Crashlander

«They smell everyone's fear. They make wonderful police, but they can't react every time a kzin makes a human nervous. He may have pegged you as an outworlder, though.»

«Oop. Why?»

«Bey, the kzinti are everywhere on Fafnir, mostly on the mainland, but they're on site at the fishing sources too. Fafnir sea life feeds the whole Patriarchy, and it's strictly a kzinti operation. Shashters are used to kzin. But kids and wimps and outworlders all get twitchy around them, and they're used to that.»

He might have smelled more than our fear, I thought. Our genetic makeup, our diet … but we'd been eating Fafnir fish for over a month, and Fafnir's people were every breed of man.

«Stet. Shall we deal with the Hand of Allah?»

Now she looked nervous. «I must have driven them half crazy. And worried them sick. It's a good gift, isn't it? Shorfy and Isfahan were constantly complaining about fish, fish, fish —»

«They'll love it. It's about five ounces of red meat per crewman — I suppose that's —»

«Free-range life-forms from the hunting parks.»

«And fresh vegetables to match. I bet the kzinti don't grow those. Okay, take one —»

Sharrol: «Captain Muh'mad, I was a long time recovering my memory. I expect the 'docs did more repair work every time I went under. My husband's found me, we both have jobs, and this is to entertain you and your crew in my absence.»

Me: «For my wife's life, blessings and thanks.» I turned it off. «Now Carlos.»

Her hand stopped me. «I can't leave, you know,» Sharrol said. «I'm not a coward —»

«Feather learned that!»

«It's just … overkill. I've been through too much.»

«It's all right. Carlos has Louis and Tanya for awhile, and that's fine, they love him. We're free of the UN. Everything went just as we planned it, more or less, except from Feather's viewpoint.»

«Do you mind? Do you like it here?»

«There are transfer boodis if I want to go anywhere. Sharrol, I was raised underground. It feels just like home if I don't look out a window. I wouldn't mind spending the rest of our lives here. Now, this is for Ms. Machti at Outbound, not to mention any watching ARMs. Ready? Take one.

Me: «Hi, John! Hello, kids! We've got a more or less happy ending here, brought to you with some effort.»

Sharrol: «I'm pregnant. It happened yesterday morning. That's why we waited to call.»

I was calling as Martin Wallace Graynor. Carlos/John could reach us the same way. We wanted no connection between Mart Graynor and Jan Hebert …

Visuals were important to the message. The undersea forest was behind us. I stood next to Sharrol, our eyes exactly level. That'd give him a jolt.

Me: «John, I know you were worried about Mil, and so was I, but she's recovered. Mil's a lot tougher than even Addie gave her credit for.»

Sharrol: «Still, the situation was sticky at first. Messy.» She rubbed her hands. «But that's all over. Mart's got a job working outside in the water orchards —»

Me: «It's just like working in free-fall. I've got a real knack for it.»

Sharrol: «We've got some money too, and after the baby's born I'll take Mart's job. It'll be just like I'm back in my teens.»

Me: «You did the right thing, protecting the children first. It's worked out very well.»

Sharrol: «We're happy here, John. This is a good place to raise a child, or several. Some day we'll come to you, I think, but not now. The changes in my life are too new. I couldn't take it. Mart is willing to indulge me.»

Me (sorrowfully): «Addie is gone, John. We never expect to see her again, and we're just as glad, but I feel she'll always be a part of me.» I waved the camera off.

Now let's see Carlos figure that out. He does like puzzles.

GHOST: SEVEN

«So there you have it,» I told Ander. «Carlos is dead. I saw Feather shoot him before she shot me. Sharrol and the children must have gotten away. Feather stayed to put me in the 'doc, then used the other boat.

«She left me marooned on a desert island. I think she'd already given up on catching Sharrol. Otherwise, why would she need me for a hostage? I can't guess where they all are now, but if Feather was holding Sharrol, I think I'd know it.»

«How?»

«By now she must know I'm gone. She could advertise on the personals net. There hasn't been anything like that.»

Ander held his peace. No point in his telling the poor crashlander that his story leaks like a NASA spacecraft. From the way I'd told it, Ander could only guess that Feather had covered her back trail. Sharrol and the children must be as dead as Carlos, and Beowulf Shaeffer didn't have the courage to face it.

If he bought it, Ander would be hunting Feather, not Carlos.

«And I live in Pacifica because anywhere else I'd need pills to protect me from sunlight. Feather might trace that. Ander, can you do something about Feather? I keep expecting her to pop up behind my ear.»

«I'll see what I can do. She's ARM responsibility. Could she be dead?»

«For all I know. Carlos cut her. I don't know how bad, but I saw blood.»

«Carlos … yeah. Sigmund isn't going to like that. What do I give him for proof?»