I-- understand, I'd be very flattered to be asked to join a dance troupe. But I know I haven't had enough years to be that level of good." She smiled faintly. "I know about Rudolf Nureyev, I've seen Madame's vid of his Romeo, and I know he didn't even start ballet classes until he was fifteen, but he was an exception. A prodigy."
"You might be, Magdalena."
She shook her head firmly. "No--much as I'd like to think so, I know I'd wind up doing the third-act solos: Dancing the Bluebird or the Sugar Plum Fairy and getting paid for it would be nice, but..." She sighed. "Remember how I decided to take the StarBridge tests, back on New Am? The Heeyoons had just discovered the Arekkhi, and there was a piece of vid of a high lord from their council. I--think I fell in love with the idea of the Arekkhi right then. The sound of the language, the way he moved. And after all New Am did for me, getting me here; after all the school's done for me ..."
"Don't base a decision on gratitude, Magdalena," Rob said as she hesitated.
"I'm not. Dance has been ... wonderful. I'll keep doing all that I can with it. But the chance to go to Arekkhi as a translator, even if it's only for six months--it's been my dream for at least four years, Rob, and I've worked hard to see that I 42
could handle the pressures if I ever got the chance." Silence. Rob finally got to his feet, gesturing for her to take his place behind the desk. Magdalena came around and sat, waited for him to cue the tank's privacy field and let the message continue.
Khyriz's gaze remained distant, his body unnaturally stiff. "If there is any way for us to manage this, Dr. Rob, I would greatly appreciate it. The remainder of this message is for Magdalena, but it is not of that degree of privacy." A momentary pause; then Khyriz took a step toward the holo-vid camera, his eyes suddenly warm, whiskers curved forward until they nearly touched; his Mizari rumbled, barely accented, tickling her ears. "Magdalena, my dear friend, if you have seen Rob's portion of this message, you know my hope. I know you have often said you would gladly journey here. If my fortune holds, perhaps we shall see each other before the winter rains. Remember, the Grand Autumn Ball will this year be in honor of the CLS staff. I would be proud to escort you onto the floor of my fathers to dance the Xherniz.
Perhaps, another moment when we dance?" His ears flicked slightly-- one of his shy moments, she thought. Her face felt warm as the holo stilled. The fur along his chin, there--I remember it pressing against my face, up in the Spiral Arm. Her face was warm as she finally remembered to clear the privacy screen.
"All right?" Rob asked. He came from the food servo with two fresh cups of tea, set one before her, and leaned against the wall to sip his. She nodded, drank tea. "You look a little flustered."
"It's--all so sudden," she managed. "Unexpected."
"Need more time to think?" he asked. She shook her head firmly and he laughed. "No, I didn't think you did." They drank in companionable silence, then Magdalena put her cup down and got to her feet.
"I have that test--"
"Excused for now," Rob broke in gravely. "You won't be able to concentrate right now, and there isn't much time between now and your departure to get everything done you'll need to do. You and Alexis get together as soon as you can;
43
anything you need help with, any concerns you have--let me know right away, will you?"
"Of course. I just--well, what if everything goes well, and I wind up staying? I mean, poor Ladessa, all the preparation she's done for the Arekkhi, and now ..."
"A week or so ago, that might've been the case," Rob said as he eased past to let her into the outer office. "But since then, she's had an offer from Etsane Mwarka on the Na-Dina homeworld, to assist with the translations on those tomb walls. Ladessa met Etsane back on Earth, some student tour, and they hit it off pretty well; enough that she started following the
"You might be, Magdalena."
She shook her head firmly. "No--much as I'd like to think so, I know I'd wind up doing the third-act solos: Dancing the Bluebird or the Sugar Plum Fairy and getting paid for it would be nice, but..." She sighed. "Remember how I decided to take the StarBridge tests, back on New Am? The Heeyoons had just discovered the Arekkhi, and there was a piece of vid of a high lord from their council. I--think I fell in love with the idea of the Arekkhi right then. The sound of the language, the way he moved. And after all New Am did for me, getting me here; after all the school's done for me ..."
"Don't base a decision on gratitude, Magdalena," Rob said as she hesitated.
"I'm not. Dance has been ... wonderful. I'll keep doing all that I can with it. But the chance to go to Arekkhi as a translator, even if it's only for six months--it's been my dream for at least four years, Rob, and I've worked hard to see that I 42
could handle the pressures if I ever got the chance." Silence. Rob finally got to his feet, gesturing for her to take his place behind the desk. Magdalena came around and sat, waited for him to cue the tank's privacy field and let the message continue.
Khyriz's gaze remained distant, his body unnaturally stiff. "If there is any way for us to manage this, Dr. Rob, I would greatly appreciate it. The remainder of this message is for Magdalena, but it is not of that degree of privacy." A momentary pause; then Khyriz took a step toward the holo-vid camera, his eyes suddenly warm, whiskers curved forward until they nearly touched; his Mizari rumbled, barely accented, tickling her ears. "Magdalena, my dear friend, if you have seen Rob's portion of this message, you know my hope. I know you have often said you would gladly journey here. If my fortune holds, perhaps we shall see each other before the winter rains. Remember, the Grand Autumn Ball will this year be in honor of the CLS staff. I would be proud to escort you onto the floor of my fathers to dance the Xherniz.
Perhaps, another moment when we dance?" His ears flicked slightly-- one of his shy moments, she thought. Her face felt warm as the holo stilled. The fur along his chin, there--I remember it pressing against my face, up in the Spiral Arm. Her face was warm as she finally remembered to clear the privacy screen.
"All right?" Rob asked. He came from the food servo with two fresh cups of tea, set one before her, and leaned against the wall to sip his. She nodded, drank tea. "You look a little flustered."
"It's--all so sudden," she managed. "Unexpected."
"Need more time to think?" he asked. She shook her head firmly and he laughed. "No, I didn't think you did." They drank in companionable silence, then Magdalena put her cup down and got to her feet.
"I have that test--"
"Excused for now," Rob broke in gravely. "You won't be able to concentrate right now, and there isn't much time between now and your departure to get everything done you'll need to do. You and Alexis get together as soon as you can;
43
anything you need help with, any concerns you have--let me know right away, will you?"
"Of course. I just--well, what if everything goes well, and I wind up staying? I mean, poor Ladessa, all the preparation she's done for the Arekkhi, and now ..."
"A week or so ago, that might've been the case," Rob said as he eased past to let her into the outer office. "But since then, she's had an offer from Etsane Mwarka on the Na-Dina homeworld, to assist with the translations on those tomb walls. Ladessa met Etsane back on Earth, some student tour, and they hit it off pretty well; enough that she started following the
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