amc.killashandra-第6章

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s　banal　and　malicious　as　theirs；〃　she　jerked　her　thumb　at　the　silent　trio；　〃I'll　seek　other　pany　at　lunch。　Now；〃　she　said；　her　fingers　poised　over　the　catering　terminal；　〃what　are　you　having？〃
　〃Yarran　beer。〃　Killashandra　said　the　first　thing　that　came　to　mind；　being　slightly　dazed　by　Antona's　unexpected　outburst。
　Antona　raised　her　eyebrows　in　mock　surprise；　then　rapidly　dialed　their　orders。
　They　were　served　quickly　and　took　their　trays　to　the　nearest　banquette。　As　Antona　tackled　her　meal　with　good　appetite；　Killashandra　sipped　her　beer；　digesting　Antona's　remarkable　advice。　Till　then；　Killashandra　had　had　no　opportunity　to　appreciate　the　viewpoint　of　a　colleague　who　would　not　lose　her　memory　as　an　occupational　hazard。　Stubbornly；　Killashandra　preferred　to　forget　certain　scenes　in　her　life。　Like　failure。
　〃Well；　you　don't　have　long　to　wait　for　a　fresh　supply　of　cluttered　minds；〃　Killashandra　said　at　last；　blotting　the　beer　foam　from　her　upper　lip　and　deferring　conversation　on　Antona's　unsettling　advice。
　〃A　new　class？　How　did　that　privileged　information　seep　out？　You　are　only　just　out　of　an　Infirmary　tank。　Well；　you　won't　be　allowed　to　brief　them　if　that's　what　you　had　in　mind；　Killa。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　Antona　shrugged　and　daintily　sampled　her　nicely　browned　casserole　before　replying。　〃You've　no　injury　to　display。　That's　an　important　part　of　the　briefing；　you　see　…　the　visible；　undeniable　proof　of　the　rapid　tissue　regeneration　enjoyed　by　residents　of　Ballybran。〃
　〃Irresistible！〃　Antona　gave　Killashandra　a　sharp　glance。　〃Oh；　no　plaints　from　me；　Antona。　The　Guild　can　be　proud　of　its　adroit　recruiting　program。〃
　Antona　fastened　a　searching　glance　on　her　face　and　put　down　her　fork。　〃Killashandra　Ree；　the　Heptite　Guild　is　not　permitted　by　the　Federated　Sentient　Planets　to　'recruit'　free　citizens　for　such　a　hazardous　profession。　Only　volunteers　…　〃
　〃Only　volunteers　insist　on　presenting　themselves；　and　so　many　of　these　have　exceedingly　useful　skills。。。〃　She　broke　off；　momentarily　disconcerted　by　Antona's　almost　fierce　glance。
　〃What　concern　is　that　of　yours；　Killashandra　Ree？　You　have　benefited　immensely　from　the。。。　selection　process。〃
　〃Despite　my　unexpected　inclusion。〃
　〃A　few　odd　ones　slip　through　no　matter　how　careful　we　are；〃　Antona　said　all　too　sweetly；　her　eyes　sparkling。
　〃Don't　fret；　Antona。　It's　not　a　subject　that　I　would　discuss　with　anyone　else。〃
　〃Particularly　Lanzecki。〃
　〃I'm　not　likely　to　get　that　sort　of　an　opportunity；〃　she　said；　wondering　if　Antona　knew　or　suspected　their　relationship。　Or　if　her　advice　to　remember　loves　and　emotions　had　merely　been　a　general　warning　to　include　all　experience。　Would　Killashandra　want　to　remember；　decades　from　now；　that　she　and　Lanzecki　had　briefly　been　lovers？　〃Advise　me；　Antona；　on　which　of　our　nearer　spatial　neighbors　I　should　plan　a　brief　vacation？〃
　Antona　grimaced。　〃You　might　just　as　well　pick　the　name　at　random　for　all　the　difference　there　is　among　them。　Their　only　advantage　is　that　they　are　far　enough　away　from　Ballybran　to　give　your　nerves　the　rest　they　need。〃
　Just　then　a　cheerful　voice　hailed　them。
　〃Killa！　Antona！　Am　I　glad　to　see　someone　else　alive！〃　Rimbol　exclaimed；　hobbling　out　of　the　shadows。　He　grinned　as　he　saw　the　pitcher　of　beer。　〃May　I　join　you？〃
　〃By　all　means；〃　Antona　said　graciously。
　〃What　happened　to　you？〃　Killashandra　asked。　Rimbol's　cheek　and　forehead　were　liberally　decorated　by　newly　healed　scars。
　〃Mine　was　the　sled　that　did　a　nose　dive　over　the　baffle。〃
　〃It　did？〃
　〃You　didn't　know　it　was　me？〃　Rimbol's　mouth　twisted　in　mock　chagrin。　〃The　way　Malaine　carried　on　you'd've　thought　I'd　placed　half　the　ining　singers　in　jeopardy　by　that　flip。〃
　〃Did　you　rearrange　the　sled　as　creatively　as　your　face？〃
　Rimbol　shook　his　head　ruefully。　〃It　broke　its　nose；　mine　was　only　bloody。　At　that　it'll　take　longer　to　fix　the　sled　than　for　my　leg　to　heal。　Say；　Killa；　have　you　heard　about　the　Optherian　contract？〃
　〃For　the　fractured　manual？　That　could　pay　for　a　lot　of　repairs。〃
　〃Oh；　I　don't　want　it；〃　and　he　flicked　his　hand　in　dismissal。
　〃Why　ever　not？〃
　Rimbol　took　a　long　pull　of　his　beer。　〃Well；　I've　got　a　claim　that　was　cutting　real　well　right　now。　Optheria's　a　long　way　away　from　here　and　I've　been　warned　that　I　could　lose　the　guiding　resonance　being　gone　so　long。〃
　〃And　because　you　remembered　that　I　haven't　cut　anything　worth　packing　…　〃
　〃No。〃　Rimbol　held　up　a　hand；　protesting　Killashandra's　accusation。　〃I　mean；　yes；　I　knew　you've　been　unlucky　lately　…　〃
　〃Who　do　you　think　cut　the　white　crystal　to　replace　the　fractured　Optherian　manual？〃
　〃You　did！〃　Rimbol's　face　brightened　with　relief。　〃Then　you　don't　need　to　go　either。〃　He　raised　his　beaker　in　a　cheerful　toast。　〃Where　d'you　plan　to　go　off…world？〃
　〃I　hadn't　exactly　made　up　my　mind。。。〃　Killashandra　saw　that　Antona　was　busy　serving　up　the　last　of　her　casserole。
　〃Why　don't　you　try　Maxim　in　the　Barderi　system。〃　Rimbol　leaned　eagerly　across　the　table　to　her。　〃I've　heard　it's　something　sensational。　I'll　get　there　sometime　but　I'd　sure　like　to　hear　your　opinion　of　it。　I　don't　half　believe　the　reports。　I'd　trust　you。〃
　〃That's　something　to　remember；〃　Killashandra　murmured；　glancing　sideways　at　Antona。　Then；　taking　note　of　Rimbol's　querying　look；　she　asked　smoothly；　〃What've　you　been　cutting　lately？〃
　〃Greens；〃　Rimbol　replied　with　considerable　satisfaction。　He　held　up　crossed　fingers。　〃Now；　if　only　the　storm　damage　is　minimal；　and　it　could　be　because　the　vein's　in　a　protected　spot；　I　might　even　catch　up　with　you　on　Maxim。　You　see。。。〃　and　he　proceeded　to　elaborate　on　his　prospects。
　As　Rimbol　rattled　on　in　his　amusing　fashion；　Killashandra　wondered　if　crystal　would　dull　the　Scartine's　infectious　good…nature　along　with　his　memory。　Would　Antona　give　him　the　same　urgent　advice？　Surely　each　of　the　newest　crystal　singers　had　some　unique　quality　to　be　cherished　and　sustained　throughout　a　lifetime。　Antona's　outburst　had　been　sparked　by　a　long　frustration。　To　how　many　singers　over　her　decades　in　the　Guild　had　she　tendered　the　same　advice　and　found　it　ignored？
　〃。。。　So　I　came　in　with　forty　greens；〃　Rimbol　was　saying　with　an　air　of　achievement。
　〃That's　damned　good　cutting！〃　Killashandra　replied　with　suitable　fervor。
　〃You　have　no　trouble　releasing　crystal？〃　Antona　asked。
　〃Well；　I　did　the　first　time　out；〃　Rimbol　admitted　candidly；　〃but　I　remembered　what　you'd　said；　Killa；　about　packing　as　soon　as　you　cut。　I'll　never　forget　the　sight　of　you　locked　in　crystal　thrall；　right　here　in　a　noisy　crowded　hall。　A　kindly　and　timely　word　of　wisdom！〃
　〃Oh；　you'd　have　caught　on　soon　enough；〃　Killashandra　said；　feeling　a　trifle　embarrassed　by　his　gratitude。
　〃Some　never　do；　you　know；〃　Antona　remarked。
　〃What　happens？　Do　they　stand　in　statuesque　paralysis　until　night　es？　Or　a　loud　storm？〃
　〃The　inability　to　release　crystal　is　no　joke；　Rimbol。〃
　Rimbol　stared　at　Antona；　his　mobile　face　losing　its　amused　expression。　〃You　mean；　they　can　be　so　enthralled；　nothing　breaks　the　spell？〃　Antona　nodded　slowly。　〃That　could　be　fatal。　Has　it　been？〃
　〃There　have　been　instances。〃
　〃Then　I'm　doubly　indebted　to　you；　Killa；〃　Rimbol　said；　rising；　〃so　this　round's　on　me。〃
　They　finished　that　round；　refreshed　by　food；　drink；　and　conversation。
　〃Of　the　four；　I　think　you'd　prefer　Rani　in　the　Punjabi　system；〃　Antona　told　Killashandra　in　parting。　〃The　food's　better　and　the　climate　less　severe。　They　have　marvelous　mineral　hot　springs；　too。　Not　as　efficacious　as　our　radiant　fluid　but　it'll　help　reduce　crystal　resonance。　You　need　that。　After　just　an　hour　in　your　pany；　the　sound　off　you　makes　the　hairs　on　my　arm　stand　up。　See？〃
　Killashandra　exchanged　glances　with　Rimbol；　before　they　examined　the　proof　on　Antona's　extended　arm。
　Antona　laughed　reassuringly；　laying　gentle　fingers　on　Killashandra's　forearm。
　〃A　perfectly　normal　phenomenon　for　a　singer　who's　been　out　in　the　Rangers　steadily　for　over　a　year。　Neither　of　you　would　be　affected　but；　as　I　don't　sing　crystal；　I　am。　Get　used　to　it。　That's　what　identifies　a　singer　anywhere　in　the　Galaxy　But　the　Rani　hot　springs　will　diminish　the　effect　considerably。　So　does　time　away　from　here。　See　you。〃
　As　Killashandra　watched　Antona　enter　t