Read Online Crystal Universe - [Crystal Singer 03] - Crystal Line by Anne McCaffrey - Free Book Online

facility before she burst. She showered and shrugged into the loose, colorful striped robe she preferred to wear in transit.
    She paused by the broad bunk to see how Lars looked—his face was no longer gaunt so she thought he’d awaken soon. As soon as she had closed the door and was out in the short corridor, Brendan gave her a good-morning.
    “Is it?”
    “Well, it is morning, Nihal time, early morning.”
    “Oh! Yes, Nihal, of course. That G2—straight on till morning. How far away is it, Bren?” She was in the galley now, making herself a hot caffeine-rich drink.
    “Relatively not far at my present speed.”
    “And it’s not a water world?”
    “It has water, of course, but mountain sports are featured.”
    “Hmmm, in that case, I’m not averse to it. Haven’t done any hiking or skiing or climbing in—well, I can’t remember when.”
    “There are lakes …”
    “Lakes don’t fascinate Lars as much as seas do,” Killa said with some feeling.
    “There are seas, but not much traffic on them. The fishing is limited to shoreline nettings, though there are said to be some tasty bivalves.”
    “Hmmm. You know, I’m hungry but not ravenous, if you appreciate the distinction.”
    “I appreciate the distinction, Ki.” Brendan chuckled. “What might you be hungry for?”
    Aware that she couldn’t overburden her system, she settled on a light meal of juice and cereal, which she took from the galley into the main room.
    “Shards! But we get to be sloppy eaters, don’t we,” she said with chagrin, noticing the food stains on the arm of her usual chair. “Anything I can use to wash these out, Bren? I don’t really want to hand you back to Boira in less than the condition you arrived in. That’s not shipshape.”
    “And Bristol fashion?”
    Killa laughed. Then she noticed the view on the main screen. “Muhlah! What’s that?”
    “Ah, that is the very red Mira variable R. Leporis. It has a four-hundred-and-thirty-two-day cycle. A type N, and with any luck, we’ll see it at its hottest. The pulsations should be magnificent as it begins to contract.”
    Killa squinted. “It’s very bright.”
    “I can darken the screen if it is visually uncomfortable.”
    “Hmmm, would you? Ah, thanks. That is undoubtedlythe very reddest object I’ve ever seen. What are you seeing?”
    “The emission spectra. Stupendous!”
    They both, in their separate ways, considered the spectacle blazing light-years away but so vivid.
    “Of course, if you find nothing of interest on Nihal Three, I’d be happy to take you elsewhere.”
    Killashandra snapped her fingers. “Just like that?”
    “It’s like this, Ki,” and Brendan explained what he had offered Lars.
    The crystal singer whooped and fell against the back of the chair in a paroxysm of laughter.
    “Our own brain ship? Acting the yacht? You’ve got a deal, man!” She gasped the phrases out between spasms of laughter and ended up wiping her eyes of tears. “You really mean it?” she asked, turning toward Brendan’s column.
    “I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t.”
    “Don’t huff, Bren, honestly, I didn’t mean to offend. But don’t you cost a lot?”
    “I only need fuel, landing fees, and whatever supplies you and Lars require. To be sure, my larder’s a bit bare right now.”
    “I can well imagine. You were champion to feed us as you did, Bren. I haven’t eaten better during any Passover I can remember.” Then practicality gripped her. “I think you’d better tell me just how much your fuel and general landing fees run to. We got a great fee for risking skin and symbiont on Opal, but …”
    Brendan then ran through some figures for her so that she realized the idea was feasible. In fact, downright exciting.
    “Of course, we’ve got to get our report back to Lanzecki. Does Nihal Three have black crystals?”
    “It does.”
    A shiver ran up Killashandra’s spine. She didn’t like to use black-crystal communications. One of the few