[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

the mess hall."
"Don't get smart, or I'll - " he began to growl, and then he seemed
to remember something. The words cut off, and he looked directly at
me. "I understand I owe you an apology," he said more quietly. "I
didn't know he was your partner."
"Don't let it bother you," I returned dryly, already having refused
to think about Val two or three times since I'd awakened. "You know,
I think I'm getting used to it. If it happens any more often I'll
have to fit it into my permanent schedule."
"You're being smart again," Pete said warningly, then he pointed
toward the door he'd come out of. "Get in there and eat before you
have to do it standing up. I only just got used to the idea of being
your father, so I'm going to wait a while before I try to change back
again. Now, march."
"Yes, sir, Colonel," I surrendered quickly with one palm out toward
him. "You have too heavy a hand for me to argue with you. Can I get
my drink first?"
Ringer stood not two feet away to my right with a glass in his hand,
and when I turned to take the drink his brows were high as he said,
"Not him, too?"
"What can you do when you're popular?" I asked with a shrug, taking
my drink and then sipping from it. "Maybe I ought to hire a
bodyguard."
"Don't do it," Ringer advised with a grin and a headshake. "You'd
probably end up across his knee too."
file:///C|/Downloads/Diana-Santee/Tanderon/Tanderon11.html (7 of 18)18/09/2005 15:00:51
Tanderon by Sharon Green - Chapter 11
I made a face at him, then turned to ask Dr. Jo, "What does it mean
when every man you run into tips his hat, then spanks you till you
can't walk?"
"It means it's time for you to start investing your money in
pillows," she suggested, glancing at Pete and Ringer. "But how do
they get away with it?"
"I'm still trying to figure that out," I returned vaguely, at the
same time giving Dr. Jo a bland and neutral glance. She knew well
enough that it wasn't possible to catch me that easily, and her faint
smile said she was glad of it. But then she picked up her shoulder
bag and headed for the door, and I actually felt an instant of panic.
"Hey, you're not going to leave me to take my life in my hands all
alone, are you?" I said at once. "I thought you were going to join me
in having something to eat."
"There are people at Blue Skies who really need me," she said from
where she'd paused near the door to check through her bag, a glance
showing she knew exactly what I now felt. "Come to see me the next
time you're not working, and we can talk about your pillow
investment."
Once again her glance was more covert than open, and then she was
gone. Pushing away feelings of abandonment, I turned to look the
question next to Pete and Ringer.
"I have to get back to work, but I won't be that far away," Pete said
as he lowered the sleeves he had rolled up. "If Ringer tells me you
didn't eat everything on your plate, you're in trouble."
He nodded once to showing he wasn't joking, and then he was also
gone. That left only Ringer, who seemed to be badly confused.
"What's wrong with him?" Ringer demanded, staring at the door Pete
had used. "I've never before seen him talk or act like that."
"Fathers are like that," I replied with a shrug, glad I could relax
to some extent now. "Or at least he thinks they are. Are you going to
file:///C|/Downloads/Diana-Santee/Tanderon/Tanderon11.html (8 of 18)18/09/2005 15:00:51
Tanderon by Sharon Green - Chapter 11
desert me too?"
"Not when we have an assignment to discuss," he returned, looking me
over as though he hadn't already done it three or four times. "I
didn't come all the way out here because I knew you were auditioning
for ward K."
"An assignment," I said flatly, returning his stare. "I thought that
was just a put-on, but I guess I should have known better. After
everything the Council did to me, they still expect me to jump to it
without a word of complaint. You had a lot of fun making suggestions
about all this, Ringer, so now you can have just as much when you
tell them what they can do with themselves. I'm through."
I began to turn away from him, but his hand came to my arm and
stopped me.
"I've already told them you'd probably say that," he responded,
having flinched only a little at what my tone had been like. "Most of
them went shrill at the idea of losing you, and none of that was
indignation. You know they'll never admit out loud to making a
mistake, but this time they can't even deny it to themselves. They
owe you, and you can get your satisfaction from making them pay up."
"Not interested," I said at once, really meaning it. "They have
nothing I want, so they can shove it all. I have other plans for the
rest of my life."
"Like what?" Ringer demanded, his gaze hard and direct. "I'm sure
you'll find a way to get your original features back, but what
happens then? Do you take a job in an office somewhere, or just join
some of those friends of yours in full-time partying? You'll probably
be able to grit your teeth and stick with your choice for a little
while, but what happens when you get bored? And what will happen when
you need to work off some frustrations, but don't have a legal means
of doing it? Will you just let it all keep mounting up - or will you
take that one small step across the line?"
He'd asked that last question without hesitation, but something in
his eyes said he had personal knowledge about that line. The thought
of it still terrified me, but even more disturbing was the
realization that he was right. I'd forgotten for a moment that it was
file:///C|/Downloads/Diana-Santee/Tanderon/Tanderon11.html (9 of 18)18/09/2005 15:00:51
Tanderon by Sharon Green - Chapter 11
my own nature that had me trapped, my own needs that kept me chained
more tightly than that leg shackle. Talk about quitting was futile as
well as stupid, and I had no choice but to acknowledge that. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]