added:
I may have to draw deeper into your debt.
And Reidinger shared the fear that Jeff Raven would not live, offering Afra the position of the Rowan’s comforter and Jeff Raven’s surrogate.
You have always loved her, I know
, Reidinger added with flashes of sexual intensity.
Angrily, Afra shook his head.
You cannot even
begin
to understand!
And Afra found himself locked tight against a powerful mind, a mind which could have picked clean his darkest secrets.
No, my friend, I do. In my fashion
, and Afra perceived a sincere, fatherly interest, more tender than ever imagined, locked deep within Reidinger’s gruff exterior,
I love her, too!
Afra sensed a change in Reidinger’s thinking.
But you, my impetuous friend, I fear for you. It was one thing to be little brother to the virgin queen and attentive courtier to the royal couple. But some alternative might be needed to anchor her sanity. You are there and already have her trust and appreciation
. . .
Although Afra had always known how ruthless Reidinger could be in the care and maintenance of FT&T and his precious Primes, this half-formed suggestion made him more amused than indignant. Especially as they didn’t even know for certain that contingency plans were needed.There could be any number of reasons why Jeff Raven had been unavailable to the Rowan, though it
was
rather difficult to find a logical one.
With all respect, sir, we don’t need to go into that just yet, I think.
You know something I don’t?
Reidinger seemed to leap on him.
No, but I refuse to be negative. Especially where the Rowan’s concerned.
Do you know how
valuable
that girl is?
To FT&T?
Don’t roar at me, Capellan Lyon!
Then abruptly his mind-tone altered to one of immense and incredulous belief.
She did it. She pulled him back, though I can sense only the most delicate of flickers.
She
knows she’s saved his life.
A wave of relief that was close to orgiastic surged through Afra at that report. He had to grip the arms of the chair to keep his balance, so intense was his sense of reprieve from disaster. He knew that Reidinger shared his reaction.
Thank God, if you believe in one, for that mercy.
I do, I will. My gratitude for sharing the news. You will keep us informed of the conditions on Deneb?
Of course!
Reidinger said reassuringly. By way of parting, he shot,
And Afra, I’ll want you to retest when all this is over. You can’t be merely T-4 with all the shenanigans you’ve enacted lately. T-3 at the least, so I’m upgrading you. And paying you accordingly, starting today.
He chuckled.
We’ll argue over backpay later.
Afra started to protest the unexpected, and possibly undeserved, promotion. But to argue with Earth Prime? Reidinger’s laugh cut through that thought.
Please! Argue! You need the practice!
Then, including Ackerman back in his conversation, Reidinger added,
I think it best that we all pretend I don’t know where the Rowan is.
Afra was perplexed by that.
Let’s just say that I’ve got games of my own to play, young Lyon. Until I tell
you, the Rowan is not to know we talked. If she contacts you, behave accordingly.
And then he was gone.
Brian and Afra exchanged surprised looks. “Well, you know he likes to play his games, Afra,” Brian said first.
Afra nodded, brow furrowed. “We will tell the others that he doesn’t know and we’ll continue as we did when they had their day off.”
Two days later the Rowan contacted him late at night. Afra was surprised that he could receive her, even with the gestalt of her generators over that distance. Maybe he was legitimately a T-3. He didn’t mention that as he carefully made note of the spare parts and electronic supplies she requested.
I may have to break them into smaller parcels than usual, Rowan
, he said when he examined the complete list.
That’s all right. The generator here can’t handle too much
, the Rowan replied forgivingly, then added,
How are you holding up? Does Reidinger know?
Afra
I may have to draw deeper into your debt.
And Reidinger shared the fear that Jeff Raven would not live, offering Afra the position of the Rowan’s comforter and Jeff Raven’s surrogate.
You have always loved her, I know
, Reidinger added with flashes of sexual intensity.
Angrily, Afra shook his head.
You cannot even
begin
to understand!
And Afra found himself locked tight against a powerful mind, a mind which could have picked clean his darkest secrets.
No, my friend, I do. In my fashion
, and Afra perceived a sincere, fatherly interest, more tender than ever imagined, locked deep within Reidinger’s gruff exterior,
I love her, too!
Afra sensed a change in Reidinger’s thinking.
But you, my impetuous friend, I fear for you. It was one thing to be little brother to the virgin queen and attentive courtier to the royal couple. But some alternative might be needed to anchor her sanity. You are there and already have her trust and appreciation
. . .
Although Afra had always known how ruthless Reidinger could be in the care and maintenance of FT&T and his precious Primes, this half-formed suggestion made him more amused than indignant. Especially as they didn’t even know for certain that contingency plans were needed.There could be any number of reasons why Jeff Raven had been unavailable to the Rowan, though it
was
rather difficult to find a logical one.
With all respect, sir, we don’t need to go into that just yet, I think.
You know something I don’t?
Reidinger seemed to leap on him.
No, but I refuse to be negative. Especially where the Rowan’s concerned.
Do you know how
valuable
that girl is?
To FT&T?
Don’t roar at me, Capellan Lyon!
Then abruptly his mind-tone altered to one of immense and incredulous belief.
She did it. She pulled him back, though I can sense only the most delicate of flickers.
She
knows she’s saved his life.
A wave of relief that was close to orgiastic surged through Afra at that report. He had to grip the arms of the chair to keep his balance, so intense was his sense of reprieve from disaster. He knew that Reidinger shared his reaction.
Thank God, if you believe in one, for that mercy.
I do, I will. My gratitude for sharing the news. You will keep us informed of the conditions on Deneb?
Of course!
Reidinger said reassuringly. By way of parting, he shot,
And Afra, I’ll want you to retest when all this is over. You can’t be merely T-4 with all the shenanigans you’ve enacted lately. T-3 at the least, so I’m upgrading you. And paying you accordingly, starting today.
He chuckled.
We’ll argue over backpay later.
Afra started to protest the unexpected, and possibly undeserved, promotion. But to argue with Earth Prime? Reidinger’s laugh cut through that thought.
Please! Argue! You need the practice!
Then, including Ackerman back in his conversation, Reidinger added,
I think it best that we all pretend I don’t know where the Rowan is.
Afra was perplexed by that.
Let’s just say that I’ve got games of my own to play, young Lyon. Until I tell
you, the Rowan is not to know we talked. If she contacts you, behave accordingly.
And then he was gone.
Brian and Afra exchanged surprised looks. “Well, you know he likes to play his games, Afra,” Brian said first.
Afra nodded, brow furrowed. “We will tell the others that he doesn’t know and we’ll continue as we did when they had their day off.”
Two days later the Rowan contacted him late at night. Afra was surprised that he could receive her, even with the gestalt of her generators over that distance. Maybe he was legitimately a T-3. He didn’t mention that as he carefully made note of the spare parts and electronic supplies she requested.
I may have to break them into smaller parcels than usual, Rowan
, he said when he examined the complete list.
That’s all right. The generator here can’t handle too much
, the Rowan replied forgivingly, then added,
How are you holding up? Does Reidinger know?
Afra
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