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necessary only to convince strangers.
Yes, but Alfvaen raised her small hands and grasped air. I have to learn
the words as well.
She fell silent, but her hands remained clenched.
After a moment, Darragh said, There s another matter of language, Tocohl.
Before you accept this job, you should know what happened on Jannisett.
Keeping a watchful eye on Alfvaen, Tocohl said, She told me. She was arrested
and held, until you straightened the matter out.
She was expertly framed, Nevelen Darragh said, and the man who framed her
was a crayden
.
Tocohl stiffened in surprise. She said nothing, but Nevelen Darragh s
expression was all she needed to confirm that she d heard correctly.
I see, said Tocohl, and she laid her hand on Alfvaen s shoulder, partly to
comfort, partly to draw
Alfvaen from her preoccupation. What are your plans, now that your message is
delivered?
Alfvaen stared at her, uncomprehending. Then she blinked as if come into
sudden sunlight.
A moment ago, I had none, she said. MGE dropped my contract after
Inumaru. I don t blame them much. Even I find it hard to believe that catching
Cana s disease could be serendipitous.
She reached across and caught Tocohl s wrist. Take me with you, she said.
Teach me the words I
need.
I was hoping you d say that, said Tocohl. MGE may have doubts about your
serendipity, but I
don t. You know how to deal with members of a survey team, she paused, then
added, and you might be safer on Lassti than anywhere else.
Safer? Alfvaen asked. I don t have the words to understand that, either.
You need just one: the Jannisetti word crayden
. It is an exact translation of the Sheveschkem dastagh
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waster. As the Jannisetti say themselves, Once a thing happens twice, you
must think about it three times. Tocohl stood. Geremy, I m sorry to break
up your evening, but could we get that cargo transferred now? Under the
circumstances, I d prefer to leave immediately.
Despite its value, the cargo was small and compact. Even Nevelen Darragh
pitched in to help, and the transfer of tapes and winterspice went quickly. As
a courtesy, Tocohl registered her new destination with Sheveschkem traffic
control, giving the coordinates Alfvaen had received from swift-Kalat.
I ll bet traffic control loved that! said Geremy. I take it the
captain of the survey team is
Sheveschkem? he asked Alfvaen. The naming of a new world was often the
captain s privilege.
Yes, said Alfvaen. What s so funny?
Lassti means Flashfever, Geremy explained. It s a local disease as common
on Sheveschke as a cold characterized by bizarre visual effects.
It s like being slugged in the side of the head and seeing sparks, Tocohl
put in. I know. I had it once.
Geremy went on, The very religious call it the Fist of Veschke and would
say Tocohl had been punished for her many sins.
Tocohl waggled a handful of fingers at Geremy insolently, then got on with the
business of rearranging the interior panels to create a cabin for Alfvaen.
That must be some planet! Tocohl finished.
Maggy pinged for attention. (Two passengers for Flashfever,) she said.
(Passengers?) said Tocohl in surprise. Only rare circumstances would take
people to a world still under survey. Visiting was inadvisable, not illegal,
and one stayed only as long as one s transport stayed.
Transport stayed at the discretion of the survey captain.
(Let s have a look at them,) Tocohl instructed. (Put them on the screen.)
Maggy complied. A man and a woman, Sheveschkemen, appeared on the small
screen. Both wore severely cut green jumpsuits, lacking any adornment. The
expressions they wore were equally severe.
The woman spoke in GalLing . Captain Susumo? We wish to book passage to
Flashfever for the duration of your stay.
That should have been icing on the cake. Tocohl s expenses were already
covered by swift-Kalat.
Two passengers would double her profit and yet Tocohl did not immediately
reply. Something about the two disturbed her. Then she suddenly had it: here
were two Sheveschkemen prepared to leave their planet before the end of
festival and neither wore a pin of any sort.
Neither had gone for Veschke s Fire!
(Not worth the risk,) thought Tocohl and only realized she d subvocalized when
Maggy said, (What risk?)
(The Inheritors of God don t participate in pagan rituals. In fact, I
imagine they d find Veschke particularly hateful. She burned for her
refusal to give Sheveschke s coordinates to exploitive second-wave
colonizers,) Tocohl explained briefly. (I won t risk having Inheritors aboard
while Alfvaen is with us. She s been attacked twice. The first time on
Jannisett, when she was framed. The second we interrupted. And one could
deduce that the attacks were escalating.) She said aloud, You ll have to find
other transport. I m taking no passengers this trip. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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