“Why should they use electromagnetic waves for communications?” Dozsa objected. “I’m told the Betans don’t.”
“The Betans do keep the capability of receiving it, in case of need,”
Rueda said. “Moreover, our jet radiation ought to register on instruments.”
“And we could rig a big, fat, blinking light on our hull,” Leino added excitedly.
“Well,” Brodersen called, “how about it?”
Chinook flew. She went at three-fourths of a gee, less than her captain had assumed. Caitlin had pointed out that that was sufficient and would make reaction mass last longer. Folk walked lightly, on their feet and in their hearts.
Entering Joelle’s cabin, the paramedic found the holothete standing amidst its bleakness. Everybody else usually kept something on the data retrieval, be it simply music or a static work of art. Here the screen was blank and mute. Unless you counted the neatly made bed, the room held no trace of personality.
In a loose blue kaftan Caitlin had made for her, Joelle seemed like a sculptured Boddhisatva. Her untidiness was gone, she was washed and groomed and reasonably well rested; but gone, too, was the last real earthliness. Huge-eyed within a coil of gray hair, her face was ivory pale, nearly fleshless, sexless, inhumanly serene. The hand she lifted and the smile she gave in greeting traced abstract curves. Her voice was melodious once more, but the melody was for no mortal ear.
“You are most obliging to come,” she said: a formula.
“No trouble to me,” Caitlin replied. “We do need you built up physically, and if you’d liefer begin in privacy, why the first exercises I suppose I’ll be prescribing for you require no gym equipment.” She set down her medikit and opened the case. “We start with a checkup.”
Joelle pulled her garment over her head and dropped it on a chair.
Caitlin studied the scarecrow form, circled about, ran searching fingers across the skin. Joelle stayed quiescent save to move her arms out of the way on request.
“No harm in reasonable underweight,” Caitlin remarked. “I could wish my arse were a tad less veritable. Yours, though, is positively ethereal.” Her conversational gambit failing, she turned brisk. “We do have to restore the wasted muscle tissue, the which means you will eat more proteins; and a slight layer of fat is normal in a woman. Tell me, what are some of your favorite dishes? I can try to make meals you find appetizing.”
“It makes no difference,” Joelle said. “Inform me of how much to consume of what and I will.”
A frown flickered over Caitlin’s forehead, but she had no immediate answer. Proceeding with the examination, she found basic good health. That included neurological signs. The tensions, tics, and twitches were gone, reflexes were excellent, a slow and even cardiac rhythm maintained blood pressure that a person two decades younger might covet.
“End of the routine,” she said at last. “You can dress. I’ll be doing Side 165
Anderson, Poul – Avatar, The the standard tests on cell and fluid samples, but I make no doubt they’ll prove fine.”
Joelle slipped the kaftan back on. “Then I may as well commence your program, if you’ll spell it out.”
“M-m-m, I’m not through yet. Have a chair. I want to talk with you.’
When they were seated, and Joelle had passively waited for Caitlin to speak, the latter did. “I can prescribe for your body, but that may be slim use when I know nothing of your mind. For instance, how faithful will you be about instructions?”
“Very.” The promise was neither fervent nor reluctant. “I assume they won’t interfere unduly with my work, and appreciate that their purpose is to keep a breakdown from interfering.”
Caitlin’s mouth tightened. “There’s what frets me the most. How much holothesis can you take before something happens to you? What might that be?
Would it be irreversible? Has it already begun? Joelle, none of your Emissary mates claim they ever knew you intimately, but they agree you’ve turned into a complete stranger. I’ve never heard tell of anyone spending well-nigh every waking hour in linkage. No, at home the time is limited by rules, and I wonder mightily whether Dan should enforce them on you.”