amc.killashandra-第76章

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skills　to　offer　the　advanced　societies。
　〃Father　and　I　got　drafted　to　brief　the　actual　Revision　Force。　You　see；　right　after　that　infamous　hearing；　several　more　agents　were　sent　in　to　play　tourist　during　the　Summer　Festival。　Good　job　we　left　some　two…manuals　intact。　They　came　back；　reporting　that　they　were　subjected　to　blatant　subliminal　conditioning　at　public　concerts　in　Ironwood；　Bailey；　Everton；　and　Palamo。　One　thing　Father　and　I　emphasized　was　that　the　Revision　Forces　had　better　wait　until　after　The　Festival　or　they'd　have　a　bankrupt　planet　as　well　as　a　disorganized　one。　So　Optheria　got　its　annual　chance　to　acquire　revenue；〃　and　Lars　grinned　with　great　satisfaction；　〃and　the　Elders　hadn't　twigged　to　the　fact　that　no　subliminal　messages　were　going　out　on　either　of　the　big　Conservatory　organs。　Leaving　the　mainlanders　quite　willing　to　accept　anything　said　about　them。
　〃When　we've　spare　time；　I've　got　some　tapes　of　the　actual　landing　and　the　takeover。　Four　Elders　had　fatal　seizures　but　Ampris；　Torkes；　and　Pentrom　will　answer　to　the　Supreme　Judiciary　for　their　infamous；　felonious；　malicious；　premeditated；　and　illegal　manipulation　of　Optherian　loyalties。
　〃The　Revision　Forces　are　well　installed　now　on　Optheria。。。〃　He　looked　out　with　the　unfocused　gaze　of　someone　imagining　a　scene　and　was　briefly　sad。　He　bent　to　kiss　Killashandra　again；　noting　that　her　tears　had　abated　and　her　breath　was　no　longer　taken　in　ragged　gasps。
　〃Why　didn't　you　go　with　them？〃
　〃Oh；　I　was　given　many　arguments　why　I　should。　Even　a　rather　plimentary　mission。　Father　returned；　but　I　rather　thought　he　wouldn't　leave　Teradia　for　long。　To　my　surprise；　Corish　went；　and　of　course　Erutown　and　Brassner。　I　had　other　plans。〃
　Killashandra　shook　her　head　in　sad　rebuke。　〃If　I'd　known　what　you　planned　to　do。。。〃　Her　gesture　included　all　that　his　presence　in　the　infirmary　signified。
　Lars　hugged　her　tightly　to　him。　〃That's　why　I　didn't　mention　them。　Besides；〃　and　he　gave　her　a　raffish　look；　〃I　hadn't　really　made　up　my　mind。〃
　〃How　did　Trag　recruit　you　then？〃
　Lars　raised　his　eyebrows　in　surprise。　〃He　didn't。　It　is　illegal　to　recruit　citizens　for　the　highly　dangerous　Heptite　Guild。　Didn't　you　know？　Candidly；　my　beloved　Sunny；　I　was　much　impressed　by　Trag's　integrity。　It　was　refreshing　to　find　an　honorable　and　trustworthy　man。　It　was　yourself　who　did　the　recruiting；　Killa。　You　were　the　embodiment　of　the　undeniable　advantages　of　being　a　crystal　singer。　Your　vibrant　youth；　charm；　invulnerability；　indefatigable　energy；　and　resourcefulness。　Then　all　those　diversified　assignments；　space　travel；　credit；　not　to　mention　the　chance　to　see　a　Galaxy　I　had　been　denied　all　my　reckless　youth　…　〃
　〃You're　mad。〃　Vitality　returned　to　Killashandra　in　the　form　of　exasperation　with　his　flamboyance；　and　such　relief　that　she　was　once　again　in　its　presence。　〃Did　you　listen　to　one　word　I　told　you　about　the　disadvantages？　Didn't　you　pay　attention　to　any　of　the　details　in　the　Full　Disclosure　and　that　isn't　the　half　of　what　does　happen？　As　you'll　find　out。　How　could　you　be　so　blind？〃
　〃None　so　blind　as　will　not　see；　eh；　Killa；　my　lovely　Sunny？　My　pale　Sunny；　my　beloved。　Is　there　no　sun　on　this　planet　that　you　are　so　wan？〃　He　began　to　kiss　her　in　a　leisurely　fashion。　〃I　admit　I　did　hesitate。　Briefly。〃　His　eyes　sparkled　with　his　teasing。　〃Then　I　ran　the　entry　on　Ballybran　itself。　That　decided　me。〃
　〃Ballybran？　Ballybran　decided　you？〃　Killashandra　wriggled　about　in　his　arms；　astounded。　Not　that　she　understood　why　she　had　such　ambivalent　reactions　to　his　decision　in　the　first　place。　He　was　here！　How　had　she；　and　that　conniving　symbiont　of　hers；　known　that　he　would　e？　Because　she　didn't　think　that　he　wouldn't'？　Long　absent；　she　felt　the　caress　of　crystal　along　her　bones。
　〃Of　course；　Sunny。　Now　if　you'd　thought　to　mention　earlier　on　that　Ballybran　has　seas　…　〃
　〃Seas？〃　Killashandra　put　a　hand　on　his　forehead。　He　must　be　feverish。　〃Seas！〃
　〃All　I've　ever　needed　for　perfect　contentment　is　a　tall　ship　and　a　star　to　sail　her　by。〃　He　held　her　as　her　temper　began　to　rise；　though　she　didn't　know　if　he　was　mauling　that　obscure　quotation　or　not。　And　then；　too；　Ballybran　has　you；　beloved　Sunny！〃　His　tenor　voice　dropped　to　an　intense　and　passionate　whisper；　his　eyes　were　an　incredible　brilliant　blue；　dominating　her　immediate　vision。　His　arms　enpassed　her　in　a　grip　that　reminded　her　of　sun…warmed　beaches　and　fragrant　breezes　and　…　〃Show　me；　crystal　singer；　all　that　Ballybran　has　to　offer　me。〃
　〃Right　now？〃



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