{"data":{"id":13077,"title":"A Human Perspective - Episode 4 - Roberts Space Industries","rsi_url":"\/web\/20140712013438\/https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/spectrum-dispatch\/13077-A-Human-Perspective-Episode-4","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/13077","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/13077","channel":"Spectrum Dispatch","category":"Lore","series":"A Human 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the Reacher\u2019s airlock and leaving his ship behind at the Bacchus orbital was one of the hardest things Charl had done in awhile. Sure, it was just a material thing, he realized, but that ship had been his constant companion \u2014 indeed his sole companion \u2014 for several standards. He remembered one time considering having an artificial personality glommed onto the Reacher\u2019s computer system (they were all the rage in UEE space, he understood), but he\u2019d decided against it. The Reacher had a personality all its own, and he was going to miss it.\n\nBesides, a Human personality would have annoyed him, artificial or otherwise.\n\nThey had given him just two hours to gather his things and report to a Banu yacht in its own mooring at the far end of the orbital\u2019s docking ring. Lyshtuu apologized as best he could, for an alien who neither understood why Charl was upset in the first place nor the whole concept of an \u2018apology\u2019 either, for that matter.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not your fault,\u201d Charl had tried to reassure him over the vid link.\n\n\u201cCharl-Grissom, not meaning breach acquaintance in any way,\u201d the Banu tried to explain, but it was clear the alien was baffled. Charl eased it over and was sure he left Lyshtuu confident that he would perform the mission well and be glad to work with him again. Banu hate to disappoint.\n\nPorters startled him as he exited the Reacher. Who sends real live porters for luggage anymore? If he\u2019d known they were coming he might have packed a few more things. They grabbed up his couple of ragged duffels and lead him on their way to the more exclusive part of the spaceport where their yacht, the Shuulyear, waited behind velvet ropes.\n\nTorreele Foodstuffs was spending some major money on this thing, Charl thought. Porters? A yacht? What did this Hwasheen thing taste like, anyway? Ambrosia?\n\nThey stowed his gear in a stateroom that was way nicer than he needed and left him to his own devices. They had even adjusted the temperature and lighting to more Human norms. The yacht\u2019s head steward \u2014 it had several stewards \u2014 let him know they would depart for the first jump point in less than an hour. Like most passenger ships, he would get a two-minute warning as they approached each jump point along the way, so he could prepare for hyperspace travel\u2019s mild discomfort.\n\nAll things being equal, Charl would have stretched himself out on the stateroom\u2019s big bed, ordered room service and relaxed. But things were not equal. As he came onboard the yacht he had seen that the stateroom just across the corridor was already occupied. She was here. Despite himself, his heart beat a bit quicker.\n\nCharl hit the comm button and the steward\u2019s face appeared on the screen.\n\n\u201cYes, Charl-Grissom?\u201d\n\n\u201cAre there any other staterooms available on this thing?\u201d he asked.\n\n\u201cIs something unpleasing for you?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo \u2026 no, this stateroom is fine. Is there any alcohol on this boat? Or can you synthesize some?\u201d\n\n\u201cWe can synthesize anything \u2026\u201d\n\n\u201cWhiskey, then. Rye, if possible.\u201d\n\nCharl settled into his stateroom as best he could. He flipped through the hundreds of vid entertainment channels \u2014 all Banu, which he normally enjoyed \u2014 but couldn\u2019t settle on any of them, so switched to soothing ocean sounds for awhile until he lost interest and switched it off. He drank what the steward delivered sparingly, just enough to keep from thinking too much, but not enough to get really inebriated. It tasted pretty foul, anyway. He even busied himself hanging his wrinkled clothes in the closet and arranged his personal items in the \u2018wet\u2019 room (another Banu oddity).\n\nAnd he ignored the \u2018message waiting\u2019 icon swirling on his comm link. It was her, he knew it without even looking. He took a swig of his drink, hoping to at least dampen his anxiety if not completely drown it. It\u2019s just a woman, Charl, he admonished himself.\n\nTwo hours passed before he heard a gentle knock. He took a fortifying drink and then opened the door.\n\n\u201cOh, hello,\u201d Angela said, turning back from her own stateroom door. \u201cI thought you weren\u2019t going to answer.\u201d\n\n\u201cHello,\u201d he responded awkwardly.\n\n\u201cI thought we should discuss the mission while we have the time.\u201d He had forgotten what a woman\u2019s voice even sounded like. He had to admit, she really was lovely, too, not that that should even matter. He caught himself straightening.\n\n\u201cWell, we\u2019ll get to the planet in, what, 12 hours or so. We can probably catch up during planetfall.\u201d It hadn\u2019t even occurred to him that they might discuss the particulars. That\u2019s how long he had been working alone. If Angela picked up on his uncertainty, she made no obvious reaction other than to stare somewhat blankly. Was she pouting a little, or did she always hold her mouth that way? Charl couldn\u2019t tell. But when she didn\u2019t respond for a moment he figured he hadn\u2019t made himself clear.\n\n\u201cYes, we should discuss things,\u201d he clarified, and her smile lit up the dim corridor.\n\n\u201cCan we meet in the lounge later for dinner?\u201d she asked\n\n\u201cWell, let\u2019s just meet in the lounge,\u201d he answered.\n\n\u201cIn an hour?\u201d\n\n\u201cAn hour\u2019s fine,\u201d he said and slid the stateroom door closed, then took a deep breath. He downed the rest of his drink to slow his pounding heart. Alarm bells went off in his head. Don\u2019t let your biology get the better of you, Charl. Intellectually, he told himself they were just meeting to talk about the job, and rationalized a quick bath, shave and selection of his nicest shirt as just good manners.\n\nAngela had changed her clothes, too, Charl noticed, to a peach blouse and dark slacks. Of course, they were alone in the yacht\u2019s lounge, since they were the only passengers, placed at an all-too-tiny table. The Banu stewards were well versed in Human accommodation, bringing water, even providing silverware, but it appeared they hadn\u2019t gotten the word that this wasn\u2019t a \u2018dinner.\u2019\n\n\u201cThanks for seeing me,\u201d Angela began, putting a napkin in her lap. \u201cI was beginning to think you were ignoring me.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d he fidgeted slightly, \u201cdon\u2019t take it personally. I\u2019ve been out in space for a long time.\u201d\n\n\u201cThey warned me that you prefer to work alone. I hope I\u2019m not an inconvenience for you.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot at all.\u201d Their salads arrived, mixed alien greens, some bitter, some sour, but certainly edible. Charl picked at his for a few minutes as the stewards passed to and fro.\n\n\u201cI have a preliminary readout on the hwasheen\u2019s blood chemistry,\u201d Angela began again, and Charl was glad to continue the professional portion of the evening. \u201cIt\u2019s not dissimilar from several other livestock animals, like the brundeen and the gisbut.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s a gisbut?\u201d he asked.\n\n\u201cHow long have you been away from UEE space?\u201d she asked amusedly, and despite himself, he found her good humor infectious.\n\n\u201cQuite a while, apparently,\u201d he admitted, and Angela sipped her water. \u201cWhere are you from?\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m Terran.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow long have you been with Torreele Foodstuffs?\u201d\n\n\u201cI started with them right out of university. I interned there.\u201d He did the math. She looked to be mid to late 20s, so that meant she\u2019d been with them at least five years or more.\n\n\u201cSo you were part of the big Boventine roll out. I helped Torreele out on that one,\u201d he mentioned, hoping to impress her, but she wrinkled her brow and shook her head slightly.\n\n\u201cNo, I wasn\u2019t part of that merger,\u201d she said tentatively, to which Charl chuckled a bit.\n\n\u201cBoventine\u2019s a product, not a company,\u201d he corrected.\n\n\u201cOh, yes, of course,\u201d she said, snatching up a menu. \u201cHave you decided on something?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d he said, opening one for himself, \u201cI wasn\u2019t really planning on eating anything, but I guess I\u2019m hungrier than I thought. You\u2019ve barely touched your salad,\u201d he pointed out.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s sort of strange, don\u2019t you think?\u201d\n\n\u201cGood for Banu cuisine, if you ask me.\u201d They both ordered and shared some minor chitchat. Safe topics only: the differences between Banu and Humans, inconveniences of space travel, and so on. Charl devoured his meal, but he saw that Angela just nibbled at hers. Was he making her nervous, he wondered?\n\n\u201cSo, have you actually seen one of these hwasheen up close?\u201d Charl eventually asked, glad to have another whiskey in hand, courtesy of the steward.\n\n\u201cNo, I haven\u2019t,\u201d she answered simply.\n\n\u201cI just thought they might have put one in a zoo or brought one around to your lab.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, nothing like that.\u201d She got that blank expression again, like she was lost in thought. \u201cThey only brought us a blood sample,\u201d she continued finally, and another awkward pause followed. Charl got the definite impression she was nervous or socially awkward or a little of both. It had been so long since he\u2019d been with a woman it was hard for him to tell, but the notion put him a bit at ease.\n\n\u201cWell, I think we\u2019ll learn a lot more when we get to the planet.\u201d\n\n\u201cI really should get back to my stateroom,\u201d she injected suddenly. \u201cI\u2019m tired.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, of course, I understand.\u201d Charl stood as she got up to leave \u2014 he remembered that much, anyway \u2014 surprised, since he fully expected he would have been the one to cut their conversation short. \u201cPlease, have a good evening.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, thank you. Have a good evening, too.\u201d He watched her leave the galley and then remained for a while to finish his drink as the handful of Banu stewards cleared their table. Strange girl.\n\nTo Be Continued \u2026","de_DE":"Die Luftschleuse der Reacher zu versiegeln und sein Schiff im Orbital der Bacchus zur\u00fcckzulassen, war eines der schwersten Dinge, die Charl seit langem getan hatte. Sicher, es war nur eine materielle Sache, das war ihm klar, aber dieses Schiff war sein st\u00e4ndiger Begleiter - ja, sein einziger Begleiter - f\u00fcr mehrere Standards gewesen. Er erinnerte sich daran, dass er einmal in Erw\u00e4gung gezogen hatte, eine k\u00fcnstliche Pers\u00f6nlichkeit in das Computersystem der Reacher einflie\u00dfen zu lassen (die waren der letzte Schrei im UEE-Raum, wie er wusste), aber er hatte sich dagegen entschieden. Der Reacher hatte eine ganz eigene Pers\u00f6nlichkeit und er w\u00fcrde sie vermissen.\n\nAu\u00dferdem h\u00e4tte ihn eine menschliche Pers\u00f6nlichkeit, ob k\u00fcnstlich oder nicht, genervt.\n\nSie hatten ihm nur zwei Stunden Zeit gegeben, um seine Sachen zu packen und sich bei einer Banu-Jacht an ihrem eigenen Liegeplatz am anderen Ende des Andockrings des Orbitals zu melden. Lyshtuu entschuldigte sich, so gut er konnte, f\u00fcr einen Au\u00dferirdischen, der weder verstand, warum Charl \u00fcberhaupt ver\u00e4rgert war, noch das ganze Konzept einer 'Entschuldigung' verstand.\n\n\"Es ist nicht Ihre Schuld\", hatte Charl versucht, ihn \u00fcber den Vid-Link zu beruhigen.\n\n\"Charl-Grissom, ich will damit keine Bekanntschaft brechen\", versuchte die Banu zu erkl\u00e4ren, aber es war klar, dass der Au\u00dferirdische verwirrt war. Charl beruhigte ihn und war sich sicher, dass er Lyshtuu in der Gewissheit verlie\u00df, dass er die Mission gut erf\u00fcllen w\u00fcrde und gerne wieder mit ihm zusammenarbeiten w\u00fcrde. Banu entt\u00e4uscht nur ungern.\n\nGep\u00e4cktr\u00e4ger schreckten ihn auf, als er den Reacher verlie\u00df. Wer schickt heute noch echte Gep\u00e4cktr\u00e4ger? H\u00e4tte er gewusst, dass sie kommen w\u00fcrden, h\u00e4tte er vielleicht ein paar Sachen mehr gepackt. Sie schnappten sich seine paar zerlumpten Sees\u00e4cke und f\u00fchrten ihn in den exklusiveren Teil des Raumhafens, wo ihre Yacht, die Shuulyear, hinter Samtleinen wartete.\n\nTorreele Foodstuffs hat viel Geld f\u00fcr dieses Ding ausgegeben, dachte Charl. Gep\u00e4cktr\u00e4ger? Eine Jacht? Wonach schmeckte dieses Hwasheen-Ding eigentlich? Ambrosia?\n\nSie verstauten seine Ausr\u00fcstung in einer Kabine, die viel sch\u00f6ner war, als er sie brauchte, und \u00fcberlie\u00dfen ihn seinem eigenen Schicksal. Sie hatten sogar die Temperatur und die Beleuchtung an die menschlichen Normen angepasst. Der Chefsteward der Yacht - sie hatte mehrere Stewards - lie\u00df ihn wissen, dass sie in weniger als einer Stunde zum ersten Sprungpunkt aufbrechen w\u00fcrden. Wie bei den meisten Passagierschiffen w\u00fcrde er eine zweimin\u00fctige Warnung erhalten, wenn sie sich jedem Sprungpunkt auf dem Weg n\u00e4herten, so dass er sich auf die leichten Unannehmlichkeiten der Hyperraumfahrt einstellen konnte.\n\nWenn alle Dinge gleich w\u00e4ren, h\u00e4tte Charl sich auf dem gro\u00dfen Bett der Kabine ausgestreckt, den Zimmerservice bestellt und sich entspannt. Aber die Dinge waren nicht gleich. Als er an Bord der Yacht kam, hatte er gesehen, dass die Kabine auf der anderen Seite des Korridors bereits besetzt war. Sie war hier. Ungeachtet seiner selbst schlug sein Herz ein wenig schneller.\n\nCharl dr\u00fcckte die Kommunikationstaste und das Gesicht des Stewards erschien auf dem Bildschirm.\n\n\"Ja, Charl-Grissom?\"\n\n\"Sind noch andere Kabinen auf diesem Schiff verf\u00fcgbar?\", fragte er.\n\n\"Ist Ihnen etwas unangenehm?\"\n\n\"Nein ... nein, diese Kabine ist in Ordnung. Gibt es auf diesem Schiff Alkohol? Oder k\u00f6nnen Sie welchen synthetisieren?\"\n\n\"Wir k\u00f6nnen alles synthetisieren ...\"\n\n\"Dann Whiskey. Roggen, wenn m\u00f6glich.\"\n\nCharl richtete sich in seiner Kabine ein, so gut er konnte. Er bl\u00e4tterte durch die Hunderte von Videokan\u00e4len - allesamt Banu, die er normalerweise mochte - konnte sich aber f\u00fcr keinen entscheiden und schaltete eine Weile auf beruhigende Meeresger\u00e4usche um, bis er das Interesse verlor und abschaltete. Er trank das, was der Steward ihm brachte, sparsam, gerade genug, um nicht zu viel nachzudenken, aber nicht genug, um wirklich berauscht zu werden. Es schmeckte sowieso ziemlich \u00fcbel. Er war sogar damit besch\u00e4ftigt, seine zerknitterte Kleidung in den Schrank zu h\u00e4ngen und seine pers\u00f6nlichen Gegenst\u00e4nde in der 'Nasszelle' (eine weitere Banu-Kuriosit\u00e4t) zu ordnen.\n\nUnd er ignorierte das Symbol 'Nachricht wartet' auf seiner Kommunikationsverbindung. Sie war es, das wusste er, ohne auch nur hinzusehen. Er nahm einen Schluck von seinem Drink, in der Hoffnung, seine Angst zumindest zu d\u00e4mpfen, wenn schon nicht ganz zu ertr\u00e4nken. Es ist nur eine Frau, Charl, ermahnte er sich.\n\nEs vergingen zwei Stunden, bis er ein leises Klopfen h\u00f6rte. Er nahm einen st\u00e4rkenden Schluck und \u00f6ffnete dann die T\u00fcr.\n\n\"Oh, hallo\", sagte Angela, die sich von ihrer eigenen Kabinent\u00fcr abwandte. \"Ich dachte schon, Sie w\u00fcrden nicht antworten.\"\n\n\"Hallo\", antwortete er unbeholfen.\n\n\"Ich dachte, wir sollten die Mission besprechen, solange wir noch Zeit haben.\" Er hatte vergessen, wie sich eine Frauenstimme \u00fcberhaupt anh\u00f6rt. Er musste zugeben, dass sie auch wirklich h\u00fcbsch war, nicht dass das eine Rolle spielen w\u00fcrde. Er ertappte sich dabei, wie er sich aufrichtete.\n\n\"Nun, wir werden den Planeten in etwa 12 Stunden erreichen. Wahrscheinlich k\u00f6nnen wir uns w\u00e4hrend des Planetensturzes treffen.\" Es war ihm gar nicht in den Sinn gekommen, dass sie die Einzelheiten besprechen k\u00f6nnten. So lange hatte er schon allein gearbeitet. Falls Angela seine Unsicherheit bemerkt hatte, zeigte sie keine offensichtliche Reaktion, sondern starrte nur etwas ausdruckslos. Schmollte sie ein wenig, oder hielt sie ihren Mund immer so? Charl konnte es nicht sagen. Aber als sie einen Moment lang nicht reagierte, dachte er, er h\u00e4tte sich nicht klar ausgedr\u00fcckt.\n\n\"Ja, wir sollten die Dinge besprechen\", stellte er klar, und ihr L\u00e4cheln erhellte den schummrigen Korridor.\n\n\"K\u00f6nnen wir uns sp\u00e4ter zum Abendessen in der Lounge treffen?\", fragte sie.\n\n\"Nun, treffen wir uns einfach in der Lounge\", antwortete er.\n\n\"In einer Stunde?\"\n\n\"Eine Stunde ist in Ordnung\", sagte er und schob die Kabinent\u00fcr zu, dann atmete er tief ein. Er kippte den Rest seines Drinks hinunter, um sein pochendes Herz zu beruhigen. In seinem Kopf schrillten die Alarmglocken. Lassen Sie sich nicht von Ihrer Biologie \u00fcberw\u00e4ltigen, Charl. Intellektuell redete er sich ein, dass sie sich nur getroffen hatten, um \u00fcber den Job zu sprechen, und hielt ein schnelles Bad, eine Rasur und die Wahl seines sch\u00f6nsten Hemdes f\u00fcr gute Manieren.\n\nAuch Angela hatte sich umgezogen, wie Charl feststellte: eine pfirsichfarbene Bluse und eine dunkle Hose. Nat\u00fcrlich waren sie allein in der Lounge der Yacht, denn sie waren die einzigen Passagiere und sa\u00dfen an einem viel zu kleinen Tisch. Die Banu-Stewards kannten sich mit menschlichen Unterk\u00fcnften gut aus, brachten Wasser und stellten sogar Besteck bereit, aber anscheinend hatten sie nicht mitbekommen, dass dies kein 'Abendessen' war.\n\n\"Danke, dass Sie mich empfangen\", begann Angela und legte eine Serviette auf ihren Scho\u00df. \"Ich dachte schon, Sie w\u00fcrden mich ignorieren.\"\n\n\"Nun\", sagte er leicht zappelnd, \"nehmen Sie es nicht pers\u00f6nlich. Ich war lange Zeit im All unterwegs.\"\n\n\"Man hat mich gewarnt, dass Sie lieber allein arbeiten. Ich hoffe, ich mache Ihnen keine Unannehmlichkeiten.\"\n\n\"Ganz und gar nicht.\" Ihre Salate kamen an, gemischtes fremdes Gr\u00fcnzeug, manche bitter, manche sauer, aber auf jeden Fall essbar. Charl stocherte ein paar Minuten lang in seinem herum, w\u00e4hrend die Stewards hin und her gingen.\n\n\"Ich habe einen vorl\u00e4ufigen Bericht \u00fcber die Blutchemie des Hwasheen\", begann Angela wieder, und Charl war froh, den professionellen Teil des Abends fortsetzen zu k\u00f6nnen. \"Es ist nicht anders als bei einigen anderen Nutztieren, wie dem Brundeen und dem Gisbut.\"\n\n\"Was ist ein Gisbut?\", fragte er.\n\n\"Wie lange sind Sie schon nicht mehr im UEE-Raum?\", fragte sie am\u00fcsiert, und er fand ihre gute Laune ansteckend.\n\n\"Offenbar schon eine ganze Weile\", gab er zu und Angela nippte an ihrem Wasser. \"Woher kommen Sie?\"\n\n\"Ich bin Terraner.\"\n\n\"Wie lange sind Sie schon bei Torreele Foodstuffs?\"\n\n\"Ich habe direkt nach der Universit\u00e4t bei ihnen angefangen. Ich habe dort ein Praktikum gemacht.\" Er rechnete nach. Sie sah aus wie Mitte bis Ende 20, das hei\u00dft, sie war mindestens f\u00fcnf Jahre oder l\u00e4nger dabei.\n\n\"Sie waren also an der gro\u00dfen Boventine-Einf\u00fchrung beteiligt. Ich habe Torreele dabei geholfen\", sagte er in der Hoffnung, sie zu beeindrucken, aber sie runzelte die Stirn und sch\u00fcttelte leicht den Kopf.\n\n\"Nein, ich war nicht an dieser Fusion beteiligt\", sagte sie z\u00f6gernd, woraufhin Charl ein wenig lachte.\n\n\"Boventine ist ein Produkt, kein Unternehmen\", korrigierte er sie.\n\n\"Oh, ja, nat\u00fcrlich\", sagte sie und schnappte sich eine Speisekarte. \"Haben Sie sich f\u00fcr etwas entschieden?\"\n\n\"Nein\", sagte er und \u00f6ffnete eine f\u00fcr sich selbst, \"ich hatte eigentlich nicht vor, etwas zu essen, aber ich sch\u00e4tze, ich bin hungriger als ich dachte. Sie haben Ihren Salat kaum anger\u00fchrt\", bemerkte er.\n\n\"Das ist irgendwie seltsam, finden Sie nicht auch?\"\n\n\"Gut f\u00fcr die Banu-K\u00fcche, wenn Sie mich fragen.\" Sie bestellten beide und plauderten ein wenig miteinander. Nur sichere Themen: die Unterschiede zwischen Banu und Menschen, die Unannehmlichkeiten der Raumfahrt und so weiter. Charl verschlang seine Mahlzeit, aber er sah, dass Angela nur an ihrem Essen knabberte. Machte er sie etwa nerv\u00f6s, fragte er sich?\n\n\"Und, haben Sie schon einmal einen dieser Hwasheen aus der N\u00e4he gesehen?\" fragte Charl schlie\u00dflich und war froh, einen weiteren Whiskey in der Hand zu haben, den ihm der Steward spendiert hatte.\n\n\"Nein, habe ich nicht\", antwortete sie schlicht.\n\n\"Ich dachte nur, man h\u00e4tte vielleicht einen in einen Zoo gesteckt oder einen in Ihr Labor gebracht.\"\n\n\"Nein, nichts dergleichen.\" Sie bekam wieder diesen leeren Gesichtsausdruck, als ob sie in Gedanken versunken w\u00e4re. \"Sie haben uns nur eine Blutprobe gebracht\", fuhr sie schlie\u00dflich fort, und es folgte eine weitere unangenehme Pause. Charl hatte den eindeutigen Eindruck, dass sie nerv\u00f6s oder sozial unbeholfen war, oder beides. Es war so lange her, dass er mit einer Frau zusammen gewesen war, dass es ihm schwer fiel, das zu erkennen, aber die Vorstellung beruhigte ihn ein wenig.\n\n\"Nun, ich denke, wir werden eine Menge mehr erfahren, wenn wir auf dem Planeten sind.\"\n\n\"Ich sollte wirklich zur\u00fcck in meine Kabine gehen\", sagte sie pl\u00f6tzlich. \"Ich bin m\u00fcde.\"\n\n\"Oh, nat\u00fcrlich, das verstehe ich.\" Charl stand auf, als sie aufstand, um zu gehen - so viel wusste er jedenfalls noch - und war \u00fcberrascht, denn er hatte fest damit gerechnet, dass er derjenige sein w\u00fcrde, der ihr Gespr\u00e4ch abbricht. \"Bitte, ich w\u00fcnsche Ihnen einen sch\u00f6nen Abend.\"\n\n\"Ja, danke. Ihnen auch einen sch\u00f6nen Abend.\" Er sah zu, wie sie die Komb\u00fcse verlie\u00df und blieb dann noch eine Weile, um seinen Drink zu beenden, w\u00e4hrend die Handvoll Banu-Stewards ihren Tisch abr\u00e4umten. Seltsames M\u00e4dchen.\n\nFortsetzung folgt ...","zh_CN":"Sealing the Reacher\u2019s airlock and leaving his ship behind at the Bacchus orbital was one of the hardest things Charl had done in awhile. Sure, it was just a material thing, he realized, but that ship had been his constant companion \u2014 indeed his sole companion \u2014 for several standards. He remembered one time considering having an artificial personality glommed onto the Reacher\u2019s computer system (they were all the rage in UEE space, he understood), but he\u2019d decided against it. The Reacher had a personality all its own, and he was going to miss it.\n\nBesides, a Human personality would have annoyed him, artificial or otherwise.\n\nThey had given him just two hours to gather his things and report to a Banu yacht in its own mooring at the far end of the orbital\u2019s docking ring. Lyshtuu apologized as best he could, for an alien who neither understood why Charl was upset in the first place nor the whole concept of an \u2018apology\u2019 either, for that matter.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not your fault,\u201d Charl had tried to reassure him over the vid link.\n\n\u201cCharl-Grissom, not meaning breach acquaintance in any way,\u201d the Banu tried to explain, but it was clear the alien was baffled. Charl eased it over and was sure he left Lyshtuu confident that he would perform the mission well and be glad to work with him again. Banu hate to disappoint.\n\nPorters startled him as he exited the Reacher. Who sends real live porters for luggage anymore? If he\u2019d known they were coming he might have packed a few more things. They grabbed up his couple of ragged duffels and lead him on their way to the more exclusive part of the spaceport where their yacht, the Shuulyear, waited behind velvet ropes.\n\nTorreele Foodstuffs was spending some major money on this thing, Charl thought. Porters? A yacht? What did this Hwasheen thing taste like, anyway? Ambrosia?\n\nThey stowed his gear in a stateroom that was way nicer than he needed and left him to his own devices. They had even adjusted the temperature and lighting to more Human norms. The yacht\u2019s head steward \u2014 it had several stewards \u2014 let him know they would depart for the first jump point in less than an hour. Like most passenger ships, he would get a two-minute warning as they approached each jump point along the way, so he could prepare for hyperspace travel\u2019s mild discomfort.\n\nAll things being equal, Charl would have stretched himself out on the stateroom\u2019s big bed, ordered room service and relaxed. But things were not equal. As he came onboard the yacht he had seen that the stateroom just across the corridor was already occupied. She was here. Despite himself, his heart beat a bit quicker.\n\nCharl hit the comm button and the steward\u2019s face appeared on the screen.\n\n\u201cYes, Charl-Grissom?\u201d\n\n\u201cAre there any other staterooms available on this thing?\u201d he asked.\n\n\u201cIs something unpleasing for you?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo \u2026 no, this stateroom is fine. Is there any alcohol on this boat? Or can you synthesize some?\u201d\n\n\u201cWe can synthesize anything \u2026\u201d\n\n\u201cWhiskey, then. Rye, if possible.\u201d\n\nCharl settled into his stateroom as best he could. He flipped through the hundreds of vid entertainment channels \u2014 all Banu, which he normally enjoyed \u2014 but couldn\u2019t settle on any of them, so switched to soothing ocean sounds for awhile until he lost interest and switched it off. He drank what the steward delivered sparingly, just enough to keep from thinking too much, but not enough to get really inebriated. It tasted pretty foul, anyway. He even busied himself hanging his wrinkled clothes in the closet and arranged his personal items in the \u2018wet\u2019 room (another Banu oddity).\n\nAnd he ignored the \u2018message waiting\u2019 icon swirling on his comm link. It was her, he knew it without even looking. He took a swig of his drink, hoping to at least dampen his anxiety if not completely drown it. It\u2019s just a woman, Charl, he admonished himself.\n\nTwo hours passed before he heard a gentle knock. He took a fortifying drink and then opened the door.\n\n\u201cOh, hello,\u201d Angela said, turning back from her own stateroom door. \u201cI thought you weren\u2019t going to answer.\u201d\n\n\u201cHello,\u201d he responded awkwardly.\n\n\u201cI thought we should discuss the mission while we have the time.\u201d He had forgotten what a woman\u2019s voice even sounded like. He had to admit, she really was lovely, too, not that that should even matter. He caught himself straightening.\n\n\u201cWell, we\u2019ll get to the planet in, what, 12 hours or so. We can probably catch up during planetfall.\u201d It hadn\u2019t even occurred to him that they might discuss the particulars. That\u2019s how long he had been working alone. If Angela picked up on his uncertainty, she made no obvious reaction other than to stare somewhat blankly. Was she pouting a little, or did she always hold her mouth that way? Charl couldn\u2019t tell. But when she didn\u2019t respond for a moment he figured he hadn\u2019t made himself clear.\n\n\u201cYes, we should discuss things,\u201d he clarified, and her smile lit up the dim corridor.\n\n\u201cCan we meet in the lounge later for dinner?\u201d she asked\n\n\u201cWell, let\u2019s just meet in the lounge,\u201d he answered.\n\n\u201cIn an hour?\u201d\n\n\u201cAn hour\u2019s fine,\u201d he said and slid the stateroom door closed, then took a deep breath. He downed the rest of his drink to slow his pounding heart. Alarm bells went off in his head. Don\u2019t let your biology get the better of you, Charl. Intellectually, he told himself they were just meeting to talk about the job, and rationalized a quick bath, shave and selection of his nicest shirt as just good manners.\n\nAngela had changed her clothes, too, Charl noticed, to a peach blouse and dark slacks. Of course, they were alone in the yacht\u2019s lounge, since they were the only passengers, placed at an all-too-tiny table. The Banu stewards were well versed in Human accommodation, bringing water, even providing silverware, but it appeared they hadn\u2019t gotten the word that this wasn\u2019t a \u2018dinner.\u2019\n\n\u201cThanks for seeing me,\u201d Angela began, putting a napkin in her lap. \u201cI was beginning to think you were ignoring me.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d he fidgeted slightly, \u201cdon\u2019t take it personally. I\u2019ve been out in space for a long time.\u201d\n\n\u201cThey warned me that you prefer to work alone. I hope I\u2019m not an inconvenience for you.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot at all.\u201d Their salads arrived, mixed alien greens, some bitter, some sour, but certainly edible. Charl picked at his for a few minutes as the stewards passed to and fro.\n\n\u201cI have a preliminary readout on the hwasheen\u2019s blood chemistry,\u201d Angela began again, and Charl was glad to continue the professional portion of the evening. \u201cIt\u2019s not dissimilar from several other livestock animals, like the brundeen and the gisbut.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s a gisbut?\u201d he asked.\n\n\u201cHow long have you been away from UEE space?\u201d she asked amusedly, and despite himself, he found her good humor infectious.\n\n\u201cQuite a while, apparently,\u201d he admitted, and Angela sipped her water. \u201cWhere are you from?\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m Terran.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow long have you been with Torreele Foodstuffs?\u201d\n\n\u201cI started with them right out of university. I interned there.\u201d He did the math. She looked to be mid to late 20s, so that meant she\u2019d been with them at least five years or more.\n\n\u201cSo you were part of the big Boventine roll out. I helped Torreele out on that one,\u201d he mentioned, hoping to impress her, but she wrinkled her brow and shook her head slightly.\n\n\u201cNo, I wasn\u2019t part of that merger,\u201d she said tentatively, to which Charl chuckled a bit.\n\n\u201cBoventine\u2019s a product, not a company,\u201d he corrected.\n\n\u201cOh, yes, of course,\u201d she said, snatching up a menu. \u201cHave you decided on something?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d he said, opening one for himself, \u201cI wasn\u2019t really planning on eating anything, but I guess I\u2019m hungrier than I thought. You\u2019ve barely touched your salad,\u201d he pointed out.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s sort of strange, don\u2019t you think?\u201d\n\n\u201cGood for Banu cuisine, if you ask me.\u201d They both ordered and shared some minor chitchat. Safe topics only: the differences between Banu and Humans, inconveniences of space travel, and so on. Charl devoured his meal, but he saw that Angela just nibbled at hers. Was he making her nervous, he wondered?\n\n\u201cSo, have you actually seen one of these hwasheen up close?\u201d Charl eventually asked, glad to have another whiskey in hand, courtesy of the steward.\n\n\u201cNo, I haven\u2019t,\u201d she answered simply.\n\n\u201cI just thought they might have put one in a zoo or brought one around to your lab.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, nothing like that.\u201d She got that blank expression again, like she was lost in thought. \u201cThey only brought us a blood sample,\u201d she continued finally, and another awkward pause followed. Charl got the definite impression she was nervous or socially awkward or a little of both. It had been so long since he\u2019d been with a woman it was hard for him to tell, but the notion put him a bit at ease.\n\n\u201cWell, I think we\u2019ll learn a lot more when we get to the planet.\u201d\n\n\u201cI really should get back to my stateroom,\u201d she injected suddenly. \u201cI\u2019m tired.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, of course, I understand.\u201d Charl stood as she got up to leave \u2014 he remembered that much, anyway \u2014 surprised, since he fully expected he would have been the one to cut their conversation short. \u201cPlease, have a good evening.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, thank you. Have a good evening, too.\u201d He watched her leave the galley and then remained for a while to finish his drink as the handful of Banu stewards cleared their table. Strange girl.\n\nTo Be Continued \u2026"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":29,"created_at":"2013-07-01T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"12 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-09 08:13:19","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":13076,"next_id":13078}}