was a white building in the distance, a large tent in the garden that some workmen were taking down. Home . He looked back at the suns, the twin orange eyes that saw everything, even the sadness in his heart. The music rose to a crescendo and died away.
Prez opened his eyes and looked around, disoriented. It was silent and the lights were dimmed. Someone was sitting beside him on the bed, a warm hand stroking his face. He felt a tear run down his cheek and wiped it away. Already the images were evaporating from his memory, hovering out of reach like amberflies.
"Garlo?" he said. For a moment, he thought he was back in the lab. His tongue felt thick in his mouth. "What happened?"
Lan stood up and folded his arms. "You had an allergic reaction to Kai's vaccine. The Belaari doctor administered an antidote. You will be fine."
Prez sat up, scratching at the fading rash on his arms. He could see his reflection in the window against a black backdrop of stars. "Who's flying the ship?"
"We cleared the port two days ago. I have put the ship on autopilot, as we are currently in Azari space. Scanners show no other vessels within even a day's travel. The Azari flight controllers were... indisposed."
"Oh yes, their hibernation cycle." Prez laughed. "Kin-tah." His head still felt fuzzy, so he lay down again, remembering the music but little else from his dream. "That was a nice song."
Lan raised an eyebrow. "I was not singing."
"I heard music. And some crazy dreams. Twin suns and..." He tried to remember, but couldn't. There was a sudden chill, and he pulled the blanket tighter around his body.
Lan looked at the floor. "If you are feeling better, then I will return to the bridge. Flack has constructed a new web on your chair. However, he appears to enjoy the ticks."
"Well, that's something."
"Yes."
"Lan, don't go."
"Why?"
"I don't know," Prez said, running his hand through his hair. "It's been a crazy week. I wouldn't mind some company."
"Glitch is waiting to see you. They have been very concerned."
Prez stared at Lan. He got the feeling that the Aldorian very much wanted to leave the room, but he couldn't understand why. Perhaps his reckless behavior at the port had offended him in some way. "Lan, aren't you happy here? Have I done something to annoy you?"
"You have not done something to annoy me. I am... happy ."
"Okay then."
"Okay." Lan left the room without looking around, and Prez stared at the door, baffled. Then there was a bleep, and Glitch came in. She was carrying a bunch of artificial flowers and a bag of Skits.
"Thought you might be hungry," she said, setting the flowers down on the bedside table.
Prez grinned and tore open the packet. "Mm," he said and stuffed his mouth with as many as he could fit in. "Fanks."
Glitch took his hand in hers. "Glad to see you back in the land of the living. It's been mad down there with those constructs prowling around, watching our every move. Lan's been taking care of you, I see."
"Has he?" Prez was surprised. "Seems he couldn't get out of here fast enough."
"He's barely left this room since we cleared port."
Prez considered the music he'd heard, the images he'd seen, and wondered what it all meant. Perhaps Lan was just doing his duty as he had before, forced yet again to look after the crazy ku-tah . "Any news from home?"
"Nothing much," Glitch said. "Except they've stopped firing on the compounds, and talks are taking place. Some transports have left already, but there aren't many planets opening their doors to a load of ku-tah , Akilian Citizens or not."
"There's a surprise."
There was a silence. "Well," she said. "I'd better go back. Got a scan running. There's a problem somewhere in the electrics, nothing serious. But the doors aren't locking properly. Should be fixed soon."
"Ok," Prez said, and threw his covers off. "I'm getting up. Can't let Lan have all the fun."
"I don't know that he's had any fun," she said, and stood up. Prez noticed there were tears in
Prez opened his eyes and looked around, disoriented. It was silent and the lights were dimmed. Someone was sitting beside him on the bed, a warm hand stroking his face. He felt a tear run down his cheek and wiped it away. Already the images were evaporating from his memory, hovering out of reach like amberflies.
"Garlo?" he said. For a moment, he thought he was back in the lab. His tongue felt thick in his mouth. "What happened?"
Lan stood up and folded his arms. "You had an allergic reaction to Kai's vaccine. The Belaari doctor administered an antidote. You will be fine."
Prez sat up, scratching at the fading rash on his arms. He could see his reflection in the window against a black backdrop of stars. "Who's flying the ship?"
"We cleared the port two days ago. I have put the ship on autopilot, as we are currently in Azari space. Scanners show no other vessels within even a day's travel. The Azari flight controllers were... indisposed."
"Oh yes, their hibernation cycle." Prez laughed. "Kin-tah." His head still felt fuzzy, so he lay down again, remembering the music but little else from his dream. "That was a nice song."
Lan raised an eyebrow. "I was not singing."
"I heard music. And some crazy dreams. Twin suns and..." He tried to remember, but couldn't. There was a sudden chill, and he pulled the blanket tighter around his body.
Lan looked at the floor. "If you are feeling better, then I will return to the bridge. Flack has constructed a new web on your chair. However, he appears to enjoy the ticks."
"Well, that's something."
"Yes."
"Lan, don't go."
"Why?"
"I don't know," Prez said, running his hand through his hair. "It's been a crazy week. I wouldn't mind some company."
"Glitch is waiting to see you. They have been very concerned."
Prez stared at Lan. He got the feeling that the Aldorian very much wanted to leave the room, but he couldn't understand why. Perhaps his reckless behavior at the port had offended him in some way. "Lan, aren't you happy here? Have I done something to annoy you?"
"You have not done something to annoy me. I am... happy ."
"Okay then."
"Okay." Lan left the room without looking around, and Prez stared at the door, baffled. Then there was a bleep, and Glitch came in. She was carrying a bunch of artificial flowers and a bag of Skits.
"Thought you might be hungry," she said, setting the flowers down on the bedside table.
Prez grinned and tore open the packet. "Mm," he said and stuffed his mouth with as many as he could fit in. "Fanks."
Glitch took his hand in hers. "Glad to see you back in the land of the living. It's been mad down there with those constructs prowling around, watching our every move. Lan's been taking care of you, I see."
"Has he?" Prez was surprised. "Seems he couldn't get out of here fast enough."
"He's barely left this room since we cleared port."
Prez considered the music he'd heard, the images he'd seen, and wondered what it all meant. Perhaps Lan was just doing his duty as he had before, forced yet again to look after the crazy ku-tah . "Any news from home?"
"Nothing much," Glitch said. "Except they've stopped firing on the compounds, and talks are taking place. Some transports have left already, but there aren't many planets opening their doors to a load of ku-tah , Akilian Citizens or not."
"There's a surprise."
There was a silence. "Well," she said. "I'd better go back. Got a scan running. There's a problem somewhere in the electrics, nothing serious. But the doors aren't locking properly. Should be fixed soon."
"Ok," Prez said, and threw his covers off. "I'm getting up. Can't let Lan have all the fun."
"I don't know that he's had any fun," she said, and stood up. Prez noticed there were tears in
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