Read Online Rissa and Tregare by F. M. Busby - Free Book Online

on Inconnu when you were studying the control room and pretending not to, I took your hair dryer apart. I thought it was pretty bulky to travel with, but I didn't expect what I found."
    "Then-you knew?"
    "I'd seen a reverser before, yes. So-"
    "Bran-I said, I am not ready-"
    "You don't have to be-yet. I don't know how to work the thing, anyway; sure as peace I hope you do. No-the only problem is, will you be ready before I leave? Or will I have to leave sperm in the freezers that came with the zoom-wombs?" Unbelieving, she looked at him. "You would father a child you could not see for-perhaps-decades?"
    "It wouldn't be that long for me, of course. But what kind of choice do I have?"
    "If I go with you-"
    "Where I'm going, that's not possible."
    "I can go anywhere you can! If you say I cannot, we shall not remain married."
    "As you are now, you could-sure. But, Rissa-combat's no place for a woman at the heavy end of pregnancy, or with a young baby. Look-be reasonable-you-"
    She lay back. "If you ever tell me your plans, perhaps I will know which of us is correct. Now-may I have some more wine?"
    after a silent time, she said, "Bran? What were the other reasons? Why you wanted this marriage, I mean." He looked at her. "On the ship-you got to me. Two things I like are guts and honesty."
    "I was not so honest with you."
    "Tari Obrigo, you mean? That's not important; you were in hiding. And you'd hardly trust a pirate with anything as valu-able as the reverser." He shook his head. "The only thing that didn't fit was why you let me bluff you into bed in the first place."
    "I could not chance it that you were not bluffing-I needed to reach Number One. To oblige you in that way seemed a small matter. The body's acts count for little when there is no feeling."
    "Yes-I had your body but not you. Except maybe the last night..."
    "That night, Bran, I did feel. I am glad you knew it."
    "Yes. Well, then-when Liesel wanted the marriage as a political move, I thought, all right, here's a chance to see if there's anything to it. Then she told me about the duel, and then I saw it-you scared hell out of me, you know that?
    When dal Nardo almost had you, I swore he wouldn't outlive you five minutes!"
    "As, of course, he did not. But then?"
    "You know the rest. I said I wouldn't touch you until you agreed, and you told me who you really are, and-you suit me, that's all."
    "And as I had hoped, I find that you suit me also, Bran Tregare."
    She watched him; he was picking at the edge of the bandage. "Bran, are you ever going to tell me what has happened to your face?"
    "Huh? Oh?-I'd forgotten I still had this on." He got an edge of tape between thumb and forefinger and pulled the bandage free. A few fragments of scab still clung to his cheek; he brushed them away. Where the tattoo had been, Rissa saw a patch of new pink skin.
    "So that was it-you have had the markings removed."
    "Yeah-about time I quit wearing UET's brand. Especially as the unofficial promotions weren't done too well." He grinned. "You know why I had those added? Well, we were on a course that happened to point at Stronghold when I overstretched my Drive. Chasing a UET ship-caught it and took it, by the way. But the Drive was in trouble-even the best grade of tuning couldn't stop the deterioration. We might have reached a Hidden World and might not-but here's Stronghold; why not try it? We faked some papers and the ship's insigne, and the needle to my cheek made me a captain. But the colors weren't right-you saw. So I logged a mutiny attempt by men long dead-and Gonnelsen had to bash me a bruise to hide the difference, along with a fat lip to make it look better." He laughed. "I told him, 'here's your only chance to hit a captain and get away with it, so enjoy yourself!' "
    She shook her head. "From anyone else, that story would amaze me."
    "Surprises me a little, too, looking back, Rissa. The wine's all gone. Do you-"
    "I have had enough for tonight."
    "Of everything?"
    "No, Bran.