Killashandra

Chapter 15

It took quite a bit of persuading on Killashandra’s part to reassure Tanny that she intended no reprisals against him for his very minor part in her abduction. Lars explained that he had managed to sneak her on board the ocean jet with the help of another friend who merely thought Lars’s latest girl friend had had a shade too much new brew.

“One for the girls, are you, m’bucko?” Killashandra had asked in an arch tone.

Lars nodded at her garland. “Not any more, Sunny! I’ve made an honest woman of you!”

That exchange did more to reassure Tanny than any other argument Killashandra had presented. That and the fact that she was perfectly willing to help bail out the cockpit.

Bar Island was reached just before sunset, with enough time to unload the emergency supplies. The Bar Islanders had been directly in the hurricane’s path and suffered more damage than any of the other islands on their sweep. Two men, a woman and a young child had internal injuries which the medical facilities of the smaller settlement could not treat adequately. Lars immediately offered them passage on the Pearl Fisher, giving Killashandra a guarded and rueful grin of regret. Nor did they have a chance to be private that night. Everyone pitched in to finish constructing temporary communal shelters, and Killashandra found herself once again plaiting polly fronds, pleased that her deftness caused no questions. When a halt was called at midnight, Killashandra was far too tired to do more than curl up gratefully against Lars on the sand, her head pillowed on his arm, and fall asleep.

At first light of a sullen day, the injured were floated on bladder rafts to the Pearl, carefully hoisted aboard, then secured in the cabin bunks. Killashandra was given instructions by the medic for the administration of necessary drugs and care. The patients had been sedated for the voyage, so he expected no problems.

As soon as she could, Killashandra went up on deck. She found care of the sick and injured a distasteful necessity and the faint odor of antiseptics and medicine made her slightly nauseous. She said nothing about her disinclination, uncharacteristically wanting to sustain Lars’s good opinion of her. He was bent over the chart display on the small navigational terminal, plotting the most direct course for Angel Island’s North Harbor where the main medical facility was situated.

“Tide and wind are in our favor this morning, Killa,” he said, reaching his arm about her waist and drawing her in to him without taking his eyes from the display. He tapped for an overlay of the route he had chosen and she could see how it made use of the swift channels between the islands and the fuller morning tide. “We’ll be in North before we know it.” He made a Final correction and laid in the course. Now the display cleared to show him the compass headings and the minimum required tacking to slip into the swift current just beyond Bar Island’s western reef. “Is the spinnaker set, Tanny?”

“Aye, aye skipper,” the young man called from the bow as Killashandra watched the vivid red and orange sail bellying out briefly over the bowsprit before the wind caught it.

There’s an exhilaration to sailing a fast, trim ship, with a following wind and a current to assist smooth passage. The Pearl slipped into the flow as effortlessly as a slide down a greased pole. The sea was almost calm, and gunmetal green-gray, not quite the same color as the gray sky.

“Lucky it’s today instead of yesterday,” Killashandra said, settling herself in the cockpit beside Lars. He had the tiller on its upper setting so that he could see forward without the cabin blocking him.

“They’re all secure below?”

“Secure and asleep! I’ll check on the half hour.”

They sat together enjoying wind, sea, and sail while Tanny coiled lines and set all fair. Then he joined them in the cockpit, maintaining the companionable silence.

Just before noon, sailing smartly on the same westerly current that had nearly defeated Killashandra, they rounded the Toe and tacked eastward to sail right up to the large North Harbor pier at the elbow of the Angel. When Lars had been able to estimate his time of arrival, he had called it in, so medics and grav units were waiting for the injured. Killashandra, dutifully checking every half hour, had had no problems with her patients but it was an immense relief to turn them over to trained medical technicians.

“Father wants a word with us,” Lars said quietly in Killashandra’s ear as they watched their passengers being trundled away. “Tanny, anchor the Pearl at buoy twenty-seven, will you? And keep her ready. Don’t know where we’ll have to go next. Stay on the page, okay?”

Tanny nodded, his expression rather strained, as if he was relieved to stay on the Pearl, whose eccentricities he could cope with and understand.

If the Wing Harbor on the south side of Angel Island had appeared rustic and homely to Killashandra’s eyes, North Harbor was the antithesis: that is, within the framework of the Charter’s prohibition against raping “a natural world.” The colorful buildings set up above the harbor behind sturdy sea walls utilized manmade materials and modernistic surfaces in some sort of tough, textured plastic and a good deal of plasglas so no vista would be hidden from the occupiers. If the architecture lacked warmth or grace, it was also practical in a zone where wind speeds could make a dangerous missile out of a polly branch.

Lars guided Killashandra up a ramp that climbed to the top of the Elbow, where a dormered structure commanded views of the main harbor as well as the smaller curved bay that featured the old stratovolcano that was the Angel’s Head. A small sailing craft was tacking cautiously through the Fingerbone reefs at the end of the Hand. From the different colors in the sea, Killashandra could distinguish the safer, deeper channel, but she didn’t think she’d like to sail that in a ship as large as the Pearl.

To her surprise, the first person they saw as they entered the Harbor Master’s office was Nahia. She had been using the terminal and upon their entry she half rose, her expression eager for Lars’s news of the stranded crystal singer.

We needn’t have worried ourselves for a moment about out captive, Nahia.” Lars strode up to the empath and, before she could protest, kissed her hand.

“Lars, you simply must stop that,” Nahia protested, giving Killashandra a worried glance.

“Why? I only do you a courtesy you fully deserve!”

Would Nahia comfort Lars, Killashandra wondered, after she had departed Optheria?

“The woman is all right, isn’t she, Carrigana?” Nahia was by no means reassured by Lars’s droll comment

“Never better,” Killashandra replied affably. She wondered why Lars was drawing the game out when he had specifically said he didn’t wish to deceive Nahia. She gave him a sharp glance.

“Where’s father!”

“I’m here, Lars, and there’s trouble on its way,” the Harbor Master said, appearing from the front office. “I’m only grateful we had the hurricane, for it slowed down the official transport. There’s to be a full search of the Islands. Torkes leads it so it’d be the height of folly to protest or interfere.”

“Then isn’t it fortunate that the crystal singer has been rescued,” Killashandra said.

“She has?” Olav Dahl looked about, even to peering outside, seeking the woman.

Unerringly now, Nahia turned her worried face toward Killashandra, her eyes widening.

“And, Olav Dahl, by your courageous son, who found her abandoned on an island while he was on a hurricane rescue mission in the vicinity.”

“Young woman, I – ” Olav Dahl began, frowning at her light tone.

“You are Killashandra Ree?” Nahia asked, her beautiful eyes intent on Killashandra’s face.

“Indeed. And so grateful to the loyal upright Optherian citizen Lars Dahl that this much-abused crystal singer feels secure only in his presence.” Killashandra beamed fatuously at Lars.

Nahia’s slender hands went to her mouth to suppress her laughter.

“I presume that in your official capacity you can inform the official vehicle of the felicitous news?” Killashandra asked Olav Dahl, smiling encouragingly at him to coax a less reproving response.

Olav Dahl regarded Killashandra with an expression that became more and more severe, as if he didn’t believe what he was hearing, didn’t condone her levity, and quite possibly would not accept her assistance. Slowly he sank onto the nearest desk for support, staring at her with amazement. Killashandra wondered that this man could be Lars’s father until suddenly a smile of great charm and pure mischief lightened his countenance. He got to his feet, one hand outstretched to her, radiating relief.

“My dear Guildmember, may I say how pleased I am that you have been delivered from your ordeal? Have you any idea at all who perpetrated this outrage on a member of the most respected guild in the galaxy?”

“None under the sun,” Killashandra relied, the epitome of innocent bewilderment. “I left the organ loft, rather precipitously, I hasten to add, because of a distressing incident with an officious security captain. I hoped that a stroll in the fresh air might compose my agitated spirits. When all of a sudden – ” She brought her hands together. “I think I must have been drugged for a long time. When I finally regained consciousness. I was on this island, from which your son fortuitously rescued me only this morning!” Killashandra turned, fluttering her eyelashes at Lars in a parody of gratitude.

“I find that absolutely fascinating, Killashandra Ree,” said a totally unexpected newcomer. Lars half crouched as he whirled toward the doorway framing Corish von Mittelstern. “Evidently your credentials were far more impressive than you led me to expect. So you’re the crystal singer who was dispatched?”

“Oh, and have you found your dear uncle?”

“Actually, I have.” Corish, his lips twitching with the first real amusement she had seen him exhibit, gestured toward Olav Dahl.

Lars was not the only one who stared at his father. Nahia gave a silvery laugh.

“It was too amusing, the confrontation, Lars,” Nahia said, chuckling. “They were circling the truth like two hemlin cocks. It was all I could do to retain my composure, for, of course, Hauness and I have known Olav’s history. It didn’t take me very long to perceive that Corish was not looking for the man in the hologram.”

“I could hardly brandish Dahl’s real likeness in case I jeopardized him. I’d memorized his facial characteristics so I thought I’d recognize him once I did see him.” Then Corish turned to Killashandra. “He hadn’t altered as much as you had. I didn’t recognize you at all, with your hair and eyebrows bleached and a good few kilos lighter. If it matters,” and Corish gestured at the matched garlands, “this is an improvement over the mawkish music student.”

“So are you Council or Evaluation?” Killashandra shot a triumphant glance at Lars. “Olav’s no more your uncle than I am. That inheritance business was very thin.”

“For you, perhaps,” and Corish inclined his body toward her, and his manner turned starchy at her criticism, “but you’d be surprised at how effective it was. Especially with Optherian officials who might get their percentage out of it.” Corish made an age-old gesture with his thumb and forefinger. “Since all off-planet mail is censored, and not always delivered to the addressee, such a problem is peculiarly applicable to Optheria.”

“I withdraw my comment.” Killashandra nodded graciously and then seated herself in the nearest chair. “Do I also assume that Olav has been a – misplaced – agent?”

“Inadvertently detained,” Olav replied on his own behalf, with a nod to Corish. “My briefing was at fault, on a point no one had considered at headquarters. To whit, the mineral residue, which is what trapped me here. And which provides the Optherians with such simple means of preventing unauthorized departure from this planet. The exile has not been without profit to me,” and he smiled warmly at his son, “though my time was not spent in activities of which the Council wholeheartedly approve. ‘If you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em’ is useful advice.” He winked at Killashandra, who gave a crow of laughter. “However, you appear to be remarkably tolerant of the abuse you have suffered at my son’s hands.”

Killashandra laughed. “Oh. yes, since it has afforded me the chance to investigate a complaint.”

“Oh?” Olav exchanged glances with Corish.

“Lodged by a Stellar of the Federated Artists’ Association.”

“Really?” Nahia clapped her hands together in delight, grinning at Lars with triumph. “I told you they were a good choice.”

Corish had straightened up in his chair. “You . . . were also told to investigate?”

“Oh, yes, but the organ repair should have been the priority!” And she gave Lars a stern glance.

“We can discuss this at a later time,” Olav said, raising his hand for silence. “We have a much more immediate problem in the imminent arrival of an official search party.”

“I’ve outlined the way to deal with that, haven’t I?” said Killashandra.

“To what purpose?” Olav asked. “Not that I am grateful for you forgiving my rascally son . . .”

“I think that would be my preeminent task, Olav Dahl,” Killashandra replied with a grim smile. “I don’t know which Elder supervises Security on this planet, but from what I have seen, your son is probably first on their list of suspects whether or not they’ve any evidence at all.”

“Oh, I agree, Olav,” Nahia said.

“Will Security believe your explanation?” Corish asked skeptically.

“What?” Killashandra rose in a flowing movement, drawing herself up to her full height, in a pose of haughty self-confidence. “Refute the statement of a crystal singer, a member of the Heptite Guild, a craftsman whose services are vital to the all-important tourist season? You must be joking! How, under which ever name you hold sacred, can they challenge what I say? Besides,” she said, relaxing and flashing a friendly smile, “I have every confidence in Lars’s ability to lend credence to the account. Don’t you?”

“I must say, when you assume that pose, Killashandra, I’d hesitate to contradict you.” Corish rose to his feet. “But now, I think that Nahia and I had better join Hauness and prepare to disappear. If they credit Killashandra’s explanation, they’ll not be likely to mount a twenty-five hour radar watch, will they? So we won’t have that problem to contend with.”

Nahia had returned to the console, and was taking some hard copy from the retrieval slot. “I’ve all the charts we need, Olav, and my thanks for your suggestions. Just in case, I think we will take the devious course through the islands and then double back north. Lars, Olver survived the purge and you can contact us through him when you need to.” Corish had her by the arm and was drawing her toward a rear exit. “May I hope to see you again, Killashandra?”

“If that is at all possible, officially, yes, of course, and I look forward to the occasion.” Abruptly, annoyed at her stilted phrases, Killashandra stepped forward and swiftly embraced Nahia, kissing her on both cheeks. She stepped back, rather surprised at her uncharacteristic effusiveness until she saw the pleasure in Nahia’s brilliant eyes and smiling face.

“Oh, you are kind!”

“Don’t he ridiculous!” Killashandra replied fiercely, and then smiled with embarrassment. She felt Lars take her elbow and squeeze it gently.

“Should I need to contact you, Killashandra,” Corish added, opening the door and all but pushing Nahia out, “I’ll leave a message at the Piper Facility. As I already have.” The door closed behind them with an emphatic slam.

“Come,” Olav said, striding toward his front office. “We’ll signal the jet. Fortunately, the return of the Pearl has been entered in the Harbor log and not too much time will have elapsed before we inform them of this good news.” Olav paused in front of the huge console, frowning slightly at Killashandra. “You are certain you wish to go through with this? It could be dangerous!”

“Far more dangerous for them,” Killashandra said with a snort. “To have put me in such a situation in the first place.” Then she laughed. “Just think, Olav, with Lars’s confession that Torkes and Ampris hired him to ‘assault me,’ to prove my identity, how they have compromised themselves.”

“I actually had not considered that aspect. “He turned to the console and began to send out the message.

The jet cruiser responded instantly with a request for visual with which Olav instantly complied.

“Look pleased but humble, Lars ,” Killashandra muttered before she turned to the screen, once more the haughty and arrogant crystal singer.

“Elder Torkes, I must protest! It is over five weeks since I was abducted from the City – a City, I might add, in which I had already been assaulted though I had been told in unequivocal terms that Optheria was a ‘secure’ planet, where everyone knew his place, and no unusual activities were condoned or permitted.” Killashandra stressed the words as sarcastically as possible, enjoying the shock on the Elder’s face. “Yet I could also be insulted by a minor and officious idiot, and kidnapped! I could be abandoned on this dreadful world. And it has taken you all this time to come to the islands which you yourself told me were populated by a dissident group. Dissident they might be, but courteous they are, and I have been made to feel far more welcome in these islands than I was during your pompous, ill-provisioned reception. I will also inform you, if you haven’t already heard from them, that my Guild will take a very dim view of this whole incident. In fact, reparations may well be required. Now, what have you to say to me?”

“Honored Guildmember, I cannot adequately express our horror, our concern for you during your terrible ordeal.” Those in the Harbor Master’s office saw the effort which Elder Torkes was forced to make to moderate his own manner. “I don’t know how the Council can ever redeem itself in your eyes. Anything we can do – ”

“I suggest that you begin by expressing gratitude to the young man who rescued me after that frightening hurricane – Why, I thought I’d be swept to sea and drowned during the night. This is the young man,” and ruthlessly Killashandra pulled Lars beside her. Torkes’s face was unreadable as he inclined his head in the curtest possible recognition. “He’s the skipper of the – what did you say your boat’s called, Captain Dahl?”

“The Pearl Fisher, Guildmember.”

“I might add that he took considerable risk to himself and his vessel to put in to that island. The monsters in the lagoon and all about it were in some sort of frenzy. The storm does that, he told me. But I was so relieved to see another human after all that time . . . Look at me! I’m a sight! My hair, my skin! I’m nothing but skin and bones!”

“Our estimated time of arrival is 18:30, Guildmember. Until that time, the Harbor Master will be able to attend to your comfort to the limits of his facilities.” Torkes regained some of his usual repressive manner as he eyed Olav Dahl significantly.

“Begging your indulgence, Elder Torkes, but the Guildmember insisted that you be contacted before any personal comfort was seen to. We are hers to command until your arrival.”

The picture was cut off at the cruiser screen. No sooner was it blank than Lars seized Killashandra in his arms, whirling her about the communications room, roaring his approval.

“His face! Did you see how he had to struggle to control himself, Killa?”

“You’ll break my ribs, Lars – Leave off! But you can see how easy it is – ”

“When you have one of the most prestigious Guilds in the FSP to back you,” Olav said, but he was grinning as broadly with satisfaction at the confrontation as Lars was.

“Well, you have the FSP Council – ”

“Only if they are in the position to acknowledge me,” Olav reminded her, raising a hand in contradiction. “Which they are not, as my mission here was covert. The Council does not interfere with planetary politics when no other planet or system is affected. Optheria could not be approached on an official basis, you know. The FSP had ratified their Charter.”

“With you to explain all about the lack of popular acceptance of the restriction, surely – ”

“My dear Killashandra Ree, the situation on Optheria cannot be altered by one man’s testimony, especially a man who could by planetary laws to which he is now subject under intergalactic regulations, be tried and convicted of treasonous acts.”

“Oh!” Killashandra’s elation drained away quickly.

“Don’t concern yourself with this problem now, my friend – for I count you one,” Olav said, gripping her on the shoulder. “I am grateful for what you have already achieved.” He took Lars’s shoulder in his other hand, smiling with great affection at his son. “Ever since we saw the cruiser jet on the screen, I’d been wracking my brains on how to protect Lars from interrogation by Torkes. You have scuttled that plan, but do not deceive yourself that all will be fair sailing.”

“It was a superb performance, Killa! When I tell the others – ”

“Softly, Lars, softly.” Olav said, “Torkes has had enough to swallow. Give him no more on your peril. Now, Killashandra, we must do the courteous for you, and lavish you with suitable gifts and personal services – ”

“Teradia, of course, Father. And I’ll advise her about our visitors – and their preferences.” Lars grimaced with distaste.

“Yes, I’ll warn her you’re coming up and then I’ll organize appropriate festivities.”

“Why waste a barbecue on Torkes? He doesn’t eat!” Killashandra said in disgust.

“But you do, Killashandra, and it’s your return to civilization that we’re celebrating!” Lars squeezed her about the waist.

“One point, Lars,” and Olav laid a restraining, hand on his son’s arm as he reached and removed the garland from his neck. “I am sorry, but these would bring unwelcome questions.” He reached for Killashandra’s and she hesitated before giving it to him.

“Not half as sorry as I am.” She walked out of the building, Lars following quietly behind her.