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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] complete a stroke. The cat raised her front paws off the ground, imperiously butting her head at his hand to continue the caress which he hastily completed. She was a magnificently marked tri-colour with a white muzzle, white socks all round and a tiny puff of white on the tip of her tail. She was also very pregnant and nearly overbalanced. He put a deft hand under her barrel to support her and felt a rumbling purr vibrating through her gravid body. `What's her lineage, Captain? She's gorgeous. I've only seen one other tri-colour and little Zsa Zsa isn't a patch on this one.' `Princess Zsa Zsa of the Trebizond?' Ashiant asked, watching as the cat continued to push herself against Thian's leg and hand. `That's the one. She never threw any tri-colours that I heard about.' `No, she hasn't, but not for want of the Treb's crew trying,' the captain said with a snort. `They even asked for the service of our torn. They got marmalades and even a tabby but no tri-colours, or females for that matter.' `Who is your beauty? Whoops, easy there, missus,' Thian said when the cat, despite her bulkiness, leaped into his lap and began circling to settle. `I've never seen Tab do that before,' and the captain sounded Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html slightly offended. That's all I needed, Thian thought, closing his eyes briefly, not only against the sudden kneading of Tab's claws in his leg but also because no crew liked to see their barque-cat display affection to, or even interest in, newcomers. `I'm sorry about this, too, sir,' Thian said, lifting his hands up and down, wanting to pet her because one was always polite to a barque-cat but not wanting to further offend the captain of her ship. `You do seem to have a way of relieving the tedium of a long voyage, Prime!' And when Thian stared at him in surprise, he added, `Oh, pet her before she makes ribbons of your leg. She's insatiable for attention when she's gravid. Now, where were we?' `I think you were about to tell me off for my antics today.. -` `I was?' The captain's eyebrows once again raised up in feigned surprise. `You know that for certain - Prime?' There was a delicate pause before the last word. `Sir, you must know that with a shield as tight as yours I couldn't get a trace of your feelings about my ... unorthodox behaviour. Which,' and Thian lifted a hand in apology, `is as good as admitting that I tried, I know, though ethics do inhibit me from reading past the public mind unless given explicit permission. But with so much at stake `Indeed there is, young Lyon,' Ashiant said, leaning back in his chair as he watched the cat lower her head to her paws on Thian's lap, `which is why I will ask you from Page 49 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html now on to stick to the normal procedures whenever possible. You acted with promptness Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html - if in a most unusual manner - in a situation that could have had tragic results. I see, however, that your . . ah - skills will be more extensive than I had been led to believe. I feel much better about communications already after your exercise of `Dini today. `First I'll discuss with you the duties which Earth Prime felt you would be able to perform to ease the discomforts of this long voyage.' He held up strong thick fingers, ticking off the responsibilities one by one. `All interracial ship communications which, in all honesty, have been damned sparse and misunderstood so far; all necessary transportation between ships in this squadron; receipt and despatch of all capsules, drone and personnel; instruction for all officers in basic `Dini. Among us we've only enough to express "stop, go, port, starboard and attack imminent: yellow and red alert".' His eyebrows did a roller-coaster effect of disgusted dismay at such paucity. He waited significantly until Thian nodded hurriedly in acceptance. `I've a list-' and he passed over a comreader pencil file, `of all those on board who've tested Talented. Not many but I'm told that their abilities can augment yours in an emergency Ashiant paused again, eyebrows raised at Thian. `I'll try to announce emergencies whenever possible, Captain,' he said meekly. `Emergencies never announce themselves beforehand, Prime,' Ashiant said, his sentence a long sigh of resignation. `However, you will discuss what might be demanded of them, preferably singly as what you have in your hand is exceedingly top secret,' and Thian quickly shoved Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html the file into his breast pocket, pressing the closing tab tight. `We have, unfortunately, found that those with minor Talent are disadvantaged by it so, unless those on board have discovered each other by chance, they're unknown to each other. But it's nice to have a back-up system... `Thian thought his parents and grandparents would have strangled at being termed `back-up' system but Ashiant was only repeating what was a common attitude among non-Talented. `Introduce yourself so you can be tuned, or primed ii6 or whatever for whatever code or method you use to do whatever it is you Primes do.' He made circles with one hand to indicate either indifference or ignorance. Then he leaned forward and lowered his voice. `Thian Lyon, I'm the only one on board who knows your chronological age. That white lock doesn't wash out, does it? No?' The captain nodded when Thian murmured that it was a genetic attribute. `But Jeff Raven assured me that you've had excellent training and sufficient solo operations to handle your various duties. After today's exhibition, I think you do, too.' Astounded, Thian stared back at the captain. `Now, what's this about air purification? We've been sucking this smog so long we don't smell it any more, even if half the t8me we can almost chew it. Small wonder your `Dini couldn't breathe.' Still stroking Tab, Thian hitched himself more upright in the chair and began to explain about the `Dini vegetation used to purify the air on their long voyage ships. Although human life-support systems were more than adequate for Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html the usual duration of voyages, even those not assisted by Talent thrusts, this long cruise had obviously taxed the system. `Now I understand,' Ashiant said, leaning back and swivelling idly in his chair. `The KLTL `Dini offered me some plants after our last conference. Page 50 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html Didn't realize how significant that offer was.' `How would you know? You didn't, by any chance, dream about plants the next couple of nights?' Ashiant stared at him, his brows nearly meeting over the bridge of his fleshy nose. `I did! Thought it odd because I dreamed there were these big leaved pots all over the ship, and everyone was smiling like loons.' Thian grinned. `You did [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |