Read Online Diamond Star by Catherine Asaro - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Catherine Asaro
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people found it about a hundred years ago."
Ricki gaped at him. "You're Skolian? "
"Earth found us. Not the Skolians." Although guarded, he wasn't avoiding her gaze. "Some resort planners from Texas started to set up hotels there, but it didn't work out. So they left."
Ricki had always had an internal detector for when people lied to her, an intuition that proved invaluable in her business. She thought Del was telling the truth. Still, it sounded weird. "So you're saying you come from an offworld settlement that's five thousand years old."
"That's right." He was watching her closely. "Does that bother you?"
"Well, no." She had no idea what to make of it. "I've never understood this business about the Skolian colonies. I don't see how they can be five thousand years old. Humans lived in caves back then."
Del shrugged. "Some race took humans from Earth and left them on another planet."
Although Ricki had heard the story, she had never believed it at a gut level. "Why would a bunch of aliens take humans from Earth thousands of years ago and strand them on some other world?"
"We don't know. They vanished."
Ricki couldn't help but laugh. "So your ancestors, a bunch of Stone Age primitives, set up an interstellar empire? Come on."
"Not right away." Del didn't seem offended by her questions. "It take a thousand years. Even then, they manage only because they have libraries." He stopped, then said, "I mean, they managed because they had libraries. The beings that kidnapped them left behind libraries that describe the science. Described, I mean."
It amazed her how fast he was learning English. And what a deliciously odd development in her new act. "So this interstellar empire they set up thousands of years ago--that's what Skolians call the Ruby Empire?"
"That's right." He tapped his fingers on the table. "The Empire didn't last long. Its people knew too little about the science they were using. Its collapse left its colonies stranded."
Ricki rested her elbow on the table and her chin on her hand, fascinated. This could make some dynamite promotional material if Del would let her use it. "Is that why Skolians call those worlds lost colonies? Because they were stranded after the empire fell?"
Del nodded. "My world is one. We were isolated for thousands of years. We lost our technology." He stared at his hinged hand. "Maybe we never had it. We have no records from that time."
"I'm surprised the Skolians don't demand we give your world back to them."
He shifted in his seat. "I don't get involved in politics."
Well, good. She got heartburn when her acts used their celebrity to push an agenda. It hurt sales. "If the Ruby Empire fell thousands of years ago," she mused, "I wonder why the Skolians still have a Ruby Dynasty."
Del suddenly swung around to look at the gold wall across the room. "I think the bartender is here."
"I don't hear--" Ricki stopped as a man in a tuxedo and a glimmer-mesh cravat walked through the curtain of gold light. He carried a laser tray with a blue drink that glowed in a play of silver light.
Huh. How had Del known someone was coming in?
"This is Jack," Ricki told Del. "Did you hear him outside?"
"That's right." Del wouldn't look at her.
Jack set the glass in front of Del and bowed. "I hope you enjoy it, sir."
Although Del nodded, he seemed stiff, and he barely glanced at the drink. Ricki doubted he was used to being waited on, especially in such sleek surroundings.
"Try it," she coaxed Del after the bartender left the room.
He wouldn't meet her gaze. He picked up the drink and took a sip, then set it back on the table.
"Do you like it?" Ricki asked. Given its potency, it wouldn't be long before he felt its effects.
"It's good," he said, looking at the city. "I thought it would be too sweet. But it's not."
"Only the best for you."
His gaze shifted to her. "So I noticed." He watched her with his lashes half lowered, as if he were in bed.
Oh, my. Ricki took another sip, letting her lips
Ricki gaped at him. "You're Skolian? "
"Earth found us. Not the Skolians." Although guarded, he wasn't avoiding her gaze. "Some resort planners from Texas started to set up hotels there, but it didn't work out. So they left."
Ricki had always had an internal detector for when people lied to her, an intuition that proved invaluable in her business. She thought Del was telling the truth. Still, it sounded weird. "So you're saying you come from an offworld settlement that's five thousand years old."
"That's right." He was watching her closely. "Does that bother you?"
"Well, no." She had no idea what to make of it. "I've never understood this business about the Skolian colonies. I don't see how they can be five thousand years old. Humans lived in caves back then."
Del shrugged. "Some race took humans from Earth and left them on another planet."
Although Ricki had heard the story, she had never believed it at a gut level. "Why would a bunch of aliens take humans from Earth thousands of years ago and strand them on some other world?"
"We don't know. They vanished."
Ricki couldn't help but laugh. "So your ancestors, a bunch of Stone Age primitives, set up an interstellar empire? Come on."
"Not right away." Del didn't seem offended by her questions. "It take a thousand years. Even then, they manage only because they have libraries." He stopped, then said, "I mean, they managed because they had libraries. The beings that kidnapped them left behind libraries that describe the science. Described, I mean."
It amazed her how fast he was learning English. And what a deliciously odd development in her new act. "So this interstellar empire they set up thousands of years ago--that's what Skolians call the Ruby Empire?"
"That's right." He tapped his fingers on the table. "The Empire didn't last long. Its people knew too little about the science they were using. Its collapse left its colonies stranded."
Ricki rested her elbow on the table and her chin on her hand, fascinated. This could make some dynamite promotional material if Del would let her use it. "Is that why Skolians call those worlds lost colonies? Because they were stranded after the empire fell?"
Del nodded. "My world is one. We were isolated for thousands of years. We lost our technology." He stared at his hinged hand. "Maybe we never had it. We have no records from that time."
"I'm surprised the Skolians don't demand we give your world back to them."
He shifted in his seat. "I don't get involved in politics."
Well, good. She got heartburn when her acts used their celebrity to push an agenda. It hurt sales. "If the Ruby Empire fell thousands of years ago," she mused, "I wonder why the Skolians still have a Ruby Dynasty."
Del suddenly swung around to look at the gold wall across the room. "I think the bartender is here."
"I don't hear--" Ricki stopped as a man in a tuxedo and a glimmer-mesh cravat walked through the curtain of gold light. He carried a laser tray with a blue drink that glowed in a play of silver light.
Huh. How had Del known someone was coming in?
"This is Jack," Ricki told Del. "Did you hear him outside?"
"That's right." Del wouldn't look at her.
Jack set the glass in front of Del and bowed. "I hope you enjoy it, sir."
Although Del nodded, he seemed stiff, and he barely glanced at the drink. Ricki doubted he was used to being waited on, especially in such sleek surroundings.
"Try it," she coaxed Del after the bartender left the room.
He wouldn't meet her gaze. He picked up the drink and took a sip, then set it back on the table.
"Do you like it?" Ricki asked. Given its potency, it wouldn't be long before he felt its effects.
"It's good," he said, looking at the city. "I thought it would be too sweet. But it's not."
"Only the best for you."
His gaze shifted to her. "So I noticed." He watched her with his lashes half lowered, as if he were in bed.
Oh, my. Ricki took another sip, letting her lips
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