[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
largest passenger ships in space, coming in almost two days early, encircled
by armed Escorters. Zref worked with the local Interfaces to part the traffic
before them and coordinate the movements of the squadron.
But then, since they were early, they had no ground accommodations. It was
decided to start work on the exterior repairs immediately, with the excursion
to the Crystal Crown to be on schedule, not early. The passengers,
claustrophobic after such a long trip and anxious after the attack, were
loudly disappointed when the Captain announced that.
At the early supper shift, Zref was shunned by some of the faculty and
students. But others came to thank him for his work during the emergency and
to apologize for those who were rude, believing the new rumor that they were
in danger because the mysterious pirates were really after Zref. The Enemy,
Zref concluded, was trying to repossess Her aklal.
Later, Khelin and Ley joined Arshel and Zref, bringing their desserts from the
distant table where they'd been sitting. "There's no way to get down to the
surface now," complained Ley. "We can't just sit here for two days "
"There's a small ship leaving tomorrow to bring medical supplies to Camiat,"
said Khelin. "Could we get onto it?"
Zref had spotted that departure. "That ship will take six days to get to
Camiat," he started when an item dropped into his file from his contact at
Public Health. "You were right, the theaters are unsanitary. Public Health is
closing all sensodrama theaters for tests. Good work. Jules."
He related that and said, "That will tarnish the effect of Healing Day on the
Lantern aklal."
"But the damage has already been done," said Ley. "Zref, I only want to go
home!"
"Considering that's what the Enemy wants you to do, do you really want to?"
asked Neini, joining them.
Zref looked around and found Arai and Waysjoff standing behind him. "We're
becoming conspicuous," he said.
Khelin asked, "If we can't get down to the surface, or even over to the
Interchange Satellite, can we at least get a transtellar vidphone hookup?"
Waysjoff said, "Do you know what that costs?"
"The family needs to hear from us," declared Khelin. The strain of the last
few hours was visible only in Khelin's mildness of tone and fluidity of
movement, transforming him before their eyes into the model purple priest.
Page 85
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Unfortunately," Zref answered, "that traffic is normally handled by the dish
antenna that's missing."
"Isn't there any way?" demanded Ley.
Zref had never fathered a child, but he felt the surfather's desperation as a
palpable force churning the floor of his mind. And an idea occurred to him. He
shoved his half-finished dinner away. "Come on up to the suite, I want to try
something."
On the way, Neini fell in beside Zref, and said, "Now we're back in
civilization should we publish our book?"
Waysjoff scuttled out of the path of another Jernal, brushing against Zref as
it said, "With sensod theaters closed, the public is going to be hungry for
new books!"
Shui and Iraem caught up with them at the lift cages. In the privacy of the
lift, which their group filled, Neini consulted Arai and Waysjoff, then
authorized Zref to put the book in the general galactic catalogue.
As the lift stopped near the suite, Waysjoff led the way muttering dire
predictions of being left destitute on Camiat.
Jocelyn, together with one of her best students, a lanky
Almurali male, was approaching from the other direction as Arai answered, half
joking, "We'll all join Mautri, then!"
Waysjoff fretted, "They wouldn't accept a hatchling!"
Jocelyn didn't hear because she was adamantly denying she'd ever said the
pirates were after Zref. The Almurali's parting remark was drowned in kren
laughter at Waysjoff's pessimism. Peripherally, Zref wondered if Jocelyn had
started the rumor at behest of the Enemy, then forgotten. But then they'd
arrived at the big comtap in the sitting room, and Zref was pre-empting
circuits for his experiment, and running the catalogue entry for Meguerian.
"While I'm at it, I'll set cross-indexed and run you a full ad in the New
Books random flasher. You may make the main news index!"
When Waysjoff complained of the cost, Zref explained. "It'll cost, even with
the Guild fee, the same as entering by hand into the general catalogue alone.
An Interface is extremely efficient on large jobs."
The Captain's permission to monopolize Epitasis went on record, and Zref began
patching transtellar circuits.
An Interface on the Interchange Satellite studied Zref's work critically, and
began helping. Soon Rodeen and two other Guild supervisors were observing. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
largest passenger ships in space, coming in almost two days early, encircled
by armed Escorters. Zref worked with the local Interfaces to part the traffic
before them and coordinate the movements of the squadron.
But then, since they were early, they had no ground accommodations. It was
decided to start work on the exterior repairs immediately, with the excursion
to the Crystal Crown to be on schedule, not early. The passengers,
claustrophobic after such a long trip and anxious after the attack, were
loudly disappointed when the Captain announced that.
At the early supper shift, Zref was shunned by some of the faculty and
students. But others came to thank him for his work during the emergency and
to apologize for those who were rude, believing the new rumor that they were
in danger because the mysterious pirates were really after Zref. The Enemy,
Zref concluded, was trying to repossess Her aklal.
Later, Khelin and Ley joined Arshel and Zref, bringing their desserts from the
distant table where they'd been sitting. "There's no way to get down to the
surface now," complained Ley. "We can't just sit here for two days "
"There's a small ship leaving tomorrow to bring medical supplies to Camiat,"
said Khelin. "Could we get onto it?"
Zref had spotted that departure. "That ship will take six days to get to
Camiat," he started when an item dropped into his file from his contact at
Public Health. "You were right, the theaters are unsanitary. Public Health is
closing all sensodrama theaters for tests. Good work. Jules."
He related that and said, "That will tarnish the effect of Healing Day on the
Lantern aklal."
"But the damage has already been done," said Ley. "Zref, I only want to go
home!"
"Considering that's what the Enemy wants you to do, do you really want to?"
asked Neini, joining them.
Zref looked around and found Arai and Waysjoff standing behind him. "We're
becoming conspicuous," he said.
Khelin asked, "If we can't get down to the surface, or even over to the
Interchange Satellite, can we at least get a transtellar vidphone hookup?"
Waysjoff said, "Do you know what that costs?"
"The family needs to hear from us," declared Khelin. The strain of the last
few hours was visible only in Khelin's mildness of tone and fluidity of
movement, transforming him before their eyes into the model purple priest.
Page 85
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Unfortunately," Zref answered, "that traffic is normally handled by the dish
antenna that's missing."
"Isn't there any way?" demanded Ley.
Zref had never fathered a child, but he felt the surfather's desperation as a
palpable force churning the floor of his mind. And an idea occurred to him. He
shoved his half-finished dinner away. "Come on up to the suite, I want to try
something."
On the way, Neini fell in beside Zref, and said, "Now we're back in
civilization should we publish our book?"
Waysjoff scuttled out of the path of another Jernal, brushing against Zref as
it said, "With sensod theaters closed, the public is going to be hungry for
new books!"
Shui and Iraem caught up with them at the lift cages. In the privacy of the
lift, which their group filled, Neini consulted Arai and Waysjoff, then
authorized Zref to put the book in the general galactic catalogue.
As the lift stopped near the suite, Waysjoff led the way muttering dire
predictions of being left destitute on Camiat.
Jocelyn, together with one of her best students, a lanky
Almurali male, was approaching from the other direction as Arai answered, half
joking, "We'll all join Mautri, then!"
Waysjoff fretted, "They wouldn't accept a hatchling!"
Jocelyn didn't hear because she was adamantly denying she'd ever said the
pirates were after Zref. The Almurali's parting remark was drowned in kren
laughter at Waysjoff's pessimism. Peripherally, Zref wondered if Jocelyn had
started the rumor at behest of the Enemy, then forgotten. But then they'd
arrived at the big comtap in the sitting room, and Zref was pre-empting
circuits for his experiment, and running the catalogue entry for Meguerian.
"While I'm at it, I'll set cross-indexed and run you a full ad in the New
Books random flasher. You may make the main news index!"
When Waysjoff complained of the cost, Zref explained. "It'll cost, even with
the Guild fee, the same as entering by hand into the general catalogue alone.
An Interface is extremely efficient on large jobs."
The Captain's permission to monopolize Epitasis went on record, and Zref began
patching transtellar circuits.
An Interface on the Interchange Satellite studied Zref's work critically, and
began helping. Soon Rodeen and two other Guild supervisors were observing. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]