Back From the Dead Read Online Free Page A

across the island, then sailing on that side would be fast, but the other side would be slow and difficult because of all the wind eddies and swirls there. If a hurricane comes through, then no one sails anywhere, they just hide in the harbors and hope for the best.”
    He puts the bauble in among the details of the centerpiece. “That is what happened when Eta Carinae blew. The Dark came in because subspace was not navigable. The local effects of the stars and planets swamped it close-in, so a-grav and accelacomps worked in-system, but not FTL. It sounds like right now we’ll be able to catch a wind that blows us, very quickly, past you,” he tosses the bauble to Bipasha, “then to you,” indicating she should toss it to Penger Trask, which she does, “then on to Niven,” represented by the Engineer. “Because we are going further in subspace, against a wind as it were, it’ll take longer ship time , but Niven hasn’t moved, so our real time hasn’t changed much.”
    Lucretia, Trask’s wife, sounds dubious, “Okay, I guess that sort of makes sense.”
    “Like I said, the details are complicated. If you are not interested in math and physics it’ll make your head hurt, but just remember time always goes forward, just at different rates depending on your path. Kind of like how time seems to go fast when you are having fun, and seems to drag when you are bored. Sometimes weird things happen, like being able to go a lot further and faster in universal time, but taking much longer ship time while using less fuel. Or more time on ship but less in universal time. Just imagine different weather and winds and currents and islands and mountains with the sailing ship, and it’ll be easier to visualize, even if it’s not entirely accurate.”
    “One of the better descriptions I’ve heard,” Lag says.
    “Thanks. I’ve had to explain it more than a few times.”
    The Engineer looks at him closely. “Oh?”
    “I’m a teacher. Between classes and a passel of nephews and nieces–”
    A sudden burst of cheers and laughter from the far side of the room interrupts him, where a group of young men and women (mid-teens to early twenties) seems to be having a very good time. This is not the group’s first outburst. Several people glare at them, annoyed by the interruption.
    The Doctor’s wife speaks disdainfully. “I wonder where the parents are? Children without manners should not be abandoned in public like that.”
    Lag sighs, leans back, and ruefully rises from his chair. “No rest for the wicked. Excuse me, please.” To the surprise of his tablemates, he takes his glass and strides purposefully toward the rambunctious group of young adults on the far side of dining room. Sitting there are four young men and three young women, celebrating loudly. They’re dressed in dark clothing, almost uniforms, similar in style and color to Lag’s. He sits smoothly, helping himself to the one empty seat at the table. It takes a moment before they notice him, then they fall silent and watch him warily.
    Lag’s expression is cheerful, and his demeanor friendly. He speaks quietly and sincerely. “I understand that congratulations are in order. To adulthood!” He raises his glass to them, saluting around the table, and takes a sip. They return the salute with their glasses, some of them just sipping, some tossing back the rest of their drinks.
    They cheer loudly, but unevenly: “To Rights!”
    “So! Who took the biggest risk?” Lag asks.
    A small young lady at the table smiles shyly and timidly raises a hand. Lag smiles in surprise and nods to her, again raising his glass, but not drinking. “And?”
    “I tried a 4.5 … but I only scored a–”
    Lag cheerily cuts her off, “Ah-ah. Don’t dwell on the mistakes; learn from them. Even trying for a 4.5 is a daunting task. Quite commendable to take on a serious challenge. You aimed high and passed. Learn from it and move on.” He looks around the table. “High