Tin Woodman by David Bischoff & Dennis R. Bailey

Author:David Bischoff & Dennis R. Bailey [Bischoff, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Event Horizon EPub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

There could be no doubt. Her Talent was returning.

In those long, slow days that followed the Null-R jump in pursuit of Tin Woodman it did not flow back suddenly, or with any marked effects—no sudden rush, no tumultuous wave of new sensations.

It came slowly, gently—like a lost cat returning to its master on silent, hesitant paws. And, curiously, she welcomed it. For all the pain it had bestowed upon her in the span of her life, she was used to it; it was a part of her total self, and though its absence was a relief from the constant pulsing of emotions from Normals, she realized that she had accustomed herself to that pain. Without the Talent, she seemed strangely out of contact with herself, as though she lacked some vital element of her nature.

For a time, this unusual man, this Ston Maurtan she had taken into her quarters, was an enigma to her. Had she her full faculties, perhaps the mysteries that permeated him, that looked bemusedly out of his brown, trusting eyes would be accessible to her understanding. Comprehension came gradually, like the full restoration of her Talent.

She grew to love him.

Mora presumed that Darsen knew she’d taken Ston under her wing. And there was no sign of the captain’s disapproval or approval of this arrangement. Perhaps it was all the same to him; Ston would be equally out of the way in a Henderson, or under Mora’s care. Maybe he was simply too preoccupied even to inquire as to the former ensign’s present moneyless status; certainly Mora saw no sign either of him or his detestable henchman, Tamner, in that quiet, tense time following the successful discovery of the direction and destination of the alien. The two seemed to Mora to fade into ominous shadows; invisible presences whose control was all pervasive—a new and palpable aspect of the Pegasus’ atmosphere.

But even though there was no further harassment of civilian Ston Maurtan, the malediction Captain Darsen had visited upon the man was still having its effects, its implications sinking deeper into him every day.

As Mora had also been relieved of her duties (without, as far as she could see, detriment to the crew’s mental health), they were able to spend a good deal of time together. Only access to the control areas of the Pegasus was denied them; the rest of the ship was at their disposal. The extent and variety of this was not inconsiderable; the Pegasus was equipped with almost every legal diversion available to modern man. They spent this free time liberally sampling all the entertainments of this little, movable world. They strolled through the hydroponic gardens, breathing in the heavy, hot, flower-perfumed air. They frequented the Tri-Vid parlors, the feelies, the game rooms, the Null-G room, the skating rink, the concert hall.

It was all very peaceful and relaxing to Mora after the incidentfilled preceding days. Nevertheless, there was the nagging feeling at the back of her mind that all this was just a lull

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