Part 29 (1/2)
”What's so important about this scene?” Kelexel demanded. ”Perhaps she's caught by your artistry.”
”Indeed,” Fraffin said.
Kelexel studied the native on the left. His pet's father? He noted how the native's eyelids drooped. This was a heavy-featured creature with an air of secretiveness about it. The native might almost have been a gross Chem. How could that thing have fathered the slender grace of his pet?
”The one she'd have mated with is a native witchdoctor,” Fraffin said.
”Witchdoctor?”
”They prefer to be called psychologists. Shall we listen to them?”
”As you said: What harm could there be in that?”
Fraffin moved the sound bar. ”Yes, indeed.”
”Perhaps it'll be amusing,” Kelexel said, but there was no amus.e.m.e.nt in his voice. Why did his pet watch these creatures out of her past? This could only torment her.
”Shhh,” Fraffin said.
”What?”
”Listen!”
Thurlow bent to arrange a stack of papers on the table. The sound was a faint hissing. There came the smell of dusty air, stale and full of strange essences, as the sensimesh web encompa.s.sed Kelexel and Fraffin.
Joe Murphey's guttural voice rumbled from the stage: ”I'm surprised to see you, Andy. Heard you had some sort of attack.”
”It must've been the one-day flu,” Thurlow said. ”Everybody's been having it”
(Fraffin chuckled.)
”Any word from Ruthy?” Murphey asked.
”No.”
”You've lost her again, that's what. Thought I told you to take care of her. But maybe women's all alike.”
Thurlow adjusted his gla.s.ses, looked up and straight into the eyes of the watching Chem.
Kelexel gasped.
”What do you make of that?” Fraffin whispered.
”An immune!” Kelexel hissed. And he thought: I have Fraffin now! Allowing an immune to watch his shooting crew! He asked: ”Is the creature still alive?”
”We recently gave him a little taste of our power,” Fraffin said, ”but I find him too amusing to destroy.”
Murphey cleared his throat and Kelexel sat back, watching, listening. Destroy yourself, then, Fraffin, he thought.
”You wouldn't get sick if you were in here,” Murphey said. ”I've gained weight on this jailhouse diet. What surprises me is how well I've adjusted to the routine here.”