"S. L. Viehl - Stardoc 05 - Eternity Row" - читать интересную книгу автора (Viehl S. L)

тАЬWhy?тАЭ
That was her favorite word these days. The runner-up was тАЬNo.тАЭ
 тАЬBecause.тАЭ I tapped the end of her nose. тАЬYou bring germs in with you. WeтАЩve talked about that,
too, so donтАЩt claim amnesia.тАЭ
The resident caught my eye again-one of the new guys, since I couldnтАЩt place him. Like
ninety-nine percent of the crew, he was over six feet tall, blue skinned, and black haired. Young, too-not
a single line or wrinkle marred his handsome face, and no age strands of purple in his long, tidy queue. A
modest, silver pictoglyph symbolizing something important and Jorenian hung attached to the side of his
vocollar. His immaculate tunic fitted him like heтАЩd been born with it on.
He was also definitely watching us. Why?
тАЬWhy?тАЭ
Distracted by MarelтАЩs echo of my thoughts, I almost grinned. Almost. тАЬThe amnesia? Because
you havenтАЩt figured out how to properly fake the symptoms yet.тАЭ
Behind her, a door panel opened, and a lean, fair-haired Terran male in plain black garments
strode in. The shipтАЩs linguist wasnтАЩt as tall as the new resident, nor half as bulky, but he moved with a
silent, ominous efficiency that made felines look gimpy. An equally lean, one-legged Omorr male followed
in his wake, displaying his own rather odd elegance of movement. If you could call all that bouncing my
boss did elegant.
тАЬOkay. Here comes the cavalry.тАЭ
Marel turned to see two of the three males she adored most on the ship, then knuckled her eyes
and spontaneously burst into tears. тАЬDaddyтАж UncwipтАжтАЭ
The Heartbroken Sobs had a killer effect-both men looked like sheтАЩd hit them over the head with
a sledgehammer. My one-man fan club, on the other hand, seemed even more fascinated, and took a
couple of steps closer.
The dangerous-looking guy in black was the first to crumble, and had Marel in his arms before I
could blink. тАЬIt will be well, avasa.тАЭ To me, my husband said, тАЬHow did she get in there this time?тАЭ
I took a moment to appreciate the picture of tough, battle-scarred Duncan Reever holding our
delicate little daughter. тАЬI havenтАЩt a clue. She was hiding under the table, a foot from the enviro intake
vents.тАЭ I had nightmares about MarelтАЩs fingers getting caught in them, but that wasnтАЩt bothering me. The
guy now standing just behind my husband was.
тАЬExcuse me,тАЭ I said to the curious resident, тАЬdo you need something?тАЭ
тАЬNot directly. Your pardon, ClanCousin, I only wished to inquire about the patient in surgery.тАЭ
ClanCousin was what most of the Jorenian crew called me, but weтАЩd all served together for a
long time. This guy, however, was brand new, and his familiarity bugged me. тАЬтАШHealerтАЩ will do fine. So
will the patient. Why donтАЩt you get back to work now?тАЭ
He inclined his head and returned to the nursesтАЩ station. By then my daughter had worked herself
up pretty well, and had both of her slaves trying in vain to calm her down.
тАЬHush, child, no one is angry with you,тАЭ Squilyp said, rubbing her back with one of his
spade-shaped membranes and a few stray gildrells. HeтАЩd come a long way from the guy who had nearly
gotten killed after suggesting a half-dead child be disciplined more stringently to prevent future injuries.
тАЬWe are only concerned with your safety.тАЭ
Marel hiccuped through a sob. тАЬWhy?тАЭ
тАЬDonтАЩt start that again,тАЭ I told her.
тАЬSenior Healer, perhaps you could erect some type of barrier outside the entrances to the
surgical suites,тАЭ Reever suggested.
тАЬIтАЩve tried several.тАЭ The Omorr sounded a little annoyed. тАЬTheyтАЩve never even slowed her
down.тАЭ
тАЬWell, think of a solution, Uncwip. I canтАЩt keep stopping in the middle of cutting because sheтАЩs
sneakier than all the grown-ups on the ship.тАЭ MarelтАЩs sobs dwindled, and I stroked the back of her blond
head. тАЬSweetie, you go with Daddy now. IтАЩll see you tonight.тАЭ