The Grille was built around the lower section of the Cirrandaria's main swimming pool, and was largely illuminated by the bluish light that filtered through the large viewports set in the pool sides. One could watch as the swimmers played in the superoxygenated water, which allowed even air-breatherstostayundervirtuallyforaslongastheywished.
Lester sat beside one of the ports nursing an orange juice and watched the plunging,twistingformsontheothersideoftheglassenviously.Thewaterlent
evenbulkyfiguresacuriousgrace.Humanswerenottheonlyoccupantsofthe
pool, and he saw the pseudo-crocodilian form of an amphibian Tritonite glide past with a flick of its tail. Even out here between the stars, it seemed, people werestilldrawnbacktotheenvironmentinwhichtheyhadfirstevolved.
Might he join them? He wasn't sure he had the nerve to experiment with
actualwaterbreathing.Somepeople'sreflexesneverallowedthemtotakeinthat firstlungful.Butitlookedfun,andhecertainlywouldn'tgetnauseousashedid whenhetriedfreefallgames,despitethedrugs.Heusedtobeagoodswimmer
whenhewasaboy...
Hewasrecalledfromhisreveriebyatappingontheglass.
Floatingjustametreawayfromhimwastheyoungwomanhehadmetatthe
railthepreviousnight.
The momentary illusion that he had been accosted by a mermaid was
reinforcedbyhercostumeofslenderstripsofiridescentscalesclingingtightlyto herskin,andwhichwasclearlyintendedfordecorationratherthanconcealment.
Heswallowed,tryinghardnottostare,andsmiledbackathernervously.
Shesmiledandwavedinturn,thenpointedupward.Withakickofherlong
legssherosetothesurfaceofthepool.
AndLesterfoundhimselfrisingfromhistabletofollowher.
ThePoolsideBarwasdisguisedasasectionoftropicalbeach,completewith
sand and palm trees, but without mosquitoes. Thatched awnings shaded tables fromaconvincinglyhotartificialsun,whichshoneoutofablueskyprojected
ontotheinsideofoneoftheCirrandaria'slargerhulldomes.Atnight,byship's time,theprojectorswereturnedoffandtherealstarsshonedownonthepool.
BythetimeLesterreachedthepoolsidethewomanwastowellingherselfdown
beside a shaded beach chair. He realised he still didn't know her name and falteredasheapproachedher.
Sheseemedtoreadthecauseofhishesitationandheldoutherhand.
'IngridSchollander.'
'LesterPlecht.'
Hergripwasfirm,herhandstillcoolfromthewater.'Didyouneedtogooff
so quickly like that last night?' she asked with unexpected directness.'You missedthemleave.''Mywife.Shewantedtogetbacktosleep.'
'Couldn't you have told her you'd be with her in five minutes? She doesn't runyourlife,doesshe?'
Beforehehadtimetothinkhereplied,'Shedoes,actually.'Healmostbithis
lipinembarrassment.He'dsaiditoutloudtoaperfectstranger.Justthesortof thoughtlessremarkRhondahadwarnedhimaboutnottwentyminutesearlier.
ButtohisamazementIngridlaughed.Itwasn'tunkindlaughterorinanyway
mocking.Itinvitedhimtojoinin,toseethehumourofhisunguardedresponse.
Hemanagedawrygrinofhisown,thenfoundhimselfsaying,'CanIgetyoua
drink?'
Asthoughinadreamhewavedtheautowaiteroverandorderedarefillfor
Ingrid'sglassand,almostabsently,addedastrongerdrinkforhimselfthanany
Rhondahadallowedhimforfiveyears.Thenhefoundasparebeachchairand drewitupbesideIngrid's.Andtheytalked.
Hefoundoutshewastwenty-eight,apartnerinasmallastrominingbusiness
and unattached. He in turn spoke about his own work. He found he kept mentioningRhonda,realisingashedidsohowmuchshehadshapedhislife.It
felt incongruous in the circumstances, but Ingrid didn't seem to mind, and listenedattentivelyandsympathetically.
Andthentheymovedeasilyontotastesinvids,politics,sportandfashion.
It was trivia of no significance whatsoever and an unalloyed delight. She actually laughed at some of the things he said. Deep down he had no illusions thatthiswasthestartofsomewildaffair.
Hewastwentyyearsolderthansheandhadnothingshecouldpossiblywant.
Perhapsitwasjusthernaturetosparehimalittletimebecauseshefeltsorryfor him.Wellifthatwassothenhewasn'ttooproudtorefuse.Foralittlewhilehe could enjoy the pleasure of her company, aware of the envious looks he was drawingfromseveraltannedandmuscularyoungmenaroundthepool.
The difference between Ingrid and Rhonda, Lester realised, was that
everythingRhondadidwassocalculated,whileIngridjustrespondednaturally,
openly, without any ulterior motive. Ingrid gave while Rhonda took. Ingrid offered her attention freely, and seemed to find pleasure in the all those trivial curiosities and inconsistencies of life that so annoyed Rhonda. When the autowaiter delivered a vile mixed drink to her by mistake, she simply pulled a wryface,laughed,tippeditbackintoitshopperandtoldittotryagain.Rhonda wouldhavecomplainedtothepurserattheveryleast.
Suddenly Lester saw his watch. How could so much time have passed so
quickly?'I'msorry.Imustgo.Rhondawillbebacksoontogetreadyforlunch.'
Ingrid frowned gently. 'Why are you looking so guilty? Have we done
anythingwrong?'
'No. Of course not. It's been... wonderful. But she wouldn't understand... I meanaboutusjusttalking...'Herealisedhewassoundingpathetic.
'Youcanalways sayyouwere cultivatingapotential client.Yourcompany
deals in management systems. Perhaps we might be interested in them. Or say nothingatall.Youdon'thavetoaccountforeverysecondyou'reawayfromher,
doyou?Doesn'tRhondatrustyouatall?'
'She's...overprotective.'
Ingridlookedathimthoughtfullyforalongmoment,andhefoundhimself
meltingintothedeepblueofhereyes.'Doyouloveher?'sheasked.
'Idid.Once,'headmitted.
"Then stand up for yourself and find out if you still do. Or else why stay
together?'
'Habit,Isuppose.We'vegotnochildrentothinkof.Thatmighthavemadea
difference,butitneverseemedtobetherighttimetohavethem.'
'Maybe you should make the time now, before it's too late. Or if your wife doesn'twantto,atleastfindsomehappinessforyourself.'
LesterwonderedifhehadthenerveaftersolongrelyingonRhondatomake
alltheimportantdecisions.Thethoughtwasenticingandfrighteningatthesame
time.
Ingrid got up, gathered her things and smiled at him. 'I hope I'll see you again.Goodluck.'
Lesterwatchedherwalkaroundthesideofthepool.Shewassobeautiful,he
thought. Rhonda still had a well-proportioned body and could appear very attractivewhentheyhadtoattendsomebusinessreception.Butshenevermade
herselfattractiveforhimanymore.PerhapsIngridwasright.
Heshoulddosomethingbeforeitwastoolate.
ThenhesawIngrid'sleftlegtwistunderher.Herfootskiddedsidewaysover
thelipofthepoolandshefellheavily.
Lesterwasathersideinamoment,catchingherjustbeforesheslitheredinto
thewater.Asconc
ernedfellowbathersandstaffgatheredaroundthemhehelped
hersitup.Herfacewaspaleandcreasedwithpain.
'Areyouhurt?'heaskedanxiously.
'Gavemykneequiteacrack,'sheadmitted,wincingasshetriedtostraighten
it.
'It'sbleeding...andyourotherleg'sgrazed.'
'Don'tknowhowIdidit.Almostfeltlikesomebodyinthepooltuggedmy
ankle.'
"There wasn't anybody in the water near you,' Lester said. 'I would have seen.'
She frowned for a moment, then shrugged and managed a smile. 'Just
clumsy,Isuppose.'
'We'llgetyoualongtosickbaytohavethedoccheckyourknee,'oneofthe
attendantssaid.'JuststaytherewhileIfetchawheelchair.'
'I can walk there myself, thanks,' she said, politely brushing aside their attentionsandlookingexpectantlyatLester.'Aslongassomebodywillgiveme
anarm.'
And so, acutely conscious of her warm body resting against his, Lester
helpedIngridtoherfeetandsupportedherasshelimpedawayfromthepool.He
realisedthattheeyesoftheyoungmenwhohadsurveyedhimearlierwereeven
more envious now.The sensation, far from adding to his embarrassment, made
himfeelhappierthanhehaddoneinyears.
***
DonDelraysatinhisdarkenedroom.
IthadtakenhimawhiletoconvinceEvanthathewassafetobeleftalone,
andintheendhehadtospeaksharplytohim.HesawthepaininArcovian'sface
at his rebuff, which only added to his own misery. He didn't want to hurt the little man's feelings but he had to have some time to himself. He couldn't continuetheactanylonger.
Slowly he withdrew his arm from the improvised sling, pulled the loop of clothoverhisheadandtosseditontothebed.Heflexedhisfingers.Theyfelt
fine.Hisleg,whichhaddisplayedthatconvincinglimpforthepastfewhours,
moved easily as well. He was a better actor than people gave him credit for -
perhapsbecausehewasacravencoward.
HethoughtLysetsensedthetruth,thoughsheneversaidanything.
Arcovianwastheonlyotherpersonheallowedcloseenoughtofindout,but
hisnaturetendedtoblindhimtopeople'sfailings.
Delraywentthroughtothebathroom,rolleduphissleeveandexaminedhis
arm.Therewasaslightbruiseontheelbow.Forwantofanythingbettertodohe
sponged a little cold water on to it.There, he had treated his own injuries. No needtoseetheship'sdoctorafterall.Bettertokeeptheslingonforafewdays though...Hesankhisheadoverthebasinindisgust,notwantingtolookathis
faceinthemirror.Thebruisewasnothing,butthenneitherwasheanymore.It
hadsavedhisreputationatthecostofhisself-respect.AndperhapsLyset'slife.
Heslunkoutofthebathroomandthrewhimselfonthebed.
He'dhadnochoicebuttoaccompanyLysetwhenshemadeitclearshewas
goingtothederelict,despitehavingabadfeelingaboutthewholebusiness.Of
course he could make patriotic little speeches about standing firm against the Nimosians,butthenthatwasnotsohardtosayincompany,especiallywhenhe
didn'tseriouslybelievetheNimosianswouldattackacivilianliner.
Still,hethoughthecouldgetawaywithit.He'dmanagedinthepastwhen
performingthosemodeststuntshimself-gettingthebestpeopletosetthemup,
jokingonthesetaboutthedangerandhisconcerns,secretlytakingastiffdrink just before it was time and then letting it happen. So far it had worked, but it never got any easier. In the fantasy world of the vids he could pretend to do anything. It was real life that scared him, waiting with its unscripted surprises andthebigscenethathewouldfoulupbyfreezingatthecrucialmoment.
Inevitably,thatwaswhathadhappenedoverthereonthealienship.
Hedidn'tthinkanybodyhadnoticed,duringthatfusilladeofgunfireasthose thingshadattackedthem,thathe'dbeentoofrightenedtopullthetriggerofhis owngun.HemightstillhavegotawaywithitbygrabbingLyset,whohadbeen
coollytakingpicturesevenasthethingsboredownonthem,ifthatspawnofa
nightmare hadn't snatched her. And there was a moment when he could have firedatit,orthrownhimselfforwardandattackeditwithhisbarehands.Never
mind that it would probably have been a futile gesture, he had been too frightenedtomoveamuscle.
Thenhehadbeenknockedoverhimselfbysomeflailinghalf-realtentacle.
Thecoldshockhadgalvanisedhisthoughtsandfromthenonhehadfaked
it.
He'drolledaboutinbelievableagonysothateverybodycouldseehehadn't
justbeentapped,he'dbeensmashedtotheground!Nobodycouldblamehimfor
havinglosthisgunwhenheprobablyhadabrokenarm.Thelimphadfollowed
naturallyashe'dstruggledbravelytohisfeet.Hehadn'tlostitevenasthey'drun for their lives down the tunnel with the ghost things at their heels, because by then he was into the part, and he'd rather really die than let them see he'd just beencoveringuphiscowardice,hithelandingbay,thatNimosianlieutenanthad
been staggering about, so he'd simply grabbed hold of him and dragged him towardstheshuttle.ThatwasOK.He'dplayedthatpartbefore:woundedsoldier
helpingcomradetosafety.Thatwasheroicenoughandnobodyexpectedhimto
fireagunwhilehewasdoingit.
And then they were clear of the ship and he was alive and Lyset was
probably dead. For the rest of his life he would have to live with knowing he couldhavetriedtosaveherbutdidn'thavethecourage.
Thenacurioussoundpenetratedtheveilofhisself-revulsion.Itwasafaint
whineandrapidsnuffling,followedbythewhisperofstepsoncarpet,asthough
there was an animal in the next room. Numbly he got to his feet and walked heavilythrough.
Buttherewasnosignofanyanimal.Helookedbehindthechairsandsofa
but found nothing.The snuffling sound came again, but now it seemed to issue fromthebedroomhehadjustleft.Howcouldithavegotpasthim?
He returned to the bedroom. It was empty. The space under the bed was hardly deep enough for an animal of any size to crawl under, but he looked anyway.Then, feeling faintly ridiculous, he checked the cupboards. He even lookedinthebathroom.Noanimalofanydescription.Thenheheardthesound
rightbehindhimandforamomentfeltsomethingsoftbrushagainsthisleg.
Hestartedviolentlyandkickedoutbyreflex.Hisfootpassedthroughempty
air.Washestartingtogomad?
Thencamealighthesitanttapatthemaindoor.Foramomenthewondered if he was imagining that too, but it was repeated again. It didn't sound like Arcovian and it hadn't the briskness of one of the staff. Looking about him nervously,hewenttoanswerit,automaticallypickinguptheslingfromthebed
and putting his arm back through it on the way. He was committed to the pretencenow,unlesshefoundthecouragetoadmitthetruth.
DanFjigersJuniorwasstandingoutsidelookingverynervousandglancing
upanddownthecorridorasthoughhedidn'twanttobeseen.Delraymanagedto
controlhisvoiceenoughtosayheartily,'Hallo,Dan.WhatcanIdoforyou?'
'I just wanted to see if you were all
right, Mr Dekay. My mother said I shouldn't bother you, but I had to know.' His wide eyes were locked on to the slinginhorrifiedfascination.
"That'sverykindofyou,Dan.I'mfine.'Hetappedtheslingwithhis'good'
hand.'Don'tworry,thisisjustascratch.'
The boy nodded and smiled in relief, then added, 'I heard them say Ms Wynterwasstillonthealienship.Issheallright?Whenareyougoingbackfor
her?'
Delrayverynearlylosthiscomposureinthefaceofthatinnocentquestion,
butsomehowhemanagedtoshapeaconfidentreply.'I'msureshe'sallright.We
had to leave suddenly and couldn't bring her along, but we'll be going back as soonaswegetsometechnicalproblemssortedout.Gottohavetherighttools
forthejob,youknowthat.'
'Weretheremonstersoverthere?'
'Yes,Dan,'hesaidsimply."Thereweremonsters.'
'Wow!Areyougoingbacktofightthem?'
'That'sright.I'mjustgettingtooledupreadyforthem.'
Withanexpressionofgreatself-sacrificetheboysaid,'Youcanborrowmy
electro-gunifyouwant.Andtheholster.'
Putting all the sincerity he could into his reply he said, 'Thank you very much, Dan. But I think I can manage with what I've got. Now, I've got to get somerestsoI'mreallysharpfortakingonthoseoldmonsters.Byenow.'
The boy smiled and ran off up the corridor. Dekay closed the door and staggered back through to the bathroom, tearing off the hated sling, fearing he wouldbesickatanymoment.Butonthethresholdhestoppeddead.
Writtenonthebathroommirrorinspiderystreaksofsoapandwaterwasone
word:
Coward
Chapter18
Suspicion
FayleturnedawayfromthebedwhereTanerestedandfollowedVegaoutofthe
Indomitable'ssickbay.BehindhimTanecontinuedtostaresightlesslyupatthe
ceiling.Feedingtubesandlinesconnectedhimtoamedicalsupportmonitor,hi
thecorridoroutsideFaylespoketohissuperiorinlowangrytones.
'Commander,wemusttakeactionagainsttheEmindians.'
Vegalookedathimthroughtiredeyes.Forthefirsttimesincehehadtaken
Doctor Who - The 8th Doctor - 14 - Vanderdeken Page 16