[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
think-and it threw me halfway across
Control and smashed this shoulder into gravel, mostly. Also broke some ribs
and my right thigh.
I'll be slow getting back to any kind of good coordination-if I ever do."
"You will," said Ivan. "You won't let up until you're satisfied with
yourself."
"Now that, I'll never be again. Don't be foolish. And-" She looked at him,
then said, "I
appreciate what you're doing; don't ever think I don't. But once I'm up and
around, and don't need somebody to hold my hand-well, if you want to leave
Graf Spec- "
"Ilse! I-"
"No-don't say it! Not now, when you have to tell me it doesn't make any
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difference. It does, and it will-you know that as well as I do. Just promise
me, Ivan Marchant-that when you've given it a fair try and found you need a
woman with a whole face-you'll tell me straight out, not try to hide it. All
right?"
Ivan looked to Rissa. She said, "It's a fair thing, that she asks. Only to
know how it stands between you, not to have to wonder."
"All right," said Ivan, "If ever 1 want to go-I'll tell you, Ilse."
The mutilated face smiled. "Good-I'm glad that's settled. Now-I'm afraid I'm
getting tired; I'd like to sleep a little. Rissa-Liesel-thanks for coming. And
later, any time you're not too busy.
And Ivan-wake me maybe half an hour before lunchtime?"
"Sure." He bent to kiss her, straightened and escorted the two women out.
Downship a little way he said, "You did it- you really did it. I don't know
how you knew what to say, both of you. But this was the first time she'd talk
about her-
164
damages-and the first sign she's shown of any interest in her future. I don't
know how to thank you."
Liesel stopped, pulled his head down and kissed him, long.
"That'll do for me." Rissa reached out and squeezed his hand.
She paused, then said, "Ivan-the promise you made-you must keep it, you know.
If, when her present need of you is less crucial, you find that her maiming
comes between you, you cannot try to pretend otherwise. For she will know,
and-"
"Peace be swallowed! You really think I'd leave Ilse? For what? A scar down
her face-and I
expect there's makeup will cover it for social occasions-and the loss of an
ear, hidden by a wig?"
He put his hand over that part of Rissa's face and head. "That much of Ilse,
disfigured-you think it's going to change how I feel about her?"
He laughed. "You might as well think the scars she'll have at the shoulder,
and around it-that those would turn me away."
"I had not thought, Ivan-and I am not sure what you mean."
"I guess you've never seen Ilse without clothes. Well- Tregare and I went
swimming once; I've seen his scars."
"What-?"
"Ilse went through UET's Academy, too."
Speechless, Rissa could only nod.
BACK aboard Hobnails, Rissa called Tregare. He expressed sympathy and concern
for Ilse, wanted to know if Liesel and Hawkman were ready to travel, and was
pleased to learn they were.
"But not in the scout," he said. "That's off. No, I'm not being
supercautious-I need another ship here, is all. Not Kickem's-I'm naming him
strike force commander in case of action from outside. I had in mind Coryle
Hagenau-she did a good job, coordinating the Escaped ships. She's on-
what's it called now?"
"Committee's Fall. Have you sent orders, or shall I call her?"
"She has a tentative alert, through Zelde, so she could pick someone to stand
in, there. If you agree, you can confirm it."
\r165
\r"I shall. But why do you need another ship?"
"Well-it's all moving. Enough so that now I can get around to pulling the
Space Academy apart.
And I'm not going there in any peace-splattering little scomship."
"But Inconnu-all the administrative circuits-"
"We'll take the Fall; Hagenau can sit in, here. Now then- quick summary?
Ressider's getting a handle on the Police system. You remember the woman on
Stronghold? Flaer Leti-ken? Poiicebitch all
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...iew%2005%20-%20The%20Long%20View
%20v1.0.txt (77 of 137) [7/14/2004 3:28:44 PM]
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file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%20F.%20M%20-%20L...M%20-%20Long%20V
iew%2005%20-%20The%20Long%20View%20v1.0.txt her life and glad to get free of
it?"
"Yes. Tall, thin-I did not ever believe that bright red hair."
He grinned. "She's on Ressider's ship-that's why I picked it for the Police
job. She knows the system inside out, and that's just about the way she's
starting to turn it."
"That is very good news, Bran. And what else?"
"Nothing-zerch!-from the Hulzein Establishment, any branch. Maybe it's gone
out of business, which I don't believe. Or else Lena Diabla-my first cousin
once removed, isn't she?-is waiting to see how everything turns out.
"The Australians-Altworth came on the screen once. All he said was call back
when things were settled, better. I don't know-"
"And elsewhere, outside this continent?"
"Feelers, is all-they're waiting, too. And I'm hanging from a tight string on
Markine's project.
But that's why now is a good time-tomorrow or next day-to proof out the
Academy."
"Yes. Then if nothing goes amiss, Tregare, we will come to you today."
"I was hoping you'd say that."
BOARDING Committee's Fall', Rissa thought back to what little she knew of
Coryle Hagenau, from the time the woman had arrived with UET's second fleet
until she had taken her ship back to Earth. A
crewman met Rissa and escorted her to Control; there Hagenau greeted her.
"Welcome aboard, I've been making the arrangements; we can move today, if you
want."
She has not changed so much . . . slightly taller than Rissa, perhaps five
years older biologically, slim to gauntness-her dark hair now worn somewhat
longer, and curling. Rissa said, 166
"Good-we can be ready soon." She looked around; Control was in good order.
"All your Escaped ships have been cleared, I understand. Who will be in charge
of them while you are away?"
"Yes, we're cleared-our bad UET apples are in detention, or maybe Welfare by
now. You wouldn't know my deputy- Carsh Rodelle--he's never been off Earth
long enough to give him two ages. He's only a figurehead, anyway-the same as
I've been. Zelde M'tana's running this group herself, through James
Pescadore."
"You resent the situation?"
The woman shook her head. "No. It's interim; I realize that. We're not needed
just now, and
M'tana has no time for us. She said she'd get to us when she could." Coryle
raised an eyebrow.
"You know what I think of that one? If Tregare hadn't pulled the whole trick
off, she's the only other who might have."
"No. I agree, she has the ability-but not Tregare's incentive."
"You mean-it's true, the story that she didn't come up through UET at all?"
"Correct. Zelde began her career, on an Escaped ship, as captain's bedmate.
When the man succumbed to drugs and sickness, she learned quickly enough to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl fopke.keep.pl
think-and it threw me halfway across
Control and smashed this shoulder into gravel, mostly. Also broke some ribs
and my right thigh.
I'll be slow getting back to any kind of good coordination-if I ever do."
"You will," said Ivan. "You won't let up until you're satisfied with
yourself."
"Now that, I'll never be again. Don't be foolish. And-" She looked at him,
then said, "I
appreciate what you're doing; don't ever think I don't. But once I'm up and
around, and don't need somebody to hold my hand-well, if you want to leave
Graf Spec- "
"Ilse! I-"
"No-don't say it! Not now, when you have to tell me it doesn't make any
Page 103
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
difference. It does, and it will-you know that as well as I do. Just promise
me, Ivan Marchant-that when you've given it a fair try and found you need a
woman with a whole face-you'll tell me straight out, not try to hide it. All
right?"
Ivan looked to Rissa. She said, "It's a fair thing, that she asks. Only to
know how it stands between you, not to have to wonder."
"All right," said Ivan, "If ever 1 want to go-I'll tell you, Ilse."
The mutilated face smiled. "Good-I'm glad that's settled. Now-I'm afraid I'm
getting tired; I'd like to sleep a little. Rissa-Liesel-thanks for coming. And
later, any time you're not too busy.
And Ivan-wake me maybe half an hour before lunchtime?"
"Sure." He bent to kiss her, straightened and escorted the two women out.
Downship a little way he said, "You did it- you really did it. I don't know
how you knew what to say, both of you. But this was the first time she'd talk
about her-
164
damages-and the first sign she's shown of any interest in her future. I don't
know how to thank you."
Liesel stopped, pulled his head down and kissed him, long.
"That'll do for me." Rissa reached out and squeezed his hand.
She paused, then said, "Ivan-the promise you made-you must keep it, you know.
If, when her present need of you is less crucial, you find that her maiming
comes between you, you cannot try to pretend otherwise. For she will know,
and-"
"Peace be swallowed! You really think I'd leave Ilse? For what? A scar down
her face-and I
expect there's makeup will cover it for social occasions-and the loss of an
ear, hidden by a wig?"
He put his hand over that part of Rissa's face and head. "That much of Ilse,
disfigured-you think it's going to change how I feel about her?"
He laughed. "You might as well think the scars she'll have at the shoulder,
and around it-that those would turn me away."
"I had not thought, Ivan-and I am not sure what you mean."
"I guess you've never seen Ilse without clothes. Well- Tregare and I went
swimming once; I've seen his scars."
"What-?"
"Ilse went through UET's Academy, too."
Speechless, Rissa could only nod.
BACK aboard Hobnails, Rissa called Tregare. He expressed sympathy and concern
for Ilse, wanted to know if Liesel and Hawkman were ready to travel, and was
pleased to learn they were.
"But not in the scout," he said. "That's off. No, I'm not being
supercautious-I need another ship here, is all. Not Kickem's-I'm naming him
strike force commander in case of action from outside. I had in mind Coryle
Hagenau-she did a good job, coordinating the Escaped ships. She's on-
what's it called now?"
"Committee's Fall. Have you sent orders, or shall I call her?"
"She has a tentative alert, through Zelde, so she could pick someone to stand
in, there. If you agree, you can confirm it."
\r165
\r"I shall. But why do you need another ship?"
"Well-it's all moving. Enough so that now I can get around to pulling the
Space Academy apart.
And I'm not going there in any peace-splattering little scomship."
"But Inconnu-all the administrative circuits-"
"We'll take the Fall; Hagenau can sit in, here. Now then- quick summary?
Ressider's getting a handle on the Police system. You remember the woman on
Stronghold? Flaer Leti-ken? Poiicebitch all
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...iew%2005%20-%20The%20Long%20View
%20v1.0.txt (77 of 137) [7/14/2004 3:28:44 PM]
Page 104
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%20F.%20M%20-%20L...M%20-%20Long%20V
iew%2005%20-%20The%20Long%20View%20v1.0.txt her life and glad to get free of
it?"
"Yes. Tall, thin-I did not ever believe that bright red hair."
He grinned. "She's on Ressider's ship-that's why I picked it for the Police
job. She knows the system inside out, and that's just about the way she's
starting to turn it."
"That is very good news, Bran. And what else?"
"Nothing-zerch!-from the Hulzein Establishment, any branch. Maybe it's gone
out of business, which I don't believe. Or else Lena Diabla-my first cousin
once removed, isn't she?-is waiting to see how everything turns out.
"The Australians-Altworth came on the screen once. All he said was call back
when things were settled, better. I don't know-"
"And elsewhere, outside this continent?"
"Feelers, is all-they're waiting, too. And I'm hanging from a tight string on
Markine's project.
But that's why now is a good time-tomorrow or next day-to proof out the
Academy."
"Yes. Then if nothing goes amiss, Tregare, we will come to you today."
"I was hoping you'd say that."
BOARDING Committee's Fall', Rissa thought back to what little she knew of
Coryle Hagenau, from the time the woman had arrived with UET's second fleet
until she had taken her ship back to Earth. A
crewman met Rissa and escorted her to Control; there Hagenau greeted her.
"Welcome aboard, I've been making the arrangements; we can move today, if you
want."
She has not changed so much . . . slightly taller than Rissa, perhaps five
years older biologically, slim to gauntness-her dark hair now worn somewhat
longer, and curling. Rissa said, 166
"Good-we can be ready soon." She looked around; Control was in good order.
"All your Escaped ships have been cleared, I understand. Who will be in charge
of them while you are away?"
"Yes, we're cleared-our bad UET apples are in detention, or maybe Welfare by
now. You wouldn't know my deputy- Carsh Rodelle--he's never been off Earth
long enough to give him two ages. He's only a figurehead, anyway-the same as
I've been. Zelde M'tana's running this group herself, through James
Pescadore."
"You resent the situation?"
The woman shook her head. "No. It's interim; I realize that. We're not needed
just now, and
M'tana has no time for us. She said she'd get to us when she could." Coryle
raised an eyebrow.
"You know what I think of that one? If Tregare hadn't pulled the whole trick
off, she's the only other who might have."
"No. I agree, she has the ability-but not Tregare's incentive."
"You mean-it's true, the story that she didn't come up through UET at all?"
"Correct. Zelde began her career, on an Escaped ship, as captain's bedmate.
When the man succumbed to drugs and sickness, she learned quickly enough to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]