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.There had to be Russian poetry on it somewhere.A brief quote ran through her mind, over and over, despite her best efforts to think of something else.She was sure it was from a poem by Khalimonova, the twenty-third century poet-laureate.The Sural chuckled and slid onto the branch.“Beloved,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.Marianne put the tablet down beside her and returned the embrace.“I didn’t sense you coming.”“Apparently not.” His eyes danced with amusement.“Shouldn’t you be in a meeting or something?”“There is a short period of refreshment.”“And I’m your refreshment?”He gave her a squeeze.“I can think of none better.”She smiled, turned to put her back against him, and pulled his arms around her waist.She felt him cock his head.“What are you concealing from me?” he asked.“I started to feel my baby move today.” She took one of his hands and pressed it to her swelling abdomen.“Here – she’s moving now.” For a moment, there was nothing.Then she felt a tiny poke and a quick thrumming.“Feel that?” She swiveled her head to watch his face.A gentle smile flickered across his lips, as she sensed wonder blossom in him.“Haven’t you ever felt a baby kick before?” she asked.“No.” He tightened his hold.She turned in his arms to face him, nonplussed.“How can you be one hundred forty-two years old, have thirty-seven—” she corrected herself to include her baby “—no, thirty-eight children, and never feel one kick inside the womb?”He smiled down at her.“I suspect that my life is very different from that of a human,” he said.He laid a hand along one of her cheeks and brushed her lips with his.“Well,” she said, at a loss for words.“Well.”He gave her another brief kiss and said, “I must return to the meetings.”She nodded, deflating a little, but grateful he’d found some time for her, however brief, in his busy day.He disappeared and was gone.She sighed, picking up her tablet to resume her search.She still hadn’t found the poem she was looking for when a guard flickered to remind her it was time for the midday meal.She pocketed the tablet and went to Laura’s quarters.The woman needed to come out of there sooner or later.Laura was on her veranda, leaning on the railing.She turned at the sound of Marianne’s voice in the doorway.“Do you feel up to braving the refectory?” Marianne asked.“I suppose so,” she replied.Marianne twitched her mouth to one side.“Your enthusiasm is underwhelming.”Laura smiled, seemingly in spite of herself.Then she sobered and shrugged.“I’m not usually so much of a recluse.”“I understand, really I do.Come on, let’s get you something to eat.”The refectory was crowded with scientists and still subdued from the tragedy.Laura didn’t look at the Sural as Marianne pulled out a chair for her at the high table, next to her own and across from Thela and Kyza.Thela, Marianne was glad to see, picked at her food and occasionally took a bite, while quietly talking to Kyza.Laura gave the girls a warm smile.“That’s Thela beside Kyza,” Marianne said.“She doesn’t speak any English, though.”Laura looked around.“Is it always like this? So crowded?” she asked.“It wasn’t like this at breakfast yesterday.”Marianne shook her head.“There’s a conference going on right now.Those are scientists and engineers in the brown robes.”“Scientists and engineers? I thought Tolari only studied music, art, and literature.”“No culture can exist without some kind of science and engineering,” Marianne replied in a bland tone.“How do you suppose they manage to construct such massive stone buildings?”Laura nodded, her eyes drifting back to the girls across the table.Done with their meals, they got up from their chairs.Kyza trotted off without looking back.Thela sought a hug from the Sural.Laura watched as Thela exchanged a few quiet words with him before following Kyza out.“What happened to her?” Laura asked.“Her father died suddenly,” the Sural answered from his place at the end of the table.“I allowed her to bond to me in his place.She is a musical prodigy.”Laura bit her lower lip.“I see,” she said, her voice tight.“It was a freak accident,” Marianne added with a shudder.“She was there when her father died.”“So were you,” Laura commented in a sympathetic tone.The Sural raised an eyebrow.Marianne just nodded.“Remarkable,” he said.“Tell me, Mrs.Howard, can you find the nearest guard?”Laura stiffened and stared down at her food.“I don’t know,” she answered.“Do try.”Marianne glanced at the Sural, wondering what he was trying to do.He had to know Laura didn’t want to talk to him.Laura bit her lip again.Marianne put a hand on Laura’s forearm.“You don’t have to, Laura,” she said.“It’s all right.I’ll try.” She rose from her chair and stood for a moment with her eyes closed.Then she turned slightly to the right.“Remarkable,” the Sural murmured.Marianne gave him a look.He raised his hand slightly, urging patience.After a moment, Laura opened her eyes and took a few hesitant steps toward the wall, hand reaching out in front of her.Just before she could touch the guard, he dropped his camouflage.She started backward with a sharp breath.The guard spread his hands in apology and winked back out of sight.Laura returned to her place at the table, looking a little shaken.The Sural studied her without speaking.“Are you quite sure you’re human?” Marianne asked, half joking.“The last time I checked,” Laura replied, her brows knitting together with confusion.“I don’t know how I did that, but when I close my eyes, it feels like there are more people in the room than I can see with my eyes open.”“It would seem our empathic abilities could have some roots in our human origins after all,” the Sural said.“We have always believed it a side-effect of our adaptation to this world.You have a remarkably well-developed empathy for a human.”“What would the Jorann’s blessing do to it?” Marianne muttered softly in Suralian.“I cannot say,” he answered, his eyes still on Laura.She turned back to her friend.“Laura – come with me when I go to the apothecary tomorrow morning.I’d like you to let her examine you.”“Huh? Why?” Laura asked [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]