looked away. ”That if s all an adventure.”

”And you?”

”I miss it already.” He met her eyes again. ”To be honest with you, I fear that I will die on board this s.h.i.+p. I fear...”

”The years ahead?”

”Yes. Ifs a long journey. And no certainty of arrival, whatever my father said.” She nodded, then, noticing someone standing in the doorway just beyond Han Chi'in, stood up, her face suddenly concerned. ”What is it?” The medic grinned at her. ”Ifs Daniel. He's conscious and he's asking for you.”

Daniel smiled at her as she walked into the room. He was propped up into a sitting position beneath a blanket, a pile of cus.h.i.+ons plumped up behind his back. ”Di1 yoo thin' yoo gor ri' oh me?”Emily glanced at the surgeon, concerned, but he shook his head. ”It's the drugs that are making him slur the words. The brain's relatively untouched.”

She walked across and sat beside Daniel on the bed. Taking the gun from her belt, she slipped it onto the tray beside her, then turned to clasp his hands, surprised by the firmness with which he clasped them back. ”How are you feeling?”

”Groh-ee.” Daniel wrinkled his nose. ”I fee' li'e I wahnna scrah my 'eah.”

”Your head?”

Daniel made to nod, then winced. Emily raised herself a little, looking at the back of his skull, then grimaced. The bone at the back of his skull had been ripped open and a large chunk of it stripped away. She sat back. ”Not pretty.”

”Nah. Bu' o-kay, neh? I live.”

Emily s.h.i.+vered. Yes. He was alive. It was a miracle, but there it was. When she'd seen the damage she'd thought it only a matter of time before he died. But here he was, sitting up and talking to her.

She turned, looking to the surgeon. ”Do you have to operate?” ”No. We just need to put a plate in, to knit together the skull at the back and protect the brain. Otherwise ...”

The surgeon's face went from earnestness to shock in a matter of a second. Emily blinked, then understood that he was staring at something behind her. She turned, then gasped.

DeVore stepped from the doorway, then smiled. ”Emily, how nice... And Daniel.

I'm surprised to find you here. I thought I'd killed you back on earth.”

She stood, turning towards him, then saw he had a gun.

And Han Ch'in ... where was Han Ch'in?