Read Online Voices of Chaos by A. C. Crispin, Ru Emerson - Free Book Online
Authors: A. C. Crispin, Ru Emerson
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Na-Dina digs closely when she heard Etsane had transferred there."
Magdalena felt a shiver slip down her backbone as she eased into the hall, wedged in the between-classes press of students among three Drnians and a first-year Heeyoon trying to keep up with his companion's rapid Portuguese.
Everything's happening so fast--and just as if it were meant, she thought, and headed back in the direction of her room. A smile curved her lips as she reached the door and let herself in. "When we dance," she whispered. Trust Khyriz to remind her of that lush, wonderful piece of music she'd used to teach him to slow-dance, human-style. Just the opportunity to see him again, and so soon...
The smile slipped; nerves tightened her stomach. "I'm going to Arekkhi as Alexis Ortovsky's second-in-command; it won't even be a month, and StarBridge will be behind me for the next half a year, at least." Who was she kidding, telling Rob she could handle something like this? "Oh, God, what have I done to myself?"
And something else--that message, a full holo-vid letter. But Khyriz had always sent her voice-only up until now, and the last she'd heard there was still no way to send holo-vid, because the Emperor wasn't allowing the units in yet. The only holo-vid would be with the Heeyoons on-station, if they had it. Otherwise--clear out to the new jump site. She frowned, sat on the low couch, her fingers drumming the table. "He went off-planet, just to send that message? But why?"
44
Maybe he just thought he stood a better chance of persuading her, if she could see him. But it didn't feel that way. Something felt... wrong.
Alone in his office, Rob stared fixedly at the door Magdalena had just closed behind her, not really seeing it. "Something feels wrong," he told Bast. "Not wrong enough to hold the girl back. But..." He frowned, drained the last drops of tea from his cup. But what?
For a moment he wondered if Magdalena had reacted to the mention of Alexis and her preferences, but... no. Magdalena had been incredibly naive when she first came to StarBridge at age fifteen, so many of her opinions influenced by that wretched New Am cult... and so even though she'd openly embraced the different alien races on StarBridge, she'd been shocked speechless the first time she saw two boys walking hand in hand down the hall. But Magdalena was adaptable, and she'd been able to learn tolerance and acceptance. She'd been able to quickly separate what Solomon Smith had taught those poor captive children, and what her own instincts told her about love.
The incident she'd described last night with David--that still left him a little uneasy, but he tended to side with Magdalena on that one: She'd been too involved in the upcoming recitals to pay much attention to the emotional state of the people around her, and she was literal-minded enough that when David said "friends" or even "special friends," she'd assumed he meant exactly that. If the circumstances last night were as she described them, with David forcing the issue, then she'd actually done very well--for Magdalena Perez.
But there's something ... He finally shook his head and got to his feet, cup in hand. "Bast, she really lit up when Khyriz was talking to her. You don't suppose ..." He considered this, then chuckled. Bast stirred, made a faint, protesting little sound, curled back into a circle, and slept. Rob shook his head again, then checked his com to see what other appointments his morning held.
45
CHAPTER 3
***
The Emperor's morning room was located where it would be close to both the royal apartments and Council chambers. It faced south, taking advantage of winter sun and a view of the water. During the heat of summer, however, the room was shuttered, and on this day ancient wrought metal lamps shone on a plain table and two long benches. The Emperor sat in a pool of yellowish light, dexterously working two cross-hilted forks through a long, bony fish. Across the table from him, Khyriz drank
Magdalena felt a shiver slip down her backbone as she eased into the hall, wedged in the between-classes press of students among three Drnians and a first-year Heeyoon trying to keep up with his companion's rapid Portuguese.
Everything's happening so fast--and just as if it were meant, she thought, and headed back in the direction of her room. A smile curved her lips as she reached the door and let herself in. "When we dance," she whispered. Trust Khyriz to remind her of that lush, wonderful piece of music she'd used to teach him to slow-dance, human-style. Just the opportunity to see him again, and so soon...
The smile slipped; nerves tightened her stomach. "I'm going to Arekkhi as Alexis Ortovsky's second-in-command; it won't even be a month, and StarBridge will be behind me for the next half a year, at least." Who was she kidding, telling Rob she could handle something like this? "Oh, God, what have I done to myself?"
And something else--that message, a full holo-vid letter. But Khyriz had always sent her voice-only up until now, and the last she'd heard there was still no way to send holo-vid, because the Emperor wasn't allowing the units in yet. The only holo-vid would be with the Heeyoons on-station, if they had it. Otherwise--clear out to the new jump site. She frowned, sat on the low couch, her fingers drumming the table. "He went off-planet, just to send that message? But why?"
44
Maybe he just thought he stood a better chance of persuading her, if she could see him. But it didn't feel that way. Something felt... wrong.
Alone in his office, Rob stared fixedly at the door Magdalena had just closed behind her, not really seeing it. "Something feels wrong," he told Bast. "Not wrong enough to hold the girl back. But..." He frowned, drained the last drops of tea from his cup. But what?
For a moment he wondered if Magdalena had reacted to the mention of Alexis and her preferences, but... no. Magdalena had been incredibly naive when she first came to StarBridge at age fifteen, so many of her opinions influenced by that wretched New Am cult... and so even though she'd openly embraced the different alien races on StarBridge, she'd been shocked speechless the first time she saw two boys walking hand in hand down the hall. But Magdalena was adaptable, and she'd been able to learn tolerance and acceptance. She'd been able to quickly separate what Solomon Smith had taught those poor captive children, and what her own instincts told her about love.
The incident she'd described last night with David--that still left him a little uneasy, but he tended to side with Magdalena on that one: She'd been too involved in the upcoming recitals to pay much attention to the emotional state of the people around her, and she was literal-minded enough that when David said "friends" or even "special friends," she'd assumed he meant exactly that. If the circumstances last night were as she described them, with David forcing the issue, then she'd actually done very well--for Magdalena Perez.
But there's something ... He finally shook his head and got to his feet, cup in hand. "Bast, she really lit up when Khyriz was talking to her. You don't suppose ..." He considered this, then chuckled. Bast stirred, made a faint, protesting little sound, curled back into a circle, and slept. Rob shook his head again, then checked his com to see what other appointments his morning held.
45
CHAPTER 3
***
The Emperor's morning room was located where it would be close to both the royal apartments and Council chambers. It faced south, taking advantage of winter sun and a view of the water. During the heat of summer, however, the room was shuttered, and on this day ancient wrought metal lamps shone on a plain table and two long benches. The Emperor sat in a pool of yellowish light, dexterously working two cross-hilted forks through a long, bony fish. Across the table from him, Khyriz drank
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