Mad Roy's Light by Paula Downing King

Author:Paula Downing King
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2004-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Shenda Port was a massive enclave, dominated by Daruma ships. The ancient field stretched for miles into the distance, although only the quarter nearest the capital was now kept in repair. To one side rose the delicate architecture of the Shenda city, tall towers, wide halls, and ancient mausoleums dedicated to the Madringa's cult, interspersed with gardens and wide parks. Jennan looked over the portfield and counted a half-dozen Terran ships, an indication of Terra's interest in the system. At one corner of the field, to her surprised satisfaction, sat the mystery ship she had seen on Taki. Somehow Out-Station had slipped, probably because Beren was all too happy to think Li Fawn safely gone with their mother ship. But the Li Fawn were definitely here, probably that spy: now, how to find him?

She studied the small cruiser with Ariel's long-range scanner, and then argued vigorously with Chandra about marching over right then and opening it up, with a drill-laser if necessary. In the end, Chandra gave in to a subtler approach by Morgen at the local Guild Hall. With her current bad odor in the local Guild, Jennan would get nowhere in inquiries, but her team-second had the requisite rank, aplomb, and flutey ears to poke around. Morgen took Chandra with him, partly as window-dressing about his interest in new ships, partly as a precaution against some independent Vang action against orders. Wearing a battery of lasers gave a Vang pilot too many ideas.

In the meantime, Tanner had his own possible inquiries and Jennan had an adopted Shenda to attend. She and Tanner took Marunda into the city to find the local Shenda clan hall. His identi-disk stated his home city as the capital, and they hoped for more specific directions at the hall. Marunda mumbled to himself as they walked along the stone-crumbled street; then the familiar surroundings seemed to lighten the fog in his mind.

"Shann,” he said.

"Yes, Shann,” Jennan replied, smiling up at him. “I brought you home, like I promised. Where go?"

"Home.” Marunda pointed to the east, across the rounded domes of a nearby residential district. “Baige Forest Lane, near university. Small house."

Jennan looked inquiringly at Tanner.

"The McCrory substation's downtown,” he said. “Do you want to take him home first?"

"We'd better while he's lucid again."

"Catch tram,” Marunda said and stalked away towards the rail line. The humans followed him hastily.

Underneath a protective shell, an antiquated machine sat hissingly on a single pair of tracks. A half-dozen Shenda males sat on board, waiting, and a lone Shenda female swathed in yards of shimmering fabric sat isolated in a far corner. The Shenda males ignored her completely, despite her baleful looks. They took a long bench seat near the front.

Fifteen minutes later they were still waiting. Jennan stretched out her legs and slumped against the seat.

"Want to neck?” Tanner asked. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and played with a tendril of her hair. Then his finger began tracing the curves of her ear, as his joke turned half-serious.

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