“It is empty there. Ère is the galaxy for to see.” She sank her head on his breast.
In a short while she lifted it – he discerned her homely countenance by starlight – and confessed, “I, I make the apology, Daniel, good friend. It is wrong I cry when they come back safe, no? But-” Her eyes, her really beautiful eyes, caught his. “One thing. You àve n-n-no need for ùrrying about this. You àve more urgent matters. But-” She gasped. “We are lost in eternity. Tell me, please, when you àve time – what can I do?”
“Ah-h,” he murmured, scenting that she also was a woman (without desire, when Caitlin was scheduled soon to disembark, but with a sudden extra affection), “you’re left out of the linkage, right?”
“Not forbidden. Òwever, Fidelio and Dr. Ky, they do everyt’ing-” He felt her tense in his arms, saw in the ring of the Milky Way how she mastered her lips. “What is left for me, Daniel? Òw can I èlp you?”
He made kindly noises, and eventually took her to her cabin, where he gave her a sedative and a brother’s kiss before he left. As the door closed behind him, he wondered what the devil he could find for her.
XXXI
On autopilot, which observation had shown to be safe, Chinook accelerated toward the T machine. En route, her crew had a party. Brodersen recommended going all out, no stinting of booze or pot or anything else. First Caitlin, assisted by Susanne, made a tableful of canapes, and Weisenberg turned out some new ornaments for the common room, colorful objects of metal and plastic, in his machine shop.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the captain stated when his folk were gathered,
“we have before us the serious business of getting drunk – stoned – high as a kite, boiled as an owl. I refer, of course, to the International Standard Kite, flown under one gravity in air at STP, and to the International Standard Owl, whose condition is determined by encephalogram after it has consumed one liter of hundred proof Scotch.”
Side 126
Anderson, Poul – Avatar, The
“No, Irish,” Caitlmn required, and lifted her glass of the same to his.
“Slainte go fail leat.” They grinned at each other. Though she had ached from high weight and battering flight, she had seldom given him a finer time than when she awoke after arrival, unless maybe he compared subsequent times.
“Here’s to our noble selves,” Brodersen toasted the company.
Most of their responses were nominal. He considered them. The viewscreens held splendor, Danu’s dayside receding in the sky but still large, the sun like a ruby, stars and the galactic river and stars. Nobody watched –
not that that was the purpose, but it seemed as if they were turning backs on the cosmos.
Carlos Rueda appeared cheerful. Frieda von Moltke had made him royally welcome. However, tonight she played more to Stef Dozsa, though he was pretty dour. Phil Weisenberg wore a calm, polite smile. Su Granville had gained back a little morale from helping Caitlin; nevertheless, beneath her face Brodersen discerned woe. Joelle Ky had taken a chair offside and was devoting her attention to Fidelio-almost ostentatiously, which wasn’t her style. Martti Leino had, plain to see, not been sleeping well and, no matter how he tried, could not keep his gaze off Caitlin.
He’s in love with her, Brodersen thought. Understandable. Maybe she ought to – or maybe not. I don’t know. It could raise more trouble than it ends, he’s such an intense kind of guy.
And what should I do about Joelle? She’s got something eating at her too. I’m not sure what. He laid an arm around the girl beside him, felt her supple slenderness, inhaled her fragrance of youth. I hate to give up any time I might spend with Pegeen.
He laughed.
“What’s funny, my heart?” she asked.
“Nothing,” Brodersen said in haste. Ha! There I was, taking for granted I’m such a God’s gift to suffering womankind that a night with me will instantly make Joelle purr. Joelle! “Uh, how about some music? From you, I mean. Now that we have you back.” He brushed his mouth across the wonderful softness of her cheek; and practically felt Leino’s look stab him; and no doubt Leino wasn’t the only one. I’d better stop flaunting this that I have and they don’t. Only how can I?