Greg Bear Beyond Heavens River

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to working for. Domesticity seemed as ill suited to her as a wool comforter on
a star.
Then, as if on cue, Nestor withdrew from the activity and sat down in an
unused corner of the cargo bay, chin in hand, brows together, deep in
concentration. Two yeoman spheres hovered nearby. DiNova stood to one side,
leaning against a bulkhead.
All right, she said. Bring the chapel furniture down from inner C,
manufacture a few runners of white linen, clone some flowers in Special
Projects. I ve recorded plans and designs in my notes. Look them up.
I want it all down here in six hours. Send invitations to all ship s
personnel, and special dispensations to watch-holders. The
Peloros can run without supervision for a few hours, right? She looked at
DiNova.
He nodded.
Fine. Pardon me for a moment, she said. I have some apologies to make.
Kawashita was in her cabin, exercising with four light metal poles he d
borrowed from Materials
Dispensary. She watched him set to a pattern of moving abstract hologram
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images, wiping them away with intricate swings. When the exercise was over,
she interrupted.
I m sorry, she said. Kawashita looked up. For running off like that. But I
can t promise I ll mend my ways.
So? We both took chances, no?
But I know you ve still got quite a bit of masculine pride. I shouldn t go
out of my way to tread on it.
You have work to do, obligations. Any discomfort they cause me is minimal.
What are we going to do when you find a place you want to settle?
I know what I will do but not what you ll do.
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Beyond Heaven's River
Most of this is in my blood. So I tell myself, anyway. Without it I might be
a different person. But
You shouldn t give it up, then.
I was going to say, I need some time to decide what I m going to do, how I m
going to be. I don t want to traipse across the Galaxy after every
will-o -the-wisp of potential profit not for the rest of my life. I
saw what that did to my family. After this I want to put it away for a while,
try something else. She sat in a desk field. Do you believe me?
Not completely, he said.
Willing to take a risk?
Yes.
We re both idiots, you know, she said.
You, who take risks every day of your life risks that can decide the future
of everything you ve done you worry about one small chance?
I m a coward. I have soft underbellies that can be ripped open. I ve never
let anyone get at them before.
When I commit myself to you, you ll have all the road maps to them, and a set
of claws.
He put the poles down and held out his arms. She stood and came to him. She
was sweating and her back was stiff. If I knew I had any soft parts left, I d
tell you where they are, he said. Fair exchange. But I
don t know where they are myself. I have only one goal, and there s no reason
anyone would try to set me on a different course not even you. We ll give
each other more freedom, not less, if only because we provide points of rest
for each other sea anchors in a storm.
She pulled back from him and smiled. Talk about May December marriages, she
said.
Is everything ready?
Will be shortly. Kondrashef has agreed to be your best man. And DiNova will
give me away, which is symbolic, I suppose. I can hear him worrying about all
the projects we ll pass up after I m married. I have friends in the entourage
who ll act as maids of honor, flower girls, and the like.
I m not familiar with this kind of wedding.
Nor am I, believe me. But you told me to design it as I saw fit.
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Beyond Heaven's River
I ve never been much at remembering lines.
It ll be simple. A short walk, a ceremony, witnessings.
And a working honeymoon. It does seem crowded.
Anna sighed. I couldn t pass this one by. Too much at stake.
To the Japanese, a wedding means a great deal.
It means a lot to me, too. Still, I see & it would have been nice to have
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time to ourselves right away.
She put her hands on her hips and shook her head. Are we getting off to a bad
start?
You were worried about knowing what you want. Do you really want this? His
face betrayed nothing.
His tone was reasonable, and Nestor couldn t tell if he was expressing
dissatisfaction, or if she was merely fighting her own guilt. Yes. I do.
He smiled. The only thing I ask is that you know what you want. I m flexible.
I can do what I wish almost anywhere.
I wish I knew what you really thought she said. You seem too damned
reasonable.
Your risk, he said, smiling.
One part of me says you should stand up and make me back the hell out of the
Ring Stars. The other says you re letting me follow my wyrd, like I was some
kind of summer thunderstorm, useless to interfere with. I don t know which I
prefer.
What you ll find here interests me, he said. If the kami who call
themselves Aighors didn t have anything to do with these stars, then who did?
You think the Perfidisians had something to do with it? She paused, her lips
held tightly together.
Damn you. You re taunting me. What the hell do you want? Tell me straight, or
I ll cancel the whole thing!
Are you angry?
Goddamn right I m angry! You re playing me like a fish on a line! Tell me
straight!
Kawashita folded his hands behind his back and took a relaxed, at-ease
position. I ve seen you before when you re angry. You lose all reason. So [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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