Crystal Universe - [Crystal Singer 03] - Crystal Line Read Online Free

aperture irised open into the corridor.
    They encountered no one, which was slightly unusual as Shanganagh was a major stopover point, as well as the Guild’s main display and testing center. It also had supply and servicing facilities for vessels of any size.
    “You don’t suppose that antsy pilot warned everyone off until we’ve passed and the corridor’s been fumigated?” Lars asked.
    Killashandra snorted, frowning, and lengthened her stride. “I shall, however, be very grateful for the tub.”
    “Last one in …” Lars began, but then they saw the plate above Bay 87 blinking orange.
    “He warned the B-and-B we were here!”
    “Last one in …”
    “
After
we make our duty to Brendan,” Killa said quellingly. Of all the myriad manifestations of humans, altered or otherwise, she most respected shell people—to a point of reverence. There was something awesome about knowing that a human being, residing within the main titanium column, ran all the ship’s functions and
was
the ship in a way an ordinary pilot could never be. The combination of a shell person with a mobile partner, known as a “brawn,” made B&B ships the elite of spacegoing vessels. Traveling with Brendan was truly an honor.
    “Of course!” Lars murmured.
    As soon as they entered the lock, the panel behind them slid shut.
    “Permission to come a—”
    “Oh, I never stand on ceremony when I’m solo, kids,”said a pleasantly resonant baritone voice. “Don’t you ever answer your comunit? I’ve been sitting here on the moon long enough to pick up cobwebs.”
    “Sorry, Brendan,” Lars said, giving as respectful a bow to the titanium column that encased Brendan’s shelled body as Killashandra did.
    “Ah! A tenor!” Brendan said with delight.
    “And he can sing!” Killashandra said. Crystal singers might require perfect pitch, but that did not always accompany a good singing voice or any real musicality.
    “So who’s going to be last in the tub?” Brendan asked.
    “Which way?” the two singers demanded.
    “And when can we get under way?” Lars asked, stripping his salt-stiffened garments off. He nearly tripped out of the shorts, trying to keep up with Killa, who had less to shed.
    “We are!” Laughter rippled in Brendan’s voice. “I don’t waste time.” Then he laughed again as Killa elbowed Lars to prevent him from getting to the ladder to the tub rim. Lars merely vaulted up and neatly immersed himself in the thick viscous fluid just as Killa slid into the tub. They gave simultaneous sighs of relief as the liquid covered them. Moments later they found the armholds and secured themselves against the pressure of takeoff.
    “You’re sure you’re under power?” Killa asked after a long interval of bracing herself against a shock that never came.
    “Most certainly.” Abruptly a screen in the corner of the small cabin lit up with a spectacular view of Shanganagh and Ballybran receding at an astonishing speed. “And about to initiate the Singularity Drive. I think you will find that being immersed in radiant fluid will reduce the discomfort the effect often gives you soft shells.”
    “Never thought of that before,” Lars said.
    “Here we go,” Brendan said, and everything altered before the eyes of the two singers.
    Killashandra squeezed her eyes shut against the Singularity Effect. She did not like seeing the decomposition and re-formation of space as the Singularity Drive “surfed” them—Lars liked the nautical analogy—down the long funnel of “interspace” from one relative spatial point to another. And yes, the radiant fluid did reduce that nauseating feeling of falling in on oneself, spinning and yet deprived of any sense of one’s own position relative to that spin.
    Then they were through.
    “Does the fluid help?” Brendan asked solicitously.
    “You know,” Lars said in surprise, “I do believe it does. Killa?”
    “Hmmmm! How many more of these jumps do we have to make to get to