Of Fire and Night - Kevin J. Anderson [238]
"Sure beats those crowded insulated huts on Plumas," BeBob said.
"This beats just about everything on Plumas." After a few minutes, though, she let out a long sigh. "One of these days we really should get around to finishing these repairs."
"All right, all right. As soon as you want to suit up, I'll help replace more components."
"I didn't say I was in that much of a hurry."
After escaping from the ice moon, the two had cooled their heels and relaxed. Fortunately, since the Tamblyn brothers had intended to keep the Curiosity as their own, they had gathered all of the parts for the anticipated repairs and stored them aboard. Working together, taking their time, Rlinda and BeBob finished fine-tuning her beloved ship, and testing it. They gave the Curiosity all the care it had needed for quite a while.
Most of the gourmet foods in the cargo hold were gone. She'd lost a lot of her best supplies and trading goods by dumping the main hold during their escape from the EDF, and then the greedy Roamers had ransacked the remaining boxes for delicacies. Speaking for herself, and almost certainly not for BeBob, she said, "I'd rather just open my faceplate to vacuum than resort to living off of standard-issue mealpax."
"Oh, they're not so bad, once you get used to them."
During their work, they frequently raised (and then avoided) the question of where to go from there. Their supplies were limited, and they would need to reestablish contact with civilization sooner or later. With their stardrive fuel starting to get low, they couldn't just flit from system to system. They talked about going to an asteroid and setting up a life for themselves, but they knew that couldn't last forever.
Rlinda finished making some adjustments to the navigation console and, since the ship's gravity was set low, came over to him with dainty steps that would have made a ballerina proud. "Process of elimination," Rlinda said. "We sure can't go back to the Hansa. The EDF would snatch us both the moment we came within sensor range."
"I didn't exactly care for Roamer hospitality, either," BeBob said. "And I don't know what we'd do in the Ildiran Empire."
Rlinda ran a finger along her lower lip. When she finally thought of an alternative, the suggestion was so obvious that she was surprised it hadn't been her first choice. "Theroc is quite a nice place. Peaceful, full of fresh food and nice people. And they're independent from the Hanseatic League."
"Seems we could do a lot worse," BeBob said.
Rlinda checked their ekti levels, called up the starcharts, and smiled. "We've got enough fuel to get there. Want to try?"
BeBob gave her a boyish grin. "As long as I'm with you, my dear, I'm happy."
"Stop that nonsense and give me a straight answer."
"All right, then. Yes."
142
QUEEN ESTARRA
Within two days, the Therons had put together a transition ceremony. Estarra thought the people would give her time to rest and settle in, but Mother Alexa and Father Idriss had wanted to retire for years, and they were very pleased to have the opportunity.
After Reynald's death they had resumed their old leadership roles, always knowing it would be temporary. Beneto had come back as a wooden golem, a spokesman for the worldforest, but not someone who could rule the Theron people. Sarein had expressed ambitions to be the next Theron Mother, but she was a puppet of the Earth government; when she couldn't keep up the pretense, she had hurried back to the Hansa.
Which left Estarra, Queen of the Hansa--now in exile--next in line.
Safely back home, she had not slept so well in years. The open fungus-reef windows let in breezes laden with the spicy-sweet scents of epiphyte flowers and the whispering lullabies of contented worldtrees. Holding each other, Peter and Estarra had dozed until long after the bright sunlight flooded their room.
Celli awakened them, prancing with excitement for the upcoming ceremony. "Today you two will become the new Mother and Father of