|
|
|
|
Fledgling
...A Liaden Universe® Adventure
by
Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
...the story of Theo Waitley and how she came to have a "kind of complicated" problem to lay before the delm of Korval.
==============================================================
Chapter Twenty
Theo nodded, and motioned with her hands despite the
fact that she was using those hands to make lace. Beside her on the
sofa-like lounge seat, trying to sit up a little straighter than the
seat naturally permitted, Win Ton struggled with thread, spool, and
needle, oblivious to the curious glances coming their way from quiet
snackers a few seats away.
Near the front of the lounge a quartet played
stringed instruments in honor of some hour the ship felt needed
honoring, but that sound was far enough away to be background
helping cover the buzz of a dozen nearby conversations.
“That's right; there's rhythm to it. Once you get really started you'll find that your hands...”
“There's a rhythm? I'm not sure that every repeating set of numbers qualifies as rhythm.”
Win Ton's voice was serious and low, inviting her to
lean in toward him to hear him well. That wasn't bad; it was a
nice voice and he was comfortable to be around.
“That would make a lot of fractions rhythmic
automatically, would it not?” He stopped his needle and looked at
her quizzically.
Win Ton did this, Theo realized – this silly
question in the middle of things. Sometimes Win Ton reminded her of Jen
Sar, who would suddenly ask “why” about something they'd been doing for
years. Sometimes it was a test, she knew, and other times it was just a
question born of real curiosity. It should have been distracting
or aggravating but now it just felt familiar.
But there, the advertent student should periodically
question assumptions in order to both widen the potential paths of
study and to narrow the possibility that the current path was in
error. She thought that was the quote she'd seen somewhere...
“Not automatically,”she said, her hands picking up speed as she let them work. “Numbers just are.
Unless they're doing something. You have to have something
happening, a process or a duration, to have rhythm. Don't you?”
He laughed and spread his hands to display the
highly incomplete bit he'd supposedly been working on this last while.
“Well, in that case there's not rhythm, because it seems quite clear that nothing is happening!”
“I'll watch again,” Theo said, slowing her own pace
but carefully observing his hands. His motions were uncertain at best
and ...
“Wait, I see, I think,” she said.
“First, you're not ... well, it doesn't seem like you're sure.
There's not much you can do wrong really; you aren't going to break a
needle, most likely, and if you break the string you can tie and start
from there. And really, if it isn't right you can pick it out and start
over. But you're being so careful, you're being afraid to commit.”
“That's odd, isn't it?” Theo pulled on a
thread in her lace, musing as much as talking to Win Ton. “When you
play bowli ball you have to commit to play it.”
She looked up at him, found his serious gaze on her.
“ You have to decide and then follow through, you have to feel the plan
and do it. I know you can, I mean, we just played through two
lectures!”
She smiled, and wagged a needle in his direction for emphasis
“The other thing is, you're watching me as much as you're watching the work!”
“What do you mean...” he began to protest but from behind them came a familiar voice.
“Rephrased, it sounds very like 'A pilot flies best who flies his own board'
and 'Tomorrow's breakfast requires landing tonight'.”
Win Ton sputtered a bit, and perhaps reddened.
Theo laughed lightly, nodding toward the Captain, who stood behind them
with arms crossed.
“I meant,” Theo said, waving her work, “that if he watches me and he doesn't have the ...”
“Oh, young Theo, I think you said it very well and
need not say it again. Let us hope our friend takes the messages to
heart!”
Cho stepped around the seat and bent to inspect Theo's handiwork.
“ But is this the lace you spoke of as being restful?”
Theo nodded, adding “Yes, ma'am,” after a moment and
holding the intricate star field she was working on for inspection.
“And really, I think Win Ton still hasn't found the needles, and you're always a little nervous until then.”
Win Ton held a needle in each hand and looked at Theo with his mouth straight and rolled his eyes.
“These needles I haven't found?”
Theo ignored the challenge and answered the question:
“Yes. You're still holding them like they're strange
things instead of like tools. Once you get used to having them in your
hands you relax more and ...”
She glanced down moved her left hand to start the
work again, glanced up, said “See what I mean? I have to look at
it and see it but I don't have to worry about it. And once it's
started it just wants to go together. That's relaxing.”
Cho watched Theo; Theo worked the star she'd been
working on into it's place and started a connecting link from it to the
next at the same time she spared glances for Cho and for Win Ton, who
was more diligently watching and comparing her handwork to his own than
he had before.
Theo knotted and Cho's head moved in minute emphasis
while Win Ton's wrists described the proper motion, though lacking the
thread.
Cho's shoulder moved slightly now and ...
“I only have the one extra set of needles, else I'd
let you use some,” Theo nodded agreeably toward Cho as she worked. “But
maybe you and Win Ton can share...”
Cho placed her hand in front of her, palm down.
“Such a worry we needn't attempt, the sharing of the
work. Perhaps if I can join you at some quieter time and place at
some point I can observe ...”
Theo shrugged. “Sure, that shouldn't be a problem. Still a few days to go.”
“And now,” Cho said, straightening, “If you will
excuse us a few moments, Theo, I have a brief discussion with my
assistant.”
***
Win Ton returned after a time Theo would not
have called brief, but her understanding of the term might not be the
same as that of the Liadens.
She'd begun to form the opinion that “Captain Cho”
liked her but the discussion she was watching out the side of her
glance had the air of one fraught with ... heat. It seemed unfortunate
that it was punctuated with glances and motions in her direction. Was
Cho angry that Win Ton was spending time with her?
Not that everything in the universe was about her,
of course, as she'd advertently been taught at home by Kamale and Jen
Sar. Still, Theo was getting more frustrated by the day at not
being able to “hear” the finger-talk. What she did see was that the
voice discussion was calm and courteous enough but the hand-talk
discussion was what Father would call energetic.
The lace was relaxing, and after awhile she settled
into the patterns quite nicely, still with the odd glance to the back
of the room. In the front of the room the quartet had bowed,
nodded, and placed their instruments on stands. She hadn't heard
if they were finished or merely taking a break, her attention having
been toward the lace first and Cho and her assistant second, barely
leaving room for ... ah, here he came now.
“Did I get you in trouble, Win Ton?” She'd surprised
him, she could see his eyes open wide. “Captain was not happy,” she
ventured...
He glanced at the work folded in his hands, gestured at the seat he'd used before.
“May I at least sit before we being interrogations, sweet mystery?”
Theo patted the seat beside her and courteously folded her work as she watched him get settled.
He sighed, gently, and said then “So, your mentor is Liaden, correct? Has he taught you finger speak?”
“Father,” Theo said with asperity, “ has not taught
me finger-speak. He has not taught me Liaden. He has not taught me how
to use a cane as a weapon and he has not shown me a bowli-ball and he
has not...”
She stopped, stared at the needlepoint in her hand a moment, then looked directly at Win Ton.
“That's not fair, and I'm sorry. I'm not sure what happens sometimes, it's like I get ahead of myself!”
“And perhaps you do not get ahead of
yourself.” Win Ton glanced down at his hands, where he was slowly
unfolding the start of his introduction to lace-making.
“Your question was pertinent. By the evidence of
your eyes you saw my captain speak to me and read signs you felt
indicated she was unhappy with me. And so, you request information,
assuming the signs you read indicated your involvement with her
unhappiness.”
He sighed then, and smiled slowly. “ My question was
impertinent. I was in effect asking if you had committed deception by
not telling me you knew finger-talk. Essentially I was giving
over responsibility for my security to an assumed accident of
birth. Indeed, you followed a logical sequence of potential
impertinent questions. I cannot fault you for this.”
“Yeah, well, it;s not fun to feel left out, even if it's not true.”
“This is true,” he agreed, looking at the threads in his hands.
“In so far as it concerns you, Theo Waitely,
yes, my Captain is unhappy with me. I need apologize to you, for I was
full of my own enthusiasms, and yours, and didn't think to ask Kamele
Waitely if her daughter might take part in bowli-ball. Too, I
barely told you we'd be doing more than some light and fashionable
dance. My Captain reminds me that bowli ball is not fashionable in many
quarters and that those who play bowli ball are not always regarded as
fit company. Too, from time to time one might take abrasions and
bruises or worse. I am to speak to your mother over my omissions.”
“You're sorry, huh?”
Win Ton failed to stifle the snort and it became a full laugh.
“May I request you not volunteer this to your mother or to my Captain?”
“Volunteer what?”
“What I am about to say.”
“That depends on if it passes muster, huh?”
He snorted again.
“Yes. But then to the point. I am sorry that I
acted without requesting clearance from your mother. I am pleased that
you were able to participate.”
Theo smiled. “I'm glad, because I had a great
time. But... can I ask you something about the games and all?”
“Of course, Theo.”
“Good. It's about Cordrey and Phobai.”
Theo gathered her thoughts together.
“I was still out of breath and all, and didn't
think about it. There when they were explaining that they
had shift tomorrow, but they had some time tonight and we could come by
and spend it with them if we were available...”
Win Ton slowly closed his eyes and then opened them again.
“And I said thanks but that I had dinner with my mother...”
He nodded.
Now she gathered her words together. “They were
umm... saying we could all be... bed partners if we wanted to?”
He nodded, slowly.
“I would say yes, they were.”
“Hah.”
The work was going on now, her hands busy.
The she looked directly into Win Ton's eyes.
“I've never done that, you know. I'm not ...
on Delgado, I'm not old enough. I haven't had my Gigneri even.”
“Ah”, Win Ton allowed.
She looked hard at his face. “Why? I mean, I'm
just a ... I'm not... on Delgado I can't even stay out after 10 bells
by myself.””
Win Ton's lips were very straight for a moment, and then he looked down at the star forming in her hands.
“Theo, you gave a very good game today at bowli
ball. You were, you are ... fun company. Good company. You
have ... and you have to recall that, ah..., the ship you are in is not
registered to Delgado and the laws on board are not necessarily in
complete accord with those of Delgado, or for that matter any other
particular planet. Here on this ship, to some extent, you are a
free agent, your own person. Essentially adult.”
“But really,” Theo insisted. “Did they think I'm old
enough to partner when I want, when I never have? How could they think
I was... worth bothering with? ”
He laughed, did Win Ton.
“Theo, Cordrey and Phobai, and me, too, we think you
are one of the most interesting people on this ship. They were
complimenting you.”
She smiled, slightly.
“I thought that. But, I hope I didn't make them mad. Or you either. I'm just not ...”
“Then it is settled,” he said. “ A previous engagement is always in order.”
“No, I mean, Win Ton, it isn 't that I don't like you...”
Win Ton raised his hand, palm up.
“Please, Theo. Friend Theo. The Code is clear
on this point: An offer of sharing should not be pressed.”
Standing, he stretched, the scrape on his left wrist
from a particularly vigorous bowli ball retrieval almost glowing.
“And as the Captain is clear on the point that my
mission is not one booking much delay, I wonder if you know where we,
or I at least, my find Kamele Waitley at this hour?
***
Crowley was to meet them, wisely not in the Chair's
own lair but at little cafe Kamale thought of as her own special find.
Crowley'd also found it, which she should have expected, for despite
his age he'd been investigating as much of the ship as he could.
He'd also, Kamale gathered, managed not to be alone with Chair, which
seemed at this point an idea she should have emulated.
Chair promising to be right along, her onagrata
having just returned from casino with tales of winnings at the card
tables and some other news apparently needing to be shared one-to-one.
The man was so proud of his card playing he probably needed to
show off his winning hand..... Kamale left that thought as she rounded
the bend in the corridor separating the high-end suites from the more
commonplace suites. The stateroom she and Theo shared was on the
next cross-corridor, giving her time to think....
Chair's revelations and insinuations were troubling indeed. It had indeed never
crossed her mind that her daughter, from a line of academics in good
standing, could be harmed by her own association with an academic of
the first water. That she herself might have suffered had been
considered, but there'd be no gross evidence of that either.
Still, the Chair had broached the topic this way:
“Consider, Kamale, I was sub-chair for twelve years,
and in that time the department grew by three. I have been Chair now
for eight years, and as chair the department as grown by three already.
I find myself not inclined to be chair for more than twelve years...I
have a retirement to look forward to! That the former sub-chair
has proven insufficient to the task won't deter me... which means that
the person most likely to follow me into office would be yourself, if I
support your candidacy. That assumes, of course, that we can continue
to communicate and have the rest of the faculty coalesce around our
goals and our report.”
And there it was: the woman did have a way with
words when she wasn't distracted, but she'd been so very distracted
this last while...
And so for that matter, Kamale admitted to herself,
had she. If Theo's trouble had not been so pressing Ella might have
been able to...
She rounded the corner, careful to stay close to
edge in case of traffic, and there, tapping on the door to their
stateroom was Theo!
Quite close behind Theo was Win Ton
“Not here, I guess,” Theo said, pulling her key to hand.
“As for Theo, she might yet be saved for a life in
academia, but really, have you any idea where she is? She could be
doing anything with that Liaden!”
“Theo, you needn't wonder if am in”, Kamele said quite sternly, “I'm right here.”
==============================================================
Subscriptions for Fledgling are now closed.
Thank you all for your interest and support,
and please enjoy
Saltation
==============================================================
Fledgling Podcast
Due entirely to the goodwill of the good folks at Fireheart Foundry , each new Fledgling chapter is also being podcast. You may subscribe to the Fledgling podcast through iTunes, Google Reader, or directly through your email by going here and clicking on the Get Fledgling Podcast delivered by email link.
Fireheart Foundry are also responsible for creating the podcast of our ground breaking appearance at the Second Life Library a few months ago.
Things you should know
Fledgling in serialized format is a draft. This
means it may bear little or no resemblance to a final published novel,
should there ever be one. It may be perfect, word for word (though
experience tells us this is not the way the smart money should bet). What we are providing is a rare opportunity to observe the writing process.
We don't know how many chapters there will be. We're free-form writers,
and while we do have a working outline, it is (1) vague, and (2)
subject to change without notice.
What are the rules?
What you can do:
1. Read the posted chapters free of charge
2. Link to this page or any internal page. (Here are a few icons)
3. Pass the word among your friends
4. Print the chapters out for your own ease of reading
5. Discuss the work in the Fledgling Live Journal community
6. Donate
What you can't do:
1. Copy the work and sell it. Fledgling is copyright by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. In addition, Liaden
Universe® is a registered trademark. That means the universe, the
characters, the story and the right to sell it belong to Sharon Lee and
Steve Miller.
Who are we?
Sharon Lee
and Steve Miller are the authors of a dozen collaborative science
fiction novels, and many short stories, largely set in the Liaden
Universe®. For more information about Lee and Miller and their work,
drop by the Liaden Universe® website.
Base page created December 1, 2006 by Sharon Lee
Chapter updated July 2, 2007
second technical revision posted July 6, 2007
Updated March 15, 2008, 11:57 a.m. EDT
copyright © 2006-2007 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
|
|
| |