to deal with them,” she said. “Please see them installed in the quarters prepared for them.”
I presented a second salute, and only just in time. The ladies were arriving.
A gigantic limousine set down just beyond the public edge of the terminal building. A marquee panel along the broad side of the vehicle displayed Jil’s family coat of arms over a background of her favorite clear blue, the color of Keinolt’s skies. All of the noble family was precleared for departure, and those traveling with us were required to do so as well, so they emerged on the space side of the building in scarcely more time than it would have taken merely to walk from one door to the other.
Jil bore down on me like a bad cold. She overwhelmed my senses and distracted me. I hardly need to add that her perfume filled my nostrils so that I could smell nothing else. Privately, I resolved to remove all scents from her cosmetics kit and jettison them while we were in deep space. She was clad in a rich green, form-fitting travel dress that clung to her body to the knees, then flared outward. On her feet were high-heeled ankle-high boots that would be ill-suited to traversing deck plates, but I was certain that she had footgear she could exchange for them as soon as she was on board.
Her friends were similarly attired for travel. Marquessa was the best turned out, in powder blue with leather piping, and black shoes with soft wedges that gripped the pavement with every step. Much more suitable. Sinim was swathed in overlapping thin cloths of rainbow hues. One of these had been wound into a complicated headscarf-hood arrangement, from which her small face eagerly peered. Banitra and Hopeli had suits much like Jil’s, and similar ridiculous shoes.
Behind them came a robocarrier laden with eight blue crates, each the size of the bed I slept in as a small boy. On closer examination, I realized they were matching luggage, their surfaces carved in fanciful designs, and code-locked with the latest security devices.
“Welcome, Lady Jil,” Parsons said. “Ladies.”
“Allow me to introduce the senior officer of the Rodrigo ,” I said, “apart from myself, of course. You met her last night at my party, but perhaps you do not recall her name. Lieutenant First Class Carissa Plet.”
I could tell by the wrinkle that interrupted the perfection of Plet’s smooth brow that she disagreed with my interpretation of rank, but in my view the matter had been settled long ago. But she was in charge of the ship’s physical well-being, which included those who traveled aboard her.
“Welcome,” Plet echoed. “Lieutenant Kinago will see to your needs.”
“Lieutenant Kinago!” Sinim shrieked, delightedly. “Oh, Thomas, you look so official!”
“Thank you,” I said. “Your luggage will need to be placed on board at once. Have you marked each bag to indicate whether it will go in your cabin or the hold?”
“They have to go in my cabin!” Jil exclaimed. “I need all my things with me!”
“No, you don’t,” Banitra said, taking Jil’s elbow. “Remember, I went over everything with you last night. Just the one with the blue tag is for the transit, Thomas. I believe you said it would only be a day or two until we rendezvous? The others can be stored until we are on board the Bonchance . Then she will just need the one with the green tag. All the others can wait until Nacer.”
I blessed her for her organizational talents, not the least of which was managing my cousin. But I was caught by the obvious concept, or omission thereof.
“Just a moment,” I protested. “Which bags belong to the rest of you?”
“Oh, these are only mine,” Jil said, laying possessive hands on the cases. “My friends’ bags haven’t arrived yet.”
“They will be here at any minute,” Banitra said, giving me an engaging smile. “I was very stern with the cargo company to make certain they would be here before launch.”
“How many bags do you have?” I
I presented a second salute, and only just in time. The ladies were arriving.
A gigantic limousine set down just beyond the public edge of the terminal building. A marquee panel along the broad side of the vehicle displayed Jil’s family coat of arms over a background of her favorite clear blue, the color of Keinolt’s skies. All of the noble family was precleared for departure, and those traveling with us were required to do so as well, so they emerged on the space side of the building in scarcely more time than it would have taken merely to walk from one door to the other.
Jil bore down on me like a bad cold. She overwhelmed my senses and distracted me. I hardly need to add that her perfume filled my nostrils so that I could smell nothing else. Privately, I resolved to remove all scents from her cosmetics kit and jettison them while we were in deep space. She was clad in a rich green, form-fitting travel dress that clung to her body to the knees, then flared outward. On her feet were high-heeled ankle-high boots that would be ill-suited to traversing deck plates, but I was certain that she had footgear she could exchange for them as soon as she was on board.
Her friends were similarly attired for travel. Marquessa was the best turned out, in powder blue with leather piping, and black shoes with soft wedges that gripped the pavement with every step. Much more suitable. Sinim was swathed in overlapping thin cloths of rainbow hues. One of these had been wound into a complicated headscarf-hood arrangement, from which her small face eagerly peered. Banitra and Hopeli had suits much like Jil’s, and similar ridiculous shoes.
Behind them came a robocarrier laden with eight blue crates, each the size of the bed I slept in as a small boy. On closer examination, I realized they were matching luggage, their surfaces carved in fanciful designs, and code-locked with the latest security devices.
“Welcome, Lady Jil,” Parsons said. “Ladies.”
“Allow me to introduce the senior officer of the Rodrigo ,” I said, “apart from myself, of course. You met her last night at my party, but perhaps you do not recall her name. Lieutenant First Class Carissa Plet.”
I could tell by the wrinkle that interrupted the perfection of Plet’s smooth brow that she disagreed with my interpretation of rank, but in my view the matter had been settled long ago. But she was in charge of the ship’s physical well-being, which included those who traveled aboard her.
“Welcome,” Plet echoed. “Lieutenant Kinago will see to your needs.”
“Lieutenant Kinago!” Sinim shrieked, delightedly. “Oh, Thomas, you look so official!”
“Thank you,” I said. “Your luggage will need to be placed on board at once. Have you marked each bag to indicate whether it will go in your cabin or the hold?”
“They have to go in my cabin!” Jil exclaimed. “I need all my things with me!”
“No, you don’t,” Banitra said, taking Jil’s elbow. “Remember, I went over everything with you last night. Just the one with the blue tag is for the transit, Thomas. I believe you said it would only be a day or two until we rendezvous? The others can be stored until we are on board the Bonchance . Then she will just need the one with the green tag. All the others can wait until Nacer.”
I blessed her for her organizational talents, not the least of which was managing my cousin. But I was caught by the obvious concept, or omission thereof.
“Just a moment,” I protested. “Which bags belong to the rest of you?”
“Oh, these are only mine,” Jil said, laying possessive hands on the cases. “My friends’ bags haven’t arrived yet.”
“They will be here at any minute,” Banitra said, giving me an engaging smile. “I was very stern with the cargo company to make certain they would be here before launch.”
“How many bags do you have?” I
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