WILL RJR KNOW WHO …` Laria couldn’t resist asking Tip.
NEVER KNOW. WE DON T. WE KNOW IT WAS DONE. THAT IS ENOUGH.
Well, you would ask, Thian said when he saw the chagrined look on his sister’s face from the brusque reply.
There was no harm in asking, she said with a sniff Otherwise how would I know that there is a limit to the knowledge they have of the process? They aren’t offended.
No, they’re not. They know us too well for that.
Thank goodness. Sometimes . and Laria halted, closing off her thought.
Thian nudged her. Hey, it’s me, your brother.
Laria gave him a sideways look. If I could analogize the nebulous, I would, but I can’t. when I can figure out the question I need to ask, I’ll bring it to you, and Zara. There was a sad and perplexed tone to Laria’s mental voice that Thian had never heard before from his practical, sensible sister.
Not Mother or Dad?
Laria gave a little laugh. when I know enough to ask, I might.
But I think you and Zara might know better.
I’m highly complimented. Thian tousled his sister’s hair.
She was tall but he had centimetres on her.
`Hey, what gives you the right to mess me up?’ she demanded in mock outrage. Their mental exchange had taken so little time their guests could not have been aware of discourtesy or such a tightly private colloquy.
`Hey, I’m bigger’n you now, sis. I got the right!’ Thian said, grinning back. He noticed Flavia and Kincaid exchanging amused glances. `Where to now?
A view of the open mines? A fascinating scenic tour of the river?
Ah, I know. Breakfast was a long time ago and there’s a great place where they’ve fresh crustaceans I’ll bet neither of our guests have ever had a chance to eat!’ `Gotcha!’ `I’d rather you didn’t use that word around me, sis,’ Thian said, having had to catch his breath at the shaft of remembered fear and terror the innocent vernacular phrase produced in him.
`Ooops, sorry, Thi,’ and Laria was full of remorse.
Once again they inadvertently excluded their guests and smiled apologies.
`Maybe if you spoke of it to us who will understand as others can’t ?` Flavia asked, peering up into Thian’s pale face.
Thian knew himself to be tempted by Flavia’s obvious concern but he also caught the wariness in Kincaid, a rigid seizing of muscles in the man’s body that made -`him loath to add to whatever burden Kincaid already coped with. For Thian was as perceptive as Zara about the T-2.
So he made himself grin.
`You would understand, Flavia,’ he said, lightly and briefly touching her shoulder, `and so would dano, but at another time. Laria just caught me unawares.
They ate fish of all kinds as well as the fresh crustaceans and Laria put in an order for ten kilos of frozen shellfish to be sent on to Clarf.
`I’d forgot how much I liked `em,’ she said as they turned back towards the Tower. She took a meandering course, turning the sled just beyond the main mining complexes and into the next level of hills.
`You wouldn’t know there was a highly industrialized city just a hill away,’ Flavia said, as Laria slowed the sled so they could all enjoy the panorama.
It was late summer on Aurigae and the ground vines were beginning to turn colour, rivalling what flowering shrubs and plants still bloomed.
`This is a pretty time of year, too,’ Laria said with a sigh.
She was now accustomed to Clarfs heat but the crisp air of Iota Aurigae IV and the softness of us primary’s distant light were subtly soothing, relaxing. But then this was home and all that the term implied: familiar, safe, comforting, pleasant. Even Kincaid seemed easier in himself his attitude languid. Flavia, on the other hand, was eagerly absorbing all the views, glancing all around her, or peering down as they passed over some particularly lovely setting. Thian had a droll smile on his face as he watched the Altairian.
She is lovely, Laria said on a thin line.
No question of that, Thian replied easily and his smile broadened a trifle.