Angelmass by Timothy Zahn

Author:Timothy Zahn
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2011-01-20T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 25

Outside, the tow car took up the slack; and with a jerk, the Gazelle started rolling. Ronyon, still carrying the bedding, was caught off-guard by the sudden motion and staggered slightly, bumping into the corridor wall.

It was the opportunity Chandris had been waiting for. In an instant she was at his side, steadying his arm and pressing against him.

A couple of seconds were all she got before he was back on balance again and she had to pull away. But a couple of seconds were all she needed. Her senses had not, in fact, played her false during that conversation a minute ago with Kosta and High Senator Forsythe.

Ronyon was carrying an angel.

An angel. She repeated the word silently to herself, her thoughts spinning with old plans and fresh possibilities. An angel. Not the Daviees’ spare, which she’d promised herself not to take, but a government angel. One of thousands. One that would probably never be missed.

All it would take, Hanan had told her, would be some highly specialized neural surgery and six months of intensive treatment … and two million ruya to pay for all of it.

I’m reformed, she reminded herself. But the words sounded hollow and meaningless. And anyway, she’d never said she was reformed. The only reason she hadn’t stolen anything lately was that she hadn’t happened across anything worth the effort.

Until now.

They reached Hanan’s cabin and Ronyon went inside, smiling cheerfully at Chandris as he set the bundle of bedding on the desk. “You want me to do the beds?” Chandris asked before remembering he couldn’t hear her. But even as she tried to think of how best to act out the question, Ronyon shook his head and tapped his own chest. Turning to the bunk, he began to strip it.

So he could read lips. Interesting that Forsythe had neglected to mention that fact. In fact, he’d strongly implied exactly the opposite, that Ronyon could only communicate through sign language.

For a long moment she stood in the doorway, gazing at Ronyon’s broad back while he worked, the old juices starting to flow again as she considered how to make the approach. Picking his pocket would be the simplest if she knew where he was carrying it. But she didn’t; and anyway, out here in the middle of nowhere she wouldn’t exactly have the option of chop-hopping if he noticed the loss. The best way would be for him to give it to her, for whatever reason she could concoct. A man of his obvious limitations should be easy to score.

Ronyon finished the cot and turned back, seemingly surprised to see her still there. But he smiled again as he collected the other set of bedding. She smiled back, moving out of the doorway to let him pass. The smile faded as he crossed the corridor and went into Hanan’s room. An easy score … except for one minor detail.

The track in this case was deaf.

Chandris bit at her lip, a swirl of uncertainty like she hadn’t felt in years swishing through her stomach.

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