Part 2 (2/2)

”Oh yes, we have and you haven't seen us,” Damia said.

”Unless it's urgent,” Afra appended, giving his wife a reproving look. She made a face at him.

He Tmr and ”Xexo and me are set to do some recalibrations, that's all,” Keylarion said, and as if on cue, the T-8 engineer arrived from his section of the Tower, diagnostic equipment hanging from both arms and down his back.

”Ah, you're finished. Good,” Xexo said as he went past them on the stairs, grunting at the weight he was carrying.

”Anything serious1” Damia asked, since Afra's reproof had recalled her sense of duty.

”No, just to be sure,” Xexo said, and Keylarion winked as she followed him.

Damia grinned back at her, knowing how particular the engineer was about his beloved generators.

Outside in the brisk late-winter air of lota Aungae, Damia folded her coat about her and huddled against Afra's long frame, to s.h.i.+eld herself from the worst of the wind.

Their 'Dinis came rus.h.i.+ng out of the house, chattering as if their friends had been gone for weeks instead of a few hours. Tri caught Afra's free hand while Fok took Damia's and escorted them the rest of the way.

Roier joined the Columbia in the middle of s.h.i.+p night, just before the dogwatch came on.

Sorry, Flavia. Should have checked to be sure it was convenient, he s;ml. We'd just finished hauling the drones, and Grandfather was ready to s.h.i.+p me out, so it seemed silly to waste the ride, ”I'm here, I'm here,” said Flavia, appearing in the boat bay and nearly colliding with the duty officer, Lieutenant Sad-ler Ismail, who was on his way to the personnel carrier. ”Zara went back to bed.”

”Oops, sorry about that, Prime.” He took Flavia's arm to steady her precipitous arrival. ”(iood to see you, sir,” Ismail said, belatedly saluting as he remembered that Prime Talents had the honorary rank of captain while on Fleet maneuvers. ”Need some help there, Gil, Kat:” he added as the 'Dinis emerged.

Vd've had Asia greet you, but she stayed below on some minor emergency. Ij I'd known . . .

That's all right. So we're orbiting Talauera.

Sure. Flavia looked surprised. Didn't you know'?

No, I didn't ({now. Grandfather jus! whined me away from the Was.h.i.+ngton.

Just then various items dropped into the personnel carrier just vacated: one soft-soled boot, a cascade of disks and two worn, obviously dirty s.h.i.+psuits.

l'l left the suits behind for a reason,” Rojer said, making a face in the general direction of his previous s.h.i.+p. He pointed to a shoulder patch that displayed a clearly printed ”A.S.S. Was.h.i.+ngton.”

Flavia grabbed the offending suits and they disappeared: a disposal hatch hissed receipt. She gave him an affectionate hug, touching his mind with warm greetings.

”You needn't have come down yourself, Flavia.” He returned her embrace. ”But I'm glad you did.” Despite the hour, she felt as vibrant and self-a.s.sured as ever. He could wish, feeling her very womanly body against his, that she wasn't already attached to Jesper Ornigo, T-6 from Betelgeuse.

I know. It's sad we can't replicate ourselves and share the wealth, she said, half teasing. ”C'mon, I'll take you to your quarters. Thanks, Sadler. He's my problem now.”

”Yes ma'am.” Ismail signaled for one of the yeomen on duty to take Rojer's luggage.

”No need to disturb your watch,” Flavia said airily, and with a gesture the duffels disappeared, including the s.h.i.+p shoe and the disks.

”We'll go the easy way,” she said. Turning to say good night to officer and watch, she took his hand and 'ported him to the pa.s.sageway outside his a.s.signed quarters.

”You go on back to bed now, Flavia. I'll settle myself in.” He gave her a mental push.

I.

”I'm just two doors down,” she said, and walked away. ”G'night!” ”Night,” he responded with an airy kiss for her cheek. He put his hand on the doorplate and it slid open, showing him a room that contained both bed alcove and a lounge. Not as luxurious as the specially designed quarters tor the Talents on the Was.h.i.+ngton, but larger than his original accommodations on the Genesee and Phobos Moon Base. You wanted the change of a.s.signment, he muttered to himself.

He had indeed half hoped that Asia would be there to welcome him. That was the trouble with Primes. Always launching people when it was convenient for them. He glanced at his duffels, wincing because of the speed with which he had stuffed them. Ah well, he could sort them out tomorrow. Right now he'd follow Flavin's example and get some sleep. He took off his s.h.i.+p shoes, loosened the top cover of his bunk and slid under it. With a mild suggestion to bis diurnal self, he was asleep in moments.

Is that all, Ftfw? Laria asked as Clarf Tower's genera tors. .h.i.t an even pitch after the latest drone launch.

Yup! was the relieved response. * told you we were going to get busier.

It's toing-and-froing freight, Lana said, somewhat disgusted.

Throwing freight, you mean, Lionasha, Tower's T-7 expediter, corrected. It's much more jun froing 'Dinis about, Ah ah ah! Kincaid Dano said, with a mental image of a wagging finger. He grinned across the way at Laria as they both sat up on their Tower couches and stretched against the long session.

”I don't feel like a mule,” Laria said, rotating her shoulder blades and rubbing her neck. ”1 feel like I've been kicked by one.”

Kincaid swung his long legs over the edge of his couch and, with equally long arms, reached across the narrow s.p.a.ce and began to ma.s.sage her neck, his strong fingers sensitively touching just the right spot. Laria let her head hang and murmured appreciatively.

Van s a d.a.m.ned fool, Kincaid said on a tight link with her.

Leave it, Dano, Laria said.

Why should *? the T-2 asked. For nil he's one of the best Tower engineers, he's an aggravation.

Do I sound aggravated? Laria asked.

Patient is what you sound and ou're too good jor him. He gave her a final hard rub, nearly sliding her oft the smooth surface of her couch. He caught her body with a mental block and she couldn't help but giggle. That's better.

He's handy, she said with a shrug.

You should tell him that and depress his ego.

It's the thought of a T-l in his bed that depresses him, Laria said, and sighed.

* don't thinly you're in love with him anyway, Laria. Not the way you should be. He has been, as you say, handy. And in an attractive enough package.

Very, very deeply, Laria thought that Kincaid was in an even more attractive package, but his preference lay with bis own s.e.x. Meanwhile that didn't interfere with their understanding each other as perfectly as she could have wished Van and she did.

”Which idiot was it that said once we've got the last sphere, work'll slack off?” Lionasba asked, as Laria and Kincaid descended the short flight of steps from the cupola above the station building that acted as a Tower.

”Wasn't me,” Kincaid said, making for the cold drinks cabinet. ”What'll you have, Laria, with your electrolytes'” he asked.

”Do we still have any of that real old-fas.h.i.+oned lemonade flavor.13”

”We do.” Kincaid 'ported her a nice cold flask, grinning as she deftly caught it in her open hand. ”Not a drop spilled either.”

Vanteer joined them from the lower level that housed the great generators needed for Talent gestalt. He was wiping his hands on a greasy cloth.

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