Shadow World (40 page)

Rob Gable grinned broadly. "Does this make me a grandfather?" He winced theatrically. "I'm not ready!"

"How have
you
been?" Mark wanted to know, seeing the traces of sleepless nights still present on the psychologist's face.

Rob shook his head ruefully at the younger man. "Does it show that much?"

He pushed back his dark, curly hair and leaned forward so that his image filled the entire holo. "See these gray hairs? Every damn one of them has
your
name on it! I've been a wreck, worrying about you!"

Mark shrugged, suddenly sobering. "You were right to worry, Rob. It was touch and go there for a while. But we made it through."

"So I understand," the doctor said grimly. "And ... Mark ... listen, if you want to tell me to take a flying leap out the nearest air lock for getting you into such a mess, go right ahead. I won't utter a word of protest."

"Hell no, Rob, don't be silly," the younger man said firmly. "It was my choice to go. And," he said thoughtfully, "it was the best choice I could have made, all things considered." He grinned wryly. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I've really come to love Elseemar."

"So we heard," Kkintha ch'aait said. "They are saying many things about you."

"Nothing too awful, I hope," Mark joked.

"Hardly," Rob said. "What's this I hear about your singlehandedly bringing peace to Elseemar?" The doctor shook his head. "First Tesa on Trinity, now you on Elseemar."

"Come on, Rob, it's hardly that," Mark protested. "I managed to get people talking a little, that's all."

"Spoken like a true interrelator." The doctor's dark eyes held Mark's intently.

Mark grinned. "Okay, you win. I knew you'd guess the truth as soon as you saw my face, I could never keep anything from you"--he chuckled suddenly, remembering a few school escapades-- "well ... hardly anything!"

273

"Don't start confiding past transgressions now, either," Rob pleaded. "I'm too old for any more shocks. But ... do you mean it? My gamble paid off? You're not going to quit?"

"Not on your life," Mark said. "These last days, I've enjoyed the little taste I've had of being an interrelator. Nothing's going to stop me from coming back to StarBridge and finishing my training!"

Rob gazed at him solemnly. "Nothing? Not even the chance to stay on Elseemar for a year as the CLS interrelator there?"

Mark's mouth fell open. "What?" he managed to say after a moment. "You're kidding, Rob, right?"

"He is not joking, Mark," Kkintha ch'aait said, her tiny fingers grooming her chest-ruff excitedly. "Both the WirElspind and the CLS team have specifically requested that you help them in establishing communications with the Wopind groups. Would you be interested in the job?"

"Would
I?" Mark's heart leaped within him. "But what about the rest of my training?" he asked, uncertainly.

"You'll of course receive credit for your work on Elseemar," the Administrator said. "And then, when your year is up, you can return to StarBridge to make up any courses that you need for graduation."

"Well, Mark?" Rob Gable asked. "Want the job?"

"I sure as hell do!" the student exclaimed.

Kkintha looked up at the psychologist inquiringly. "More of your human colloquialisms, Robert? Does that by any chance constitute an affirmative response?"

"It sure as hell does," Rob said, grinning broadly. "Congratulations, Mark.

We're proud of you."

The new interrelator grinned back. "I'm kind of proud of myself, actually," he admitted. "But I couldn't have done it without Cara. Rob, I think I've just about talked her into applying for StarBridge. I'm betting she'll be the best interrelator the school's ever seen."

"We'd be delighted to have her, of course," Rob said. "You tell her that."

"I will," Mark said. 'Talk to you soon, Rob."

That same afternoon, Mark, Cara, Eerin, and Hrrakk' attended R'Thessra's burial service. It was after the brief ceremony that the Simiu scientist told Mark that he, too, had been asked

274

to stay on Elseemar to help the scientific team reconstruct their work on the Elhanin.

"It seems, Honored InterrelatorKenner," Hrrakk' said in his usual taciturn, gruff tones, "that we will be working together in an effort to educate the Elpind people about Elhanin and how it is produced."

"That'll be the biggest challenge of all," Mark admitted later to Cara as they stood together in the courtyard of Eerin's home, her travel case lying on the flagstones between them, "working constantly with Hrrakk'!"

The journalist grinned at him. "By the end of the year," she predicted, "you'll either be the best of friends for life, or Hrrakk' will swear a new honor-oath."

"Oh, yeah? What?"

"To strangle any human he meets on sight!"

They both laughed, then abruptly sobered as the reality of their leave-taking suddenly descended. "Damn, Cara, I'll miss you. You've been ... more than a friend," Mark said softly. "I only wish ..." He hesitated, then stepped around the travel case and put his arms around her. Bending his head, he kissed her gently on the mouth.

Cara slid her arms around his neck, and when the kiss finally ended, she rested her head against his shoulder, fighting back tears. "That was nice,"

she said shakily. "Why didn't we ever do that before?"

Mark shook his head ruefully. "I don't know. I ought to have my head examined!" A sudden thought occurred to him. "This isn't good-bye forever, remember. You're going to be coming to StarBridge, right? So I'll see you there next year ..."

Cara stepped back, wiping her eyes. "You've enriched my time, Mark," she said quietly, and then, trying for a lighter touch, she pointed to her battered knapsack, filled with keepsakes from Elseemar, and her travel case. "Now, how about helping me carry my stuff down to the shuttle?"

Mark nodded and picked up the travel case. "Got your camera?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course," she said. "I can't wait until they see my footage back on Earth!"

"You'll probably win a Pulitzer, this time," he said.

"Don't think the thought hasn't crossed my mind," she said, 275

grinning at him. "My only regret is that I didn't get your first Mortenwol on film.

It was ... indescribable."

"I'm glad you didn't, actually." He smiled wryly back. "Don't you think it was one of those things where you really had to be there?"

Together they started out of the courtyard, but then Cara suddenly halted, grabbing his arm. "Oh, no, you don't," she said. "We've got a tradition to keep up, here, and you know how important tradition is on Elseemar."

"What?" he asked blankly. "What tradition?"

"Your famous words, remember?"

"My famous words?" He began to chuckle. "I'm stumped. Tell me!"

" 'Everybody' is ready," she quoted, smiling. " 'Let's go!' "

276

277

Afterword

StarBridge
launched successfully.
Silent Dances
(which, as I write this has just reached bookstore shelves) appears to be safely in orbit, and now
Shadow World
is counting down for takeoff. Time is rushing by at stellar velocity ... it seems only yesterday that I suffered a bout of temporary lunacy and decided to begin a series of books set in my own science-fiction universe. But that was 1985, and now it's--
gasp--
1990!

Serpent's Gift,
Book Four of the series, will be out in mid1991. It's a book centered around StarBridge Academy itself. The school is in trouble--big-time. Will the Academy have to shut down because the school's radonium supply is inexorably altering, turning the entire asteroid into a gigantic time bomb? Or will the entire StarBridge project go bankrupt before it can explode?

Rob Gable, Kkintha ch'aait, Dr. Blanket and Esteemed Ssoriszs all have their hands (or equivalents!) full, trying to save the school, as well as a valuable archaeological site recently discovered beneath the Lament Cliffs.

The relics buried there may provide a clue to the fate of the mysterious Mizari Lost

277

278

Colony--but only if the lethal radonium-2 doesn't destroy them first... .

Book Five is
Silent Songs,
where Kathy O'Malley and I return you to Trinity.

Most of our old friends are back-- Tesa, Lightning, Thunder, Meg and Bruce--

with some new additions. Jib is Tesa's former StarBridge roommate, trying his wings as an interrelator trainee. Kheera is a Simiu who has been sent by the Harkk'ett clan (under the prodding of Ambassador Dhurrrkk', of course, after the events of
Silent Dances),
to make reparation to the people of Trinity.

Only problem is, she doesn't want to be there. (Angry, resentful Simiu make
wonderful
companions, as we've just seen in this volume!)

Tesa has enough headaches just trying to keep the peace between Kheera and the others, but, before long, her life becomes even more complicated.

Our deaf interrelator has to contend with
two
more First Contacts--a telepathic race of creatures native to Trinity, plus an aggressive, technologically advanced species determined to conquer the planet!

Here's hoping you'll enjoy those books, as well as the ones you've already read.

Before I close, a couple of quick acknowledgments. First of all, for help on
Shadow World,
I would like to thank Dr. Gary Weaver of the School for International Service at the American University, Washington, D.C., campus.

He provided invaluable information and insights into hostage situations and how negotiators are trained to handle them.

And, finally, the biggest thanks of all goes to
you--
the
StarBridge
readers.

Getting this series off the ground has meant the hardest, longest stint of work I've ever done (anyone who doesn't believe writing is
hard work
should try it!), as well as the most rewarding experience of my career.

Many of you have written to tell me you're enjoying
Star- Bridge
and are looking forward to the next book. A number of you have posed thoughtful, insightful questions that have sparked ideas for additional novels, if the series is extended beyond the initial five books. Reading these letters has been incredibly gratifying--it makes all that hard work worthwhile. I answer each letter personally (just a reminder, a stamped,

279

self-addressed envelope is a BIG help!), and the warmth and

encouragement expressed has been wonderful. Thank you all so very much!

--Ann C. Crispin June, 1990

280

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282

>enefits... including a drug thai

irould greatlY increase their brie

life spans.

Mark Kenner, on the brink of abandoning his StarBridge career, reed
into one last assignment--I

speak on Elseemar for the CLS.
it some of the Elspind are oppose
to
any such alliance.
Violentl y

opposed. They call themselves

fospind. And they are waiting for

Mark and his companions...

"Crispins aliens are a diverse and fascinating lot...She'll be the leading candidate or the title of the Norton of the 1990; . --
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