Killashandra

“There’s no one here, Lars. Ye gods, what shall we do? There’s no one here!” Ta

Consternation smoothed Lars’s features and he set off up the slope at speed. Killashandra followed at a more leisurely pace, wondering whether she would ease their fears. One look at the terror and hopelessness of Ta

“You don’t know very much about crystal singers, do you, Lars . . .”

He swung around, stared at her, trying to assimilate her words. Ta

“ . . . If you thought I’d just sit here until it suited you to retrieve me.”

Chapter 14

Any discussion of that would have to be postponed. Theach and Erutown reached the height, looking about them for their fellow exile. Unable to look in Killashandra’s direction, Ta

“That tears it,” Erutown said gloomily. “We’ll all be in trouble.”

“I doubt it. A very good friend of ours skippered that ship,” Lars replied without a blink “She can’t go anywhere without my knowledge.” Ta

but powerful handset. “The frequency to use for any contact is 103.4 megahertz. All right? You can listen in on any of the other cha

Erutown agreed with ill grace, hefting the set doubtfully. With a sideways grin at Killashandra, Lars handed over hatchet, knife, and polly book.

“There now, you’re completely equipped,” Killashandra said cheerfully. “You’ll find that a polly island is quite restful.” She glanced maliciously at Ta

“Oh, we’ll do fine, Carrigana.” Theach gri

Lars chuckled, linking his arm in hers, and swinging her down the slope to the beach.

“C’mon, Ta

What with the routine necessary to up anchor and maneuver the Pearl through the one gap in the reef, there wasn’t time for discussions until they were once again under full sail and beating due north for the Bar Island.

“Ta

“Who says?” Ta

“Fix us some grub, will you? All this excitement gave me an appetite. So,” and once Ta

“I rather think a few are due me!”

Lars cocked an eyebrow, gri

“Well, I did . . .” she said, deceptively meekly.

“Your best line, you witch, was the one about your having had no choice about coming to the islands!” Lars could not contain his mirth then and tilting his head back, roared with laughter.

“I wouldn’t laugh if I were you, Lars Dahl. You’re in an unenviable position in my files. “ She tried to sound severe but couldn’t.

His eyes were still brimming with humor when he abruptly switched mood. He touched the garland. “Yes, I am rather. And on Angel Island. For one thing, according to island tradition, this a

“I had guessed that the garlands signified more than your loving wish to adorn my person.” The words came out more facetiously than she meant for she ached with a genuine regret. Lars’s steady blue eyes caught her gaze and held it. He waited for her explanation.

“With all the will in the world to continue what we started, I don’t have a year and a day here, Lars Dahl.” The words left her mouth slowly, unwillingly. “As a crystal singer, I am compelled to return to Ballybran. Had I understood yesterday morning precisely what these blooms meant, I would not have accepted them. Thus does ignorance wound the giver. I am . . . tremendously attracted to you as a man, Lars Dahl. And in the light of what I have been told, heard, and overheard,” she gave him a faint smile, “I can even forgive you that idiotic abduction. In fact, it would have been far more humiliating for me to have been caught in a raid on a bootleg brewery. What you ca

“Popularly accepted?” Lars lifted half out of the cockpit seat in reaction. “What a way to phrase it! It is the most singularly unpopular, repressive, frustrating, discouraging facet of the Optherian Charter. Do you know what our suicide rate is? Well, I can give you hard statistics on that. We made a study of the incidents and have copies of what notes have been left by the deceased. Nine out of ten cite the hopelessness and despair at having no place to go, nothing to do. If you’re lucky enough to be unemployed on Optheria, oh, you’re given food, shelter, clothing, and assigned stimulating community service to occupy you. Community service! – Trimming thorn hedges, tidying up hillsides, dusting boulders in the roadways, painting and repainting federal buildings, stuffing the faces and wiping the bottoms of the incontinent at both ends of life. Truly rewarding and fulfilling occupations for the intelligent and well educated failures that this planet throws upon the altar of the organ!”

He had been emphasizing his disgust with blows of his fist to the tiller, until Killashandra covered his hand with hers.

“Which one of our messages got through? It’s been like tossing a bottle message into the Broad Sea with precious little hope of its ever floating to the Mainland.”

“The complaint originated with the Executive Council of the Federated Artists’ Association, who claim a freedom of choice restriction. A Stellar made the charge, though I wasn’t told which one. His principal concern was with the suppression of composers and performers.” She gave him a wry grin.

Lars raised his eyebrows in surprise. “It wasn’t me who sent that one.” Then he seemed to lake heart, his expression lightening with renewed hope. “If one appeal got through, maybe others have, and we’ll have a whole school of people helping us – And you’ll help us?”

“Lars, I’m required to be an impartial – ”

“I wouldn’t dream of prejudicing you . . .” His twinkling eyes challenged her as he threw his free arm about her shoulders, nibbling at her ear.

“Lars, you’re crushing me. You’re supposed to be sailing this ship . . . I’ve got to think how to go on from here. To be candid, I really don’t have much more than your word that there is a widespread dissatisfaction, and not just a few isolated instances or personal grudges.”

“Do you know how long we’ve been trying to reach the Federated Council?” Now Lars gestured wildly in his agitation. “Do you know what it will mean to the others when I tell them one message has got through, and someone is actually investigating?”