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anxious to call home in the midst of this epidemic. Rodeen."
Half a dozen Interfaces named Zref as the originator of the scheme to bypass
the ruined dish antenna and transpose the frequencies to use the Epitasis
tracking scope.
As Zref put the announcement of special transtellar vidphone service onto all
the comtaps in Epitasis, Rodeen dropped to him. "A request has been made for
your presence at the offices of the MorZdersh'n Contracting Corporation on
Camiat. Since they're a preferred customer, we've tried to comply. However,
Public Health is using all of us who aren't ill. We can't replace you there,
and Lantern intends to continue the Cruise despite the emergency, since the
next two stops are clean. Your contract binds us. Rodeen."
Zref came to awareness, with the screen before them showing the MorZdersh'n
family crest. While they waited for someone in the house to answer, Zref told
them the bad news. "I must
stay, and you must go. Khelin, is there any way for an aklal to join and work
at a distance like that?"
"Yes, of course," answered the kren abstractedly. "Did we not engage
Glenwarnan and Mautri? Ask not whether it can be done, but whether we are yet
able to do it."
They waited an inordinate time for an answer, with Ley becoming more fretful
by the second, no doubt imagining the house littered with untended dead
bodies, kren in molt with no bhirhir to help, infants dying of neglect because
all the adults were dead. The instant the pattern wavered, Khelin said,
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"Khelin calling from Pallacin. I need information."
The screen cleared to show a very young kren male, very handsome, but with an
off-color cast to his skin tones that clashed with the yellow Mautri cape he
wore. Thin and haggard, it hardly seemed to be Arshel's first son, Skanqwin.
"What are you doing there?" demanded Ley in the tones of a parent offended by
a child's irresponsibility.
"Forgive me, Surfather. Jylyd ordered me here because I brought the disease
into the house. My bhirhir is also ill."
"Bhirhir!?" exclaimed Ley. The child had been on the threshold of an early
maturity, but "Who? Inzin?"
"Yes, of course, Surfather. I thought you approved."
"Everyone approves of Inzin," Khelin reassured his son. Aside to Ley, he
muttered, "He's not really too young!" And to Skanqwin, he said, "You don't
look entirely well."
"I will not be unwell until my bhirhir can care for me."
That staunch bravery brought tears to Ley's eyes. But he ordered steadily,
"All right, brief us on the situation."
"Sranther's funeral was yesterday. That put father's sur-father Senior. He's
too sick to work, but Trien thinks he'll survive. Finseni's on the desk, but
building in the city has halted. Vital services are running, mostly
understaffed.
"We're managing. Bhirhirn are caring for each other, and those well enough to
move are providing food and medicine to the pond-bound. Six bhirhirn pairs are
coping with the nursery, though there'll be another funeral tomorrow."
He listed off the parents of dead infants. "But all my brothers are better
now. Trien, the medic who moved in to mate with Disden, thinks we've turned
the corner. There've been no deaths today. I've been sick for three days, but
I'm on my feet.
Something happened last night at the Sundown Father, has climbing ever been
suspended before?"
"Once or twice," answered Khelin. "Arshel, Shui, Iraem, and I invoked last
night, when we heard about it. I want you to tell Jylyd that. Also "
Noting the dullness of Skanqwin's response, Khelin commanded Skanqwin to
record, and then addressing Jylyd, he told of the events of the last few days,
and their surmises, ending with an introduction of Jocelyn explaining they'd
formed a ten-aklal, nine of whom had created the Object.
Skanqwin said to Jocelyn, "I thought I recognized you, but I'm never sure with
humans. I saw you in an aklal cell."
Khelin agreed, and told of having drawn Mautri and Glenwarnan together to help
Jocelyn, who was now full wife to Ley, and thus a MorZdersh'n. Before the boy
could register incredulity, Khelin pressed on describing their situation.
He used the Mautri technical vocabulary which even Zref couldn't follow. When
Khelin had finished, admonishing Skanqwin to rid the house and Mautri of every
item remotely connected with Lantern Enterprises even things in their private
pond rooms Ley added, "I know you're awfully young to carry such a
responsibility, but while you can, you must."
The delayed reaction was finally surfacing, and the boy was raising venom. He
looked to Ley. "Surfather "
''I will come home, Skanqwin. For you for the children. Count on it. I'm
counting on you." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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