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

had the most amazing and catholic files.
    “Boira’s a mezzo, you see, and while I can only sing the one voice …”
    “Is the ship who sings … whatsername?”
    “Helva? Yes, she still is, but no one knows where.” Brendan had chuckled. “There’s a reward if she’s spotted, but I don’t know a ship worth its hull who’d tell.”
    “But couldn’t she sing
any
range?”
    “So legend has it,” Brendan had replied, amused. “It’s possible. I could make modifications to my diaphragm and voice production, as she did, but frankly, it’d be damned hard to match the 834. Then, too, Boira
likes
me being baritone.”
    “Can’t fight that,” Killashandra had said, grinning at Lars.
    But now they were orbiting Opal and musicality was irrelevant.
    The pock-holed orb was more moon than planet, one of a dozen similar satellites weaving eccentric patterns about the primary. Opal had no atmosphere and only seven-tenths standard gravity. Its primary still emanated the unusual spectrums, coronal blasts, and violent solar winds that had so adversely affected its dependent bodies. Exploration HQ had decided that circumstances might possibly have resulted in unusual metals. Artifacts from some long-gone alien civilizations had been composed of previously undiscovered metallic components—some not kind to human hands but workable by remote control—that had proved to be invaluable to modern metallurgy, electronics, and engineering. Since those first discoveries, such substances continued to be assiduously sought. Which was why this star system had been surveyed.
    “Leaving no turn unstoned,” Bren had quipped.
    According to the log, the now-deceased team had also discovered some very interesting slag on one of theouter satellites of Libran 2937, samples of which were still being analyzed—and their possible uses extrapolated from the all too small supply.
    “Where did the geological survey land, Bren?” Lars asked.
    “Their landing of record,” Bren began, “is … right … below us.” He magnified the image on his main screen, and the iridescent nauseous green paint that exploration teams used to mark their sites became clearly visible.
    Lars and Killashandra turned to examine the closeup of the site, which was being displayed on one of the smaller bridge screens.
    “Shall we?” the ship asked in a wry tone.
    “Ach! Why not!” Lars said.
    “We’ve time to eat,” Killa said, feeling hunger pangs though she was certain they had eaten not too long before.
    “Is it that time?” Lars asked with a startled expression. “We’ve done nothing but eat since we came aboard.”
    “They used to term it singing for your supper,” Brendan added. His chuckle ended abruptly. “Oh, I see. You mean, your home planet’s going through one of its Passover periods?”
    “It was due to,” Killa said. “It must have started. That’s the only time we can’t stop eating.”
    “Hmmm. Well, we’ve plenty aboard,” Brendan replied soothingly.
    Killashandra grimaced. “But we’re going to have to suit up to move around down there, and suit food’s not very satisfying.”
    Lars considered this aspect of the unusual hunger of their symbionts at Passover time: an urge that would overtake their bodies no matter how far they were fromBallybran, since it was generated by the symbiont, ever in phase with its native planet. “We could work in shifts, one of us eat while the other explores.”
    “No! Absolutely not,” Brendan vetoed firmly. “As a team always. How long do you last between snacks?”
    Killa laughed. “Snack? You’ve never seen a singer eat!”
    “Well, tell me how much and I can deliver it to the lock so you don’t have to unsuit completely to assuage your need.”
    Killa brightened. “That’s a thought.”
    “We’ll certainly give it a try,” Lars said with a grin. “Now, just let’s see if we can plan our excursions around our appetites.” He accessed the log files of the fateful