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it.
Docking took ten minutes. He heard the thump of the hatchway against her
ship s airlock and was surprised when he left the bridge to find himself in a
Rondalaise freighter corridor. He looked over his shoulder. Crystal glistened
dimly. The bulkheading around him was dull gray metal.
He shook his head, keyed in the interface commands on a familiar-looking
instrument pad adjacent to the airlock. Answering commands flashed from the
ramp.
The airlock opened. Fitch Tobias s close-shaved head appeared. Everything
optimal, sir?
Optimal. Thanks.
Blessings of the Goddess upon you, sir. Good night.
Actually, it s more like good morning. Gillie leaned against the gray
corridor wall behind him.
The airlock door hissed closed as he turned. He glanced at his watch.
About three hours worth. He rubbed the back of his neck and felt suddenly
more tired than he had in weeks. But then, it had been a rather energetic day.
Starting with Gillie s revelation of her Raheiran heritage last night. Ending
with him, a little more than twenty-six hours later, standing in a crystalship
belonging to an officer in the Raheiran Special Forces. And everything else
that had happened in between.
The shrine opens end of main shift, right? she asked. We should get some
sleep.
He grinned. Herwe was encouraging. Mind if I stay here? He didn t think he
could make it even down two levels to his quarters. Nor did he want to.
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I d like that.
He slipped his arm around her waist. So would I. Just please, tell me. Is
there anything else about you I should know?
She leaned her head against his chest, sighed. Yes, but, Mack, if we get
into that now, neither of us is going to get any sleep at all tonight.
Oh, gods. There was more. More than being Raheiran mageline. More than being
a Raheiran officer.
Don t, she said softly, and he knew she sensed his disquiet.
Just one question. Then no more, I promise.
She tensed slightly, but her face was calm when she looked up at him. Go
ahead.
Are you . . . married? Or involved with another guy back
Laughter bubbled over his words. There s no one else. Never really has been.
Just you. She pulled his mouth down to hers, kissed him thoroughly.
Mack found out he wasn t quite as tired as he d thought.
Gillie woke to her cabin s semidarkness and the warmth of Mack s body against
hers. She should wake him, have coffee. Go find out what a Fav lhir sorcerer
was doing on Cirrus One.
You had your chance last night to tell him all.
That was this morning, Simon.
Why didn t you?
She sighed softly.Because I m hoping I won t have to. I think I can still
accomplish what needs to be done without sullying the image of their Lady. If
someone requires an explanation, I ll blame my connection with Special Forces,
my mageline talents. That way the Khalar can keep their Lady, and I won t lose
Mack.
He s stayed with you this far.
I want to keep it that way. Start coffee, will you?Gillie sat up, stretched.
Mack grumbled something, rolled over.
Already started. And, My Lady . . .
Hmm?
Thank you for not selling me to the salvager.
Oh, Simon. Gillie grabbed her robe, pulled it on.You re my best friend. I d
be lost without you.
Speaking of lost, you d best wait for the admiral. The ship s still in
interior crystal phase. The galley lounge is not where he remembers it to be.
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When she came out of the shower, Mack was awake and dressed. I m going to
stop at my place, change into a fresh uniform, then I ll be in my office.
Coffee? She knew he felt the pressure of time. But she needed to cover a
few more things before they tackled the shrine s opening and the ceremonies
that preceded it. And Blass.
I need that, thanks.
He took a wrong turn out of her cabin. She grabbed his arm, guided him down
the silver crystalline corridor. This way.
Simon had added a touch of chocolate to the coffee this morning.Show-off, she
teased. She handed Mack a cup, then sat next to him. I m going to pull what I
can from theWindchaser . Should have something for you before Rigo s opening.
Alarm flashed in his eyes. Are you sure you can handle a spellformed ship?
You re sitting in one.
Then Blass could know you re here.
I m not the fool he is. And his ship s not She hesitated. Damn, it was so
hard to separate what she felt safe in telling him. So hard to know where to
draw the line. But he had to know. She chanced it. His ship s not sentient.
Sentient. His coffee cup stopped halfway to his mouth.
TheWindchaser is what we callessenmorgh . Without soul-life. It s powered by
crystal similar to Raheiran crystal. But that crystal functions strictly as an
amplifier. Not a generator.
Sentient, Mack repeated. At least he d put his cup down. TheSimon is a
sentient ship.
Simon is the sentience. He s a life form that resides in the crystal of this
ship.
Mack glanced up quickly, then, as if realizing the absurdity of his action,
faced her. Simon s part of this ship?
Say hello, Simon. Gillie winced as soon as she said the words, knowing how
his wry, and sometimes literal, nature would interpret her request and turn it
into an echo.Politely! she added.
Good morning, Admiral Makarian. I trust the coffee is to your liking?
Simon s well-modulated voice issued from the comm panel on the wall.
Mack s head swiveled to the panel behind him. It took a few seconds before he
was able to answer. It s . . . it s fine. Thank you.
You needn t face the comm panel, sir. I m not actually there. Feel free to
converse with me in a more comfortable position if you wish.
Right. Mack looked back at Gillie and was unsuccessful in keeping the
surprised expression from his face. Why do I have the feeling that with you,
it s always going to be something?
Trust me, sir, Simon said before Gillie could reply. It s not a feeling,
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it s a fact.
Gillie tapped her spoon against her cup. I m sure Mack s more interested in
theWindchaser than my troublesome history, Simon.
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