Serpent's Gift Read Online Free
Author: A. C. Crispin, Deborah A. Marshall
shook his head. "Listen, Jeff, I hate to cut this short, but I've got a whole bunch of new kids coming in this morning, and I should go through these files one more time."
"I understand. We can catch up later," Jeff said. His gaze abruptly shifted, and he smiled faintly. "Here comes your shuttle, I recognize Janet's docking style. She used to give me heart failure every time she came in on manual like that. I was always sure
12
that this time she'd miscalculated, and we were going to wind up splattered all over the station viewports."
"I know what you mean. About dinner... how about tomorrow?"
'Tomorrow is fine. I'll see you at eight. There's a new Japanese place up here. My treat, no arguments, okay?"
Rob grinned. "I never turn down a free meal." A sudden thought occurred to him. "By the way, Jeff, Serge LaRoche told me that H.U. funded the grant they received for the archaeological dig out at the Lamont Cliffs. You wouldn't have had anything to do with that selection, would you?"
Morrow shrugged. "I may have mentioned it to a few people."
"You did more than that," Rob said earnestly. "And don't think you're getting away without being thanked properly, Jeff. I know Serge and Professor Greyshine will want to tell you so in person, but.. . thanks. A lot."
Morrow glanced down, obviously uncomfortable at the mention of his generosity. "It was the least I could do, after my crew managed to move those artifacts while they were installing the new radonium monitors." He glanced back up at Rob with a wry smile. "Is your Archaeology Prof still cussing us for that?"
Rob shook his head ruefully. "Professor Greyshine is passionate about his work," he temporized. "But the grant no doubt helped."
"They still digging out there?"
"Every day," Rob said. "Since those were Mizari artifacts you uncovered, Ssoriszs has taken to hanging around the site, wanting to help any way he can."
Morrow laughed. "I'm trying to picture a Mizari using a shovel, but my imagination fails me." He nodded at Rob, then made a quick shooing-away gesture. "Get back to work. Don't forget, tomorrow at eight."
"I'll be there."
Hing Own watched Docking Bay Six loom closer in the viewscreen, fighting the urge to cover her eyes. This time we're not going to make it! she thought, biting her lip. I swear, we're going to--
At the last possible second before crashing against the side of the docking cradle, the King straightened out, then came to a dead stop, perfectly aligned with the docking bay airlock. Hing let her breath out slowly, sagging back in her seat. Someday, Janet
13
Rodriguez, she thought. Someday ...
Tight, speedy manual dockings were Janet Rodriguez's stockintrade, especially when she was late. There was a final soft lurch as their airlock mated with the station's, then they were docked. How does she do it? Hing wondered, shaking her head.
Unsnapping her seat harness, she stood up in the narrow aisle, pulling her blue StarBridge jacket on over her jumpsuit. Hing smiled, feeling a moment's flash of pride at her new fifth-year shoulder patches and collar insignia. The StarBridge logo--a rainbow bridge connecting two planets set against a star-studded background--was emblazoned on the back of her jacket, as well as on the pin she wore on the breast of her jumpsuit.
Softly humming an old Cambodian song her grandmother had taught her, she smoothed her hair, wishing for a mirror.
"Good morning," said a voice.
The young woman tensed, recognizing the warm baritone immediately.
Damn you, Rob Gable! I'll bet you knew Serge was on this trip, she thought, even as she slowly turned to regard the man standing at the end of the passenger compartment, an uncertain smile flickering across his face.
Serge LaRoche was twenty-two, two years older than she. He was strikingly good-looking, with regular features, vivid blue eyes, and thick, ash-brown hair that he wore long and pushed back from his face. Tall--Hing's head had barely reached the top of his
"I understand. We can catch up later," Jeff said. His gaze abruptly shifted, and he smiled faintly. "Here comes your shuttle, I recognize Janet's docking style. She used to give me heart failure every time she came in on manual like that. I was always sure
12
that this time she'd miscalculated, and we were going to wind up splattered all over the station viewports."
"I know what you mean. About dinner... how about tomorrow?"
'Tomorrow is fine. I'll see you at eight. There's a new Japanese place up here. My treat, no arguments, okay?"
Rob grinned. "I never turn down a free meal." A sudden thought occurred to him. "By the way, Jeff, Serge LaRoche told me that H.U. funded the grant they received for the archaeological dig out at the Lamont Cliffs. You wouldn't have had anything to do with that selection, would you?"
Morrow shrugged. "I may have mentioned it to a few people."
"You did more than that," Rob said earnestly. "And don't think you're getting away without being thanked properly, Jeff. I know Serge and Professor Greyshine will want to tell you so in person, but.. . thanks. A lot."
Morrow glanced down, obviously uncomfortable at the mention of his generosity. "It was the least I could do, after my crew managed to move those artifacts while they were installing the new radonium monitors." He glanced back up at Rob with a wry smile. "Is your Archaeology Prof still cussing us for that?"
Rob shook his head ruefully. "Professor Greyshine is passionate about his work," he temporized. "But the grant no doubt helped."
"They still digging out there?"
"Every day," Rob said. "Since those were Mizari artifacts you uncovered, Ssoriszs has taken to hanging around the site, wanting to help any way he can."
Morrow laughed. "I'm trying to picture a Mizari using a shovel, but my imagination fails me." He nodded at Rob, then made a quick shooing-away gesture. "Get back to work. Don't forget, tomorrow at eight."
"I'll be there."
Hing Own watched Docking Bay Six loom closer in the viewscreen, fighting the urge to cover her eyes. This time we're not going to make it! she thought, biting her lip. I swear, we're going to--
At the last possible second before crashing against the side of the docking cradle, the King straightened out, then came to a dead stop, perfectly aligned with the docking bay airlock. Hing let her breath out slowly, sagging back in her seat. Someday, Janet
13
Rodriguez, she thought. Someday ...
Tight, speedy manual dockings were Janet Rodriguez's stockintrade, especially when she was late. There was a final soft lurch as their airlock mated with the station's, then they were docked. How does she do it? Hing wondered, shaking her head.
Unsnapping her seat harness, she stood up in the narrow aisle, pulling her blue StarBridge jacket on over her jumpsuit. Hing smiled, feeling a moment's flash of pride at her new fifth-year shoulder patches and collar insignia. The StarBridge logo--a rainbow bridge connecting two planets set against a star-studded background--was emblazoned on the back of her jacket, as well as on the pin she wore on the breast of her jumpsuit.
Softly humming an old Cambodian song her grandmother had taught her, she smoothed her hair, wishing for a mirror.
"Good morning," said a voice.
The young woman tensed, recognizing the warm baritone immediately.
Damn you, Rob Gable! I'll bet you knew Serge was on this trip, she thought, even as she slowly turned to regard the man standing at the end of the passenger compartment, an uncertain smile flickering across his face.
Serge LaRoche was twenty-two, two years older than she. He was strikingly good-looking, with regular features, vivid blue eyes, and thick, ash-brown hair that he wore long and pushed back from his face. Tall--Hing's head had barely reached the top of his
Readers choose
Stephen Leather
Sylvia Smith
Shannon Donnelly
Cathleen Ross
R. G. Richards
Nikki Sex
P. O. Dixon
Donna Hill
Tara Oakes
Rebecca Patrick-Howard