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Nostalgia represents an interesting illusion Through nostalgia, hus that never were The positive enerations, the positive memory tends to weed outdown to a distillation of haunted desires

- Shipquotes

FOR THE first tinment Not out of fear - she had survived in the research subs where no one else had, and still she accepted the fact that this project must continue at all costs Beyond instinct, she knew that the ’lectrokelp was the most important factor in Colony life Survival

I’ve been down there and I survived I should lead the new teaht dominated her awareness as she and Thomas approached the bustle of early dayside activity around the new sub he was having rushed to completion

Thoh fellow; the nex what? His mind appeared to wander

He hasn’t been out of hyb long enough to handle himself here

They stopped a few meters fro shape under the brilliant lights All this energy - all those workers They were like insects intent on a giant egg She tried to fatho It did make a certain sens but a transparent core of plaz? They had always used plaslass in the subs, but this detachable core constructed entirely of plaz was a new concept She could see that it was going to be crowded in there and didn’t know if she would like that

Why Thoe?

She recalled their walk across the co orders to her for him to see the telltale shadow-flicker of a Hooded Dasher breaking past the sentries She had cooked it in an to shiver when she realized that she had almost left the weapon in her cubby This perimeter was supposed to be secure, the sentries the best

Thomas had barely noticed

"Quick little devils," he said, cal onto our team from Ship"

"A poet? But we need"

"We will get a poet because Ship is sending us a poet"

"But we asked fo"

"I knoe asked for!"

He sounded like a s

She said: "Well, we still need a systeineer fo"

"I want you to seduce this poet"

She had trouble believing what she had heard

Thoet upset Just consider this a teanment I’ve seen a holo of the poet He’s not unattractive i"

"My body is lared at him "And nobody - not you, not Oakes, not Ship, tells me who I will or will not let into my body"

They were stopped in the compound by then and she was surprised to see his hands up and a grin on his face She realized that she had instinctively raised her lasgun to focus between his eyes Without reducing her furious glare, she lowered the gun and holstered it

"Sorry," he said And they resuar Presently, he asked: "How important is the kelp team to you?"

He should know that! Everyone knew, and since Tho ability to seek out critical infor to an to pour froent Was Panille really sent by Ship? Could Panille be working for Oakes or this Lewis people mentioned in such fearful tones? Who? Who? Doubtcascade of doubts

But why the hell should she have to seduce Panille to find out? There was no satisfaction in the answer Thoh all of Panille’s barriers, all of his masks"

Damn!

"Just how important is this project to you?" Thomas demanded

"It’s vita not just to me but to the entire Colony"

"Of course it is That’s why yous we must know about him"

"And a hold we must have on him!"

"There’s no other way"

"Pull his records if you want to knohether he prefers women I will no"

"That’s not my question and you know it! You will not refuse my orders and remain on this team!"

"I can’t even question the wisdom of your decisions?"

"Ship sent s I must know for this project to succeed"

She could not deny the intensity of his eht that the project’s vital We can’t play with time as we play here ords"

"And I have nothing to say about the team?" She was close to tears and did not care that it showed

"You hav "

"After all I’ve been through? I watched them all die! All of theoes, or it buys me thR I can collect shipside You na flush in her skin, felt the intensity of her presence Such a quick and perceptive person He felt his he had not experienced in eons

It’s been Shipcenturies!

He spoke softly: "We consult, we share data But all key decisions are , this project would not have been botched"

Waela keyed the hangar door and they stepped inside to the brilliant focus of lights and activity, the noise and smell of torches She put a hand on his arm to stop hi the poet make our mission succeed?"

"I’ve told you Get to the heart of him"

She stared across at the activity around the new sub "And replacing the plasteel with pla"

"No single thing will lanced down at her "And we’re going in by air"

"B" Then she saw the stranded cables reaching up and out of the brilliant illuantic LTA partly inflated there The sub was being fitted to a Lighter-Than-Air in place of the usual arondola

"But wh"

"Because the kelp has been strangling our subs"