(eng) Michelle L. Levigne - Sunsinger 07 by Leap Ships

Author:Leap Ships [Ships, Leap]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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Chapter Seven

Rhiann caught on quickly to the trick of navigating and moving around in free-fall the next morning. She bumped her head a few times, giggling, and learned in only a few tries how to control her momentum and plan ahead where to bounce or grab hold of something to change her direction. Captain Lorian caught on almost as quickly. Dr. Haral and Herin were a few tries behind them. Bain was a little surprised to realize that the older girl's slowness gave him some satisfaction. He knew what it was like to be younger and always second in consideration for so many things. He remembered how Rhiann had piped up to say that Herin would inherit the Estal'es'cai from their mother, but she, Rhiann would get a new ship.

Bain had charge of the grand tour, taking their guests down to the cargo hold—empty now of everything but clips and clamps and netting. He described how the echoing space had been turned into a dormitory, first for orphan refugees and then for plague victims. He showed them the airlocks and the storage bays, then brought them up the access tube to the bridge. It would have been fun to race Rhiann up the tube, bumping into each other, trying to knock each other off course and move dangerously fast. He couldn't even suggest it with Captain Lorian right behind them, watching and listening.

On the bridge, Bain explained the control panel, pointing out some of the specialized controls, and how different functions could be assigned to the same knobs and switches and buttons at different times. Lin stayed quietly to the side, floating just outside the galley booth, and watched with that soft, utterly unreadable smile that always made him nervous. Bain had the feeling he was being tested, as well as giving their guests a tour.

He told them how Lin had first gathered stellar dust when the Mashrami had chased them through the Knaught Point, how they had learned to keep a supply on hand and that he was in charge of loosing it in the faces of their pursuers.

When he showed them the different cubicles and the storage areas underneath and around them, Dr. Haral made a comment about the efficiency of the ship. His wife shook her head and smiled and wrinkled up her nose at him. Neither one explained what they were talking about. Bain had the feeling it was a private joke.

The big success of the tour, up to that point, was when Lin brought out cups of hot chocolate. Both girls were quiet, eyes wide. Their noses twitched as they took deep sniffs of the rich, brown, spicy aroma of the chocolate. Captain Lorian's hand trembled as she took her cup.

“We've heard stories, read them in the old log tapes and reminiscences of our ancestors,” she said, gazing down into the creamy brown liquid. She shook her head and looked up at Lin. “There were several signs we were told to look for, to show civilization had returned to our home universe.

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