Infinite Day by Chris Walley Page A

“Funny . . . until today, I always wondered why it hadn’t been right. Now, I think I know. If I had married her, I wouldn’t have been able to come with you.”
    â€œSorry. About the past. But you are very welcome.”
    â€œThanks.” There was a hard look. “But, Merral, I want to be there on that ship very early on.”
    â€œGood idea. I’ll get you on the first flight. We’re planning on it. Any particular reason?”
    Luke frowned. “Merral, I’ve spent a little time talking to Azeras. I won’t say that we are the deepest of friends, only that I have penetrated some way into his psyche. I gather he admitted to you that he feels responsible for the deaths of thousands?”
    Merral nodded.
    â€œWell, I didn’t know that, but I had suspected something along those lines. Anyway, let’s just say . . . I have learned that there are things that need cleaning on that ship. Ejecting into space. Before we travel on it.”
    â€œThe body of the Great Prince Zhalatoc, for a start.”
    â€œThat. And other things.”
    â€œSuch as?”
    Luke shook his head. “Pagan items, gods . . . and other things.”
    â€œI’m mission commander. I need to know.”
    â€œOh, well. Let’s just say the Rahllman’s Star was a ship full of men, and they had a lot of time on their hands.”
    â€œI see. I don’t want to know any more. You have permission to cleanse the ship.”
    Luke twisted his long frame. “It’s always better to play it safe. Anyway, let me go and see if I can help out down below. Perhaps more as an engineer than a chaplain.”
    â€œI suspect as both. And, Luke, I wonder if you could make a moment to see Anya?”
    The chaplain frowned. “I thought she was better.”
    â€œThere is something else now, I think. And I’m pretty sure I’m the wrong person to try to deal with it.”
    â€œI’ll see what I can do.” Luke stared at Merral. “You okay?”
    Merral put his head in his hands. “Luke, last night I thought we were merely heading into problems. Instead, I now believe we are also taking them with us.”

    Merral’s next visitor was a woman dressed in the uniform of Space Affairs. She was slim, of medium height, and had chestnut hair braided into such tight rows that her head reminded Merral of a plowed field. He guessed she was in her early forties, and the fine lines around the mouth and eyes somehow suggested a familiarity with both laughter and pain.
    â€œCommander? I’m Captain Laura Bezemov. Do I gather you have a vacancy for a pilot?” Both the voice and the brown-gray eyes seemed full of delight. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she added with a tone that was both amused and embarrassed. “I just realized I didn’t salute you.”
    Merral found himself warming to Laura; her very presence seemed to lighten the gloom. “Don’t worry. I’m not in uniform. And I’m still troubled by salutes. I live in constant hope of having my military career ended.”
    â€œSounds like we need you a bit longer yet.” He heard merriment in the words.
    â€œSadly.” They shook hands. Merral looked around at the crowded room. “Let’s go talk on the balcony.”
    There they looked over the scene unfolding on the hangar floor below. Merral decided that with all the cries and yells and the constant movement of people and packages, it resembled some sort of street carnival. It was hard to remember the quiet emptiness of just a dozen hours earlier. Half of Isterrane seemed to have turned up to offer their services.
    They drew up seats, and Merral glanced through the folder Laura had brought. She was forty-three, had an exemplary record in test flight, and with the reduction of space flight after the Gate loss, had become an atmosphere pilot and had flown in and out of the Tezekal strip. He noted that she had