Nimisha's Ship
- Автор: Маккефри Энн
- Язык: английский
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «Nimisha's Ship». Краткое содержание книги:
When Nimisha takes an experimental ship on a solo test flight, something goes horribly awry, marooning her light-years from home on a planet as deadly as it is beautiful. Now the ruthless members of a rival branch of the Rondymense family are given the chance they've been waiting for: to reclaim the Ship Yards by any means necessary.
Only Nimisha's ingenious child, Cuiva, stands in their way. But for how long? For just when her daughter needs her most, Nimisha is in a precarious situation herself--and unable to help. But Nimisha has never given up in her life--and she's not about to start now . . .
"Oh, this is heavenly."
"Your sandalwood soap, ma'am, and a sponge. A Lytherian sponge-they're softest."
"Expensive, too," Syrona remarked as she dipped the delicate bath accessory into the water. "Oh, I've dreamed of this!"
The water was deep enough for her to be buoyant and, sitting on the ledge, she fitted her head into the appropriate concavity in the wall of the bath, her eyes closed, steam rising gently in aromatic waves. Nimisha sat on the slip bench, quite pleased with the effect the amenities of the Fiver was having on this survivor.
With her eyes closed, hot water bringing more colour to her face, Syrona had the bone structure that would make her-once she was in better condition-a very attractive woman. Her dark hair began to curl about her face. It had been cut rather raggedly to just below the ears. Nimisha studied the resting face and saw the character in it, the lines made by the last years of struggle, perseverance, and repeated disappointments. She wondered how many children Syrona had had, and lost.
"Timmy's Jon's son," Syrona said without opening her eyes. "The boy Casper and I had together died of a fever. I miscarried twice, and then they made me wait until they could build me up." She gave a snort. "I don't think the indigenous diet was good for any of us even if it was edible. We ran out of the supplements we took from the Poolbeg's supplies. No vitamins, too few trace minerals; I think that's why we had so many spontaneous abortions. But we hadn't thought of increasing the population while we had them. Casper insisted that we'd be found before we had to start a colony." Her eyebrows quirked in amusement. "That man's the eternal optimist," she added, her lips curling a trifle in a fond and loving smile. "Jon's more of a realist so the two balance each other." She opened one eye, clear now and a pretty light green. "Jon's a good man," she said firmly.
"I've already decided that," Nimisha remarked with a chuckle.
"It's been harder on him when he knows how much Casper and I care for each other."
"I should imagine so," Nimisha replied casually. "While you were still being treated, I caught up on the basic facts of the expedition's history. There are two other habitable planets within a reasonable distance."
Syrona's eyes flew open and she regarded Nimisha solemnly. "You're First Family. None of us are, though my older sister is body-heir to my mother. But Jon's family is longtime Fleet and he's… he's very good," she finished in a rush. "Don't-don't-" Syrona flushed deeply and closed her lips tightly.
"I have no intention of denying him human rights, but," Nimisha said with a little smile, "I think we both need to get to know each other a little better."
"Oh, fraggit, Lady Nimisha," Syrona said, squeezing her eyes closed with embarrassment. "I didn't mean it to come out that way. Sounds like I'm pimping for Jon."
Nimisha burst out laughing. "Is that how Fleet works out these partnerships for long-term voyages? A spokesperson to sound out the chosen?"
Syrona opened her eyes and regarded Nimisha squarely. "Well, it generally works out. Of course, there's usually more choice available. But sometimes a crew member has to settle for what's left over. Not that / would consider Jonagren a leftover."
"That's encouraging."
"It's just that Casper and I have been mates a much longer time. Peri was Jon's." A look of intense sorrow crossed Syrona's face and she closed her eyes against painful memories. "She's been dead a long time now."
Her voice cracked a bit-partly the remembered loss and partly fatigue.
"I think you ought to rest by yourself, Syrona," Nimisha said gently, touching her arm as it lay on the tub side. "Until the water cools. Good to soak and let the sandalwood soothe you."
"I didn't offend you, did I, Lady Nimisha?"
"Nimisha, please, Syrona. We're equals on this planet. And all First Families!" she said as she slid the door closed behind her. To her relief, she heard Syrona chuckling.
Nimisha paused a moment before rejoining the others. Syrona hadn't wasted any time at all in setting out the interrelationships of survivors, possibly because she felt that was her duty in smoothing the trio into a quartet. Well, Nimisha found Jonagren Svangel not only attractive enough but also an interesting human being- certainly one she would find acceptable and deserving the comfort of "human rights," as she had so drolly put it. But she was not about to rush matters. If nothing else, the situation was slightly awkward for them both. She was civilian, as well as First Family, and he was Fleet and leader of his group. She'd have to figure out how to set him more at ease. What with all that she had had to do prior to leaving on the shakedown cruise, she hadn't had a chance for an intimate interlude with Caleb. Intercourse was still one of the most effective therapies for the relief of stress. No doubt why it was part of the Human Equation, rather than required solely for procreative purposes.
At breakfast the next morning, they started to make plans.
"I'd very much like to have a look at the other two anomalies, Nimisha," Jon said politely.
She heard Fleet in his tone and grinned back.
"That would be my first order of today." she replied, looking at Casper and Syrona for agreement. Both nodded first in Jon's direction. "I don't have room on the Fiver for the Poolbeg's gig," she said.
"I think it might just be possible to fit-without your skiff," Jon said thoughtfully. "As you pointed out last night at dinner, the skiff has no defence capability, but the gig does. We might need that when we investigate the other two planets. There seems to be sufficient fuel on board the Fiver to make both journeys feasible and still get back here."
"We can store the skiff in the cave," Casper said. "Plenty of space there. Does it have repellers?"
"Yes, but why would it need them in the cave?" Nimisha asked, puzzled. They had been living in the cave, hadn't they?
"Well," Casper replied, scratching his head and grinning wryly, "as long as we make noise, nothing comes to investigate us, but I wouldn't want to leave the gig silent and unprotected."
"Oh," Nimisha said softly, still puzzled.
Syrona caught her eye and grinned. "It's mostly the mess they leave behind," she explained. "The acid residue could damage even petralloy. Shame to mess a new skiff exterior if it can be protected."
"I'm agreeable," Nimisha said. "Are you sure it will fit?"
"Casper and I did a bit of measuring, and it will," Jon said, "but this is your ship, Nimisha."
"And one that I hoped to sell to Fleet for long-distance exploration. So let's test all its capabilities."
Jon's eyes echoed his smile. Were they gray or blue? Nimisha still wasn't sure. They were large and well set in his head and, now that he was definitely relaxing, filled more often with a droll sense of humour.
"Do you have anything else you want to bring on board?" she asked. The two men had gone out in the last light of the spring evening and she'd watched them climb up the ladder. They'd taken two loads from the cave, which they'd stored in the shuttle before returning to the Fiver. Casper had brought in some hand-carved toys and a stuffed creature that was obviously Timmy's comforter. It was made of animal fur, stuffed with some sort of plant fibre, and wore a small Fleet uniform, complete with ensign bars. Timmy had greeted it with a loud cry of delight, and immediately sat down to tell it all about the new ship it was on.
"No," Jon said, shaking his head, then grinned in apology for his bluntness. "We stored whatever could be useful in the shuttle last evening."
"All right, then, Helm, let's open the hatch and see about switching my skiff with the gig," Nimisha said. "I'll take it up to the cave. I'm curious to see where you've… survived."