switched the RealView off, and the Belaari captain's face appeared on the screen. She had deep violet eyes that she fixed on Prez, a smirk playing at the edge of her mouth. Behind her, her crew were gathering in small groups, apparently busy but clearly trying to eavesdrop.
She began in a monotone voice as if rhyming off a price list. "Kai instructs me to inform you that she will meet you at the office you will rent in this dock two standard days from now at 06:00. During that time, you and your crew will be free to enjoy the facilities on the port while your ship undergoes a routine decontamination procedure -- and some repairs -- before the loading of the cargo. Do you have any questions?"
Prez looked tired. "No, thank you. Kai's communication contained a lengthy..." He winced briefly before continuing. " Sucking feature . It explained everything."
Attachment . Lan chuckled inwardly as the captain burst out laughing again, and the shoulders of her crew started bobbing up and down behind her. "In that case," she said, wiping tears from her eyes, "Welcome to Melaarah XV, Prez. On behalf of the Belaari government, we wish you an enjoyable stay."
Prez clicked the communication off and groaned. "This kin-tah chip!" he said. "Why did I let Flack talk me into it? Talking of whom..." He got down on his knees and looked around the underside of the console and smoothed his hands all over the floor. "Flack! Come out."
"If they are going to decontaminate the ship, it may be wise to catch him." Lan watched the shirt pull out of Prez's trousers with one eye.
"I may not speak perfect Belaari, but I'm not stupid . Get me a box or something. He's under your seat."
Some minutes later, they managed to catch the spider with a half-eaten Skit, a box, and a lot of coaxing. Lan wondered how much language Flack could understand in his current condition. The feeling of the spider's furry legs beating against his cupped hands was scratchy and unpleasant. When Flack was safely in the box, Lan sealed it up with some tape and punched some holes in the lid with a pen so the spider could breathe. "How did this occur?" he said. "I hope it is not a hazard of the job."
Prez chuckled. "Don't play poker with a Malaihan." He patted the box affectionately and spoke loudly to the spider. "Don't worry, my friend, we'll get you back to drinking and pupping and card games in no time. Talking of which...two days leisure! Let's go!"
Lan slipped his satchel around his neck. "I would prefer not to visit any..." he thought for a moment, before continuing, "... pleasure establishments."
"You, my friend, can spend your leisure time however you like." Prez gestured through the window to the brightly-lit dock. "It would be nice if you'd join us for dinner later, though. Get to know the others a bit before we're trapped in a tin can together for three weeks."
"I will join you."
Prez grinned again, and Lan felt his mouth form a matching shape.
"You look different when you smile," Prez said. They looked at each other for a second, then Prez's Tablet bleeped from somewhere in his satchel and he went off around the corner to read the message. Lan glanced at his own reflection in the shiny panel, surprised at how a real smile transformed his face. Telepaths rarely needed facial expressions, so he made a mental note to practice looking different when he got to his quarters and could avail himself of a proper mirror.
Once the necessary bureaucracy was completed, one of the Belaari crew showed them to their quarters. There were only two available rooms, she explained, so they would have to share. One of the exploration vessels was due to refuel there; as well as that, there was a large group of miners visiting for the last few days of their break. But the rooms were spacious and more plush than anything Lan had imagined possible in a space port. His last room had been little more than a cell without a window; this one had a grand view of the nearby moon and the
She began in a monotone voice as if rhyming off a price list. "Kai instructs me to inform you that she will meet you at the office you will rent in this dock two standard days from now at 06:00. During that time, you and your crew will be free to enjoy the facilities on the port while your ship undergoes a routine decontamination procedure -- and some repairs -- before the loading of the cargo. Do you have any questions?"
Prez looked tired. "No, thank you. Kai's communication contained a lengthy..." He winced briefly before continuing. " Sucking feature . It explained everything."
Attachment . Lan chuckled inwardly as the captain burst out laughing again, and the shoulders of her crew started bobbing up and down behind her. "In that case," she said, wiping tears from her eyes, "Welcome to Melaarah XV, Prez. On behalf of the Belaari government, we wish you an enjoyable stay."
Prez clicked the communication off and groaned. "This kin-tah chip!" he said. "Why did I let Flack talk me into it? Talking of whom..." He got down on his knees and looked around the underside of the console and smoothed his hands all over the floor. "Flack! Come out."
"If they are going to decontaminate the ship, it may be wise to catch him." Lan watched the shirt pull out of Prez's trousers with one eye.
"I may not speak perfect Belaari, but I'm not stupid . Get me a box or something. He's under your seat."
Some minutes later, they managed to catch the spider with a half-eaten Skit, a box, and a lot of coaxing. Lan wondered how much language Flack could understand in his current condition. The feeling of the spider's furry legs beating against his cupped hands was scratchy and unpleasant. When Flack was safely in the box, Lan sealed it up with some tape and punched some holes in the lid with a pen so the spider could breathe. "How did this occur?" he said. "I hope it is not a hazard of the job."
Prez chuckled. "Don't play poker with a Malaihan." He patted the box affectionately and spoke loudly to the spider. "Don't worry, my friend, we'll get you back to drinking and pupping and card games in no time. Talking of which...two days leisure! Let's go!"
Lan slipped his satchel around his neck. "I would prefer not to visit any..." he thought for a moment, before continuing, "... pleasure establishments."
"You, my friend, can spend your leisure time however you like." Prez gestured through the window to the brightly-lit dock. "It would be nice if you'd join us for dinner later, though. Get to know the others a bit before we're trapped in a tin can together for three weeks."
"I will join you."
Prez grinned again, and Lan felt his mouth form a matching shape.
"You look different when you smile," Prez said. They looked at each other for a second, then Prez's Tablet bleeped from somewhere in his satchel and he went off around the corner to read the message. Lan glanced at his own reflection in the shiny panel, surprised at how a real smile transformed his face. Telepaths rarely needed facial expressions, so he made a mental note to practice looking different when he got to his quarters and could avail himself of a proper mirror.
Once the necessary bureaucracy was completed, one of the Belaari crew showed them to their quarters. There were only two available rooms, she explained, so they would have to share. One of the exploration vessels was due to refuel there; as well as that, there was a large group of miners visiting for the last few days of their break. But the rooms were spacious and more plush than anything Lan had imagined possible in a space port. His last room had been little more than a cell without a window; this one had a grand view of the nearby moon and the
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