[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

it could put enormous tracts of the galaxy within reach. But what did
the talk amount to? Was that why they were studying a supernova, to
find clues to how such a thing could be created?
 What is it, Rus lem? Fingers touching his temples.
 I  He swallowed. He blinked, focusing on her. It had seemed so clear in his
mind at that instant. And yet so much remained hidden.  Tamika  And
his voice, little more than a husky whisper to begin with, cracked.
 Yes? She kissed him gently on the cheek.
He was startled by the touch of her lips. Whatever it was he d been trying to
grasp, it was gone now. Lost to the wind; lost to the kiss.  I don t know
anymore, he whispered. He met her eyes, eyes of startling gold. She
kissed him again, this time on the lips a dry, brushing kiss. He
drew a breath and let it out in a long hiss.  Yes, he said. He
was having trouble breathing. She nodded, murmuring. Their lips met again
and this time lingered.
Whatever it was, it would come back. It would have to.
Perhaps in the night. Or in the morning.
|
Go to Table of Contents
|
Chapter 19
He had a sense that Ali Maksam appeared once, perhaps twice, in the bedroom
while they were making love. If it happened, it was only an eyeblink of an
appearance. Ruskin was aware of his friend s virtual presence without quite
seeing it; he was aware of many things in addition to the sensations of
lovemaking. He was aware of lights passing by outside the window; of the
rhythm of music they d listened to hours before still echoing in
his mind; of the nagging presence of the thing he had almost remembered,
hovering like a mysterious agent at the edges of his mind. He was aware of the
warmth of Tamika s body, of her breath rushing past his ear, of the
pleasurable tension crowding together in her body and releasing.
He was aware of time passing, as she slept. He could not sleep; he
lay contemplating the darkness, remembering or trying to. He talked a
little with Dax, but that wasn t the conversation he needed. Dax
wasn t quite alive, and he wanted to talk with the living. He began
to wish that Ali Maksam would return.
His friend did reappear late during the night, shimmering into the
darkest corner of the room and almost disappearing again before
Ruskin called out softly, so as not to awaken
Tamika.
 I did not mean to intrude, Ali Maksam whispered, reappearing.  I
was concerned, however. I wanted to make certain that well, that you were 
 I m glad you came, Ruskin whispered back, slipping out of bed and
Page 104
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
reaching for his robe.  Can we talk in the living room?
The Logothian s image was waiting for him when he got there. Ruskin sat and
studied his friend s face. He noticed lines of strain in the
half-reptilian countenance; Max was carrying a greater burden on Ruskin s
behalf than he let on. The fact that he had appeared in the middle of the
night was evidence enough; Max would not have done so without need.
He clearly wanted to know what was happening in his friend s mind.
 I m remembering bits and pieces, Ruskin said, nudging the
overstuffed rocker into creaking motion.  But every time I feel close to an
understanding, it comes apart in my hands.
There s something at the center of it all that I just can t &
grasp
. And the worst part is, my files just don t seem to add up. He felt the
frustration well up inside him.  Is it me? That s what I
want to know. Or is it the files themselves?
Ali Maksam stretched and bent his neck to gaze at Ruskin.  Do you suspect that
your files have been tampered with?
Ruskin shrugged.  How can I tell? I m depending on them to remind me
. But I don t know if the information I need is there at all or if it s been
altered, or what. A horrifying thought struck him.  Max, what if tampered
with the files?
I
Max s eyes gleamed a fraction brighter. Ruskin gazed back at him, terrified.
 Perhaps we should talk about what I know of your work, Max said softly.
 Perhaps I can help you jog together associations.
Ruskin s mouth felt dry. Something in him hesitated to do that. Why? he
wondered. Am I
afraid to look within myself, afraid of what I might find? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]