HeartbeatofSilence Read Online Free Page A

“If you are awake enough, we can get some food.”
    She nodded and pulled her robe together as she sat up. The sash had come undone while she slept, and casual nudity had never been her forte. “Food would be good.” She ran a shaking hand through her hair.
    He sat up and walked to the dispenser, his silky trousers riding low on his hips.
    She got out of bed and stretched from the strain of remaining in one position all night. The wide sleeves of her robe swayed as she moved, and she walked to the window to look out at the day of Balen.
    The forest was green and growing rapidly. “How old is Balen?”
    “Millions of years, but it just completed a resurfacing.”
    “Why did it resurface?”
    He brought her a cup of tea. “Balen was grieving for its lost Avatar. She died many centuries ago giving birth to her daughter, Zenina.”
    “Zenina is that old?”
    “Her development was delayed by her father. She was kept in an incubator and dropped on the surface near the mining colony three decades ago. Once she took over the position of Avatar, Balen ceased grieving and melted the ice that coated its surface. A little help from the Sector Guard and the planet is coming back to life once again.”
    She inclined her head as she sipped her tea. “How did her father survive long enough to drop her here when it was time?”
    He blinked and a small smile lit his lips. “Her father was the Avatar of the sun. He is still alive and working at the Guard base on the other side of the valley.”
    “He was the Avatar? I didn’t know you could retire from that.”
    “You can if the star in question agrees to the move. Saru was only too happy to join Zenina’s mate, so now, there are, once again, two Avatars in love in this system.”
    The dispenser chimed, and he walked to retrieve two plates. He set them down on the small table and placed cutlery next to each plate with precision.
    She brought her cup of tea with her and took a seat. “Thank you for the meal.”
    “Don’t thank me yet. You might not enjoy my selections.”
    Veera laughed. “I have eaten things I couldn’t identify and things that tried to crawl off my plate. Life as a travelling entertainer means that you take fresh food or as close to fresh, as you can.”
    He inclined his head. “I suppose that is a valid concern when you travel.”
    “Oh yes. You always have to prepare for your next meal and your best place to bed down. If you travel with family, you all work together as a collective.” She forked up some of the noodles on her plate and started eating.
    “Did you always travel with your family?”
    “Yes, since I was five. Hundreds of worlds, hundreds of performances, crowds, laughter and hairy situations. It was fun and terrifying all at the same time.”
    His food disappeared rapidly, and she was unsurprised to hear the dispenser beep again. Stanik got up and took another plate off the dispenser, returning to the table and starting on his seconds.
    She chuckled as she finished her own meal and took her plate back to the dispenser, sliding it into the cleaning slot. Returning to her seat at the table, she sipped at her tea.
    “What is on the agenda for today?”
    He swallowed. “Nothing strenuous, a walk in the gardens, practice shielding and selectively reading the folks over at the Guard base.”
    “Sounds good. Now, I only have one problem.”
    His concern was visible. “What is that?”
    “What do I wear?”
    He snickered. It was a juvenile sound that made her giggle in response. “I enjoy the fact that you stick to the essentials.”
    She shrugged. “Life is too short to worry about the long term. I concentrate on the next moment only.”
    She got to her feet and inclined her head. “I will be ready in a few minutes.”
    In her room, she pulled out a fairly thick bodysuit and a matching pair of boots. The bodysuit was black and hot pink. She tugged it on, inhaling to close it over her breasts. The fit was a little tighter than she