Interphase Read Online Free

him sit up against the rocks. She murmured soft reassurances as his breathing became more controlled.
    "What—" he said hoarsely.
    "Don't talk yet," Analara said. She tilted his head to inspect for damage. The skin on his forehead was scraped raw. She pulled a cantha bud from her pack and applied a layer of sap to the injury, taking the opportunity to examine his appearance more thoroughly.
    His skin color was still pale, which worried her. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, seemingly content to concentrate on breathing. His dark brown hair was wind-blown and much shorter than other men his age.
    His clothes were the strangest thing, however. His tunic was dark gray with long sleeves and strange circular adornments down the front. He wore long breeches, made from black cloth, and dark, soft covers on his feet.
    He had to be from the outer territories. A stranger. Why would he be so far from his city?
    Analara shook her head. There would be time to ponder the details later. "Do you hurt anywhere else?" she asked.
    "I'm sore all over, really." His voice was pleasant. He opened his eyes and slowly focused on her. They were a deep blue, and she found herself unable to look away.
    Realizing she was staring, Analara blushed. "It was fortunate for you that I passed this way. Most of this area is wild."
    "Right…" He seemed dazed and looked at her in confusion.
    Analara worriedly put her hand against his cheek, trying to get him to focus. "What is your name?"
    ***
    For several seconds all David could do was stare, first at the pretty girl with her worried eyes, then at his surroundings. He was in a forest clearing. The trees nearby looked like willows, though far larger than he'd ever heard of. Ferns, mosses and other plant life crowded about.
    The sky, just barely visible above the trees, was a soft green.
    The girl moved her hand from his cheek to his forehead, murmuring softly, and David realized she had asked him a question. He blinked and shook himself from his daze. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"
    She pursed her lips in concern. "What is your name?"
    "Ah." He tried to offer a reassuring smile. "I'm David."
    "David," she echoed. He couldn't place her accent. "A strange name."
    "It suits me." With a grunt, he struggled to stand up. A wave of dizziness struck as he rose to his feet, and the girl grabbed his arm before he fell. She helped him sit back down. He closed his eyes and waited for the world to stop spinning. A faint beeping sounded in his ears, but he paid it no mind. Opening his eyes again, he fixed her with a questioning gaze. "What's your name?"
    She smiled bashfully. "Analara."
    And my name is strange?
    David studied her subtly, from her long brown hair, to her wilderness garb, finally settling his gaze on her emerald eyes. The name fit.
    "Would you mind helping me stand up, Analara?"
    With her assistance, he managed to get to his feet. Again, everything started to tilt, and the beeping returned. Once the dizziness passed, he tested his footing, and she let him go.
    David tried to recall exactly how he had gotten into this module, but he found himself easily distracted by Analara's intent gaze.
    The last thing he remembered with clarity was blasting through the guardrail on the hover-bike track, and the sensation of flying as the bike fell away…
    "Damn," he muttered. "I must have punched through a code-wall when I impacted."
    "What was that?"
    David turned back. "Sorry," he told her. "I was just trying to remember how I got here."
    Analara's expression turned grave. "You were badly injured when I found you. I did everything I could, but I was afraid you wouldn't…" She fell silent, uneasy about whatever sentence she was trying to finish.
    "Why do I get the feeling I owe you more than simple thanks for your help?"
    She blushed and turned away from him. "Thanks are not needed, though I am grateful to receive them."
    As beautiful as Analara was, David's brain refused to let the question of his arrival go. He'd never