amc.killashandra-第16节

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to　a　second　ornate　cabinet　which　opened　into　a　full　size　terminal；　and　a　panel　in　the　wall　slid　aside　to　reveal　a　large　screen。　She　typed　an　entry　as　Killashandra　made　a　private　wager。　〃Why；　how　under　the　suns　did　you　know？〃
　〃The　best　brewmasters　in　the　galaxy　hail　from　that　planet。　I　haven't　sampled　everything　yet；〃　Killashandra　went　on；　〃but　I　shall　be　very　well　suited　indeed　if　you'll　undertake　to　keep　me　supplied　with　Bascum's　brew。〃
　〃As　you　require；　Guildmember。　But　for　now；　the　concert　is　about　to　start　in　the　Red　Hall。　Only　the　single　manual　organ；　but　the　performer　was　last　year's　prize　winner。〃
　Killashandra　was　tempted；　but　she　was　a　shade　hungrier　and　drier　than　she　liked　to　be。　〃The　Elders　are　present？〃　When　Mirbethan　solemnly　nodded；　Killashandra　sighed　deeply。　〃Convey　my　apologies　on　the　grounds　of　travel　fatigue。。。　and　the　stress　of　metabolic　readjustment　after　the　assault　and　the　wound。〃　Killashandra　ran　the　silk　up　her　arm；　exposing　her　shoulder　where　only　a　thin　red　line　gave　evidence　of　an　injury。
　Mirbethan's　eyes　widened　significantly　and　then；　with　a　subtle　shift；　she　inclined　a　bow　to　Killashandra。
　〃Your　apologies　will　be　conveyed。　Call　code　MBT　14　if　you　require　any　further　assistance　from　myself；　Thyrol。　Pirinio；　or　Polabod。〃
　Killashandra　wished　her　a　pleasant　evening　and　Mirbethan　withdrew。　As　soon　as　the　door　had　closed　on　the　woman；　Killashandra　discarded　her　languor　and　made　for　the　catering　unit。　Once　again；　Optherian　peculiarities　inhibited　her；　for　when　she　called　up　a　menu；　there　was　no　scrolling　of　delectable；　mouthwatering　selections　but　a　set　dinner；　with　only　three　choices　for　the　main　course。　She　opted　for　all　three；　and　immediately　the　catering　unit　queried　her。　She　repeated　her　request　and；　when　the　unit　wanted　to　know　how　many　were　dining；　she　tapped　in　〃three。〃　At　which　point　the　unit　informed　her　that　the　apartment　was　recorded　as　having　a　single　occupant。　She　replied　that　she　had　guests。　Their　names　and　codes　were　required。　She　responded　with　the　names　of　Elders　Pentrom　and　Ampris；　codes　unknown。
　The　food　was　promptly　dispensed；　two　of　the　meager　servings　that　she　had　observed　in　the　dining　hall。　Fortunately　the　third　one　was　substantial　enough　to　abort　the　kick　that　she　had　been　about　to　bestow　on　the　catering　unit。
　Once　she　had　solid　food　in　her　stomach；　she　continued　her　liquor　sampling。　While　not　in　the　least　inebriated；　thanks　to　her　Ballybran…altered　digestion；　Killashandra　was　very　merry　and　sang　lustily　as　she　ventured　into　the　hygiene　rooms　and　splashed　in　the　scented　water　of　the　bath。　She　continued　to　sing；　her　fancy　latching　onto　a　riotous　ballad　generally　rendered　by　a　tenor；　as　she　made　her　way　to　the　bedroom。　A　lambent　radiance　augmented　the　soft　lighting　and；　curious；　she　went　to　the　window；　observing　three　of　Optheria's　four　small　moons；　one　near　enough　for　the　craters　and　vast　sterile　plains　to　be　clearly　visible。　Entranced；　Killashandra　broke　off　the　ballad　and　began　the　haunting　love　duet　from　Baleef's　exotic　opera；　Voyagers；　which　seemed　particularly　appropriate　to　the　setting。
　When　a　tenor　voice　joined　her　on　cue；　she　faltered　a　moment。　Then；　despite　her　astonishment　at　spontaneity　in　such　a　rigidly　controlled　environment；　she　continued。　Voyagers　had　been　her　last　opera　as　a　student　on　Fuerte；　so　she　knew　it　well　enough　to　divert　some　of　her　attention　from　the　words。　And　a　fine；　rich；　well　produced　voice　he　had。　Might　need　a　bit　more　support　for　the　G's　and　A's　in　the　last　three　measures　…　she'd　be　amazed　if　he　could　hit　the　high　C　along　with　her　…　but　he　had　a　firm　sense　of　the　dynamic　requirements　and　sang　with　great　sensitivity。　As　the　tenor　took　up　the　melody；　she　gathered　herself　for　the　taxing　finale；　delighted　to　find　her　singing　voice　still　flexible　enough　for　the　dynamics；　and　the　high　C。　The　tenor；　with　no　loss　of　vibrance；　opted　for　the　A；　but　it　was　a　grand　ringing　A　and　she　applauded　his　judgment。
　She　sustained　her　note；　perversely　wishing　him　to　drop　but；　as　it　happened；　they　broke　off　at　the　same　instant；　as　if　they　had　had　the　innumerable　rehearsals　such　inspired　singing　required。
　〃　'When　shall　our　paths　cross　again？'　〃　she　asked　in　the　recitative　which　followed　that　spectacular　duet。
　〃　'When　the　moons　of　Radomah　make　glorious　the　sky　with　measured　dance。'　〃　The　invisible　tenor　also　had　a　vibrant　speaking　voice；　and；　better　yet；　an　appreciation　of　the　humor　in　their　impromptu　performance　for　she　caught　the　ripple　of　laughter　in　his　chanted　phrases。　Did　he　also　find　the　words；　and　the　opera；　a　trifle　ludicrous　in　the　austere　setting　of　the　Optherian　plex？
　All　of　a　sudden；　the　courtyard　below　was　floodlighted。　Figures　erupted　onto　the　paving；　shouting　mands　for　silence。　Before　she　stepped　back　from　the　window；　Killashandra　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　figure；　in　a　window　directly　opposite　hers　but　a　story　above；　withdrawing　into　the　shielding　darkness。　Soprano　and　tenor　exited　the　stage　while　the　extras　made　a　diligent　and　vain　search　for　the　conspirators。
　Killashandra　poured　herself　a　full　glass　of　something　which　its　label　identified　as　a　fortified　wine。　This　was　an　odd　music　center　if　impromptu　singing；　particularly　of　so　high　a　caliber；　was　answered　by　punitive　force。
　She　downed　the　drink；　doused　all　the　lights　in　the　suite　and；　in　the　milky　light　of　the　moons；　sought　the　fort　of　her　bed。　Despite　a　wish　for　sleep；　her　mind　ranged　through　the　scenes　of　the　Baleef　opera　and　the　sorrows　of　the　star…crossed　lovers。　She　must　remember　to　ask　Mirbethan　who　that　tenor　was。　Fine　voice！　Much　better　than　the　pimple…faced　little　oaf　who　had　sung　the　role　opposite　her　on　Fuerte！
　Morning　chimes；　soft　but　insidious；　roused　her。　She　lifted　herself　on　one　elbow；　saw　that　dawn　was　just　breaking；　groaned　and；　flinging　the　light　coverlet　over　her　head；　went　back　to　sleep。　A　second　sequence　of　chimes；　louder；　sounded。　Cursing；　Killashandra　strode　to　the　console；　coded　the　number　Mirbethan　had　given　her。　〃Is　there　any　way　to　stop　the　wretched　chimes　in　this　apartment？　Imagine；　having　to　wake　up　at　dawn！〃
　〃That　is　the　way　here；　Guildmember；　but　I　shall　advise　Control　that　your　apartment　is　to　be　excluded　from　the　Rising　Chimes。〃
　〃And　all　others；　please！　I　will　not　be　ordered　about　by　bells；　drums；　whistles；　shrills；　or　inaudibles。　And　who　possesses　that　remarkably　fine　tenor　voice？〃
　Mirbethan　shot　Killashandra　a　startled　look。　〃You　were　disturbed　by　it　…　〃
　〃Not　in　the　least。　But　if　that's　the　quality　of　natural　musical　talent　on　Optheria；　I'm　impressed。〃
　〃The　Center　does　not　encourage　vocalizing。〃　Mirbethan's　cool　denial　roused　Killashandra's　instant　hostility。
　〃You　mean；　that　tenor　is　a　reject　from　your　opera　school？〃
　〃You　misunderstand　the　situation；　Guildmember。　All　the　teaching　centers　on　Optheria　emphasize　keyboard　music。〃
　〃You　mean；　only　that　organ？〃
　〃Of　course。　The　organ　is　the　ultimate　of　instruments；　bining　the　…　〃
　〃Spare　me　the　hype；　Mirbethan。〃　Killashandra　took　an　obscure　pleasure　in　the　shock　her　statement　gave　the　woman。　Then　she　relented。　〃Oh；　I　concur　that　the　Optherian　organ　is　a　premier　instrument；　but　that　tenor　voice　was　rather　spectacular　on　its　own　merit。〃
　〃You　should　not　have　been　disturbed　…　〃
　〃Fardles！　I　enjoyed　singing　with　him。〃
　Mirbethan's　eyes　rounded　in　a　secondary　shock。　〃You。。。　were　the　other　singer？〃
　〃I　was。〃　File　that　for　future　reference！　〃Tell　me；　Mirbethan；　if　only　a　few　of　the　hundreds　who　must　study　at　this　Center　ever　attain　the　standard　required　to　play　the　Optherian　organ；　what　happens　to　those　who　don't？〃
　〃Why；　suitable　situations　are　found　for　them。〃
　〃In　music？〃　Mirbethan　shook　her　head。　〃I'd　think　that　crystal　singing　would　provide　a　marvelous　alternative。〃
　〃Optherians　do　not　care　to　leave　their　planet；　whatever　their　minor　disappointments。　You　will　excuse　me；　Guildmember　…　〃　Mirbethan　broke　the　connection。
　Killashandra　stared　at　the　blank　screen　for　a　long　moment。　Of　course；　neither　Mirbethan　nor　any　of　the　quartette　knew　of　her　early　background　in　music。　Certainly　none　of　them　could　possible　know　of　her　disappointment；　nor　how　she　would　relate　that　to　what　Mirbethan　had　just　admitted。　If　you　failed　to　make　the　grade　at　the　organ；　there　was　nothing　else　for　you　on　Optheria？
　There　was　no　way　in　which　Killashandra　would　buy　Mirbethan's　statement　that　frustrated　Optherian　musicians　would　prefer　to　remain　on　the　planet；　even　if　they　had　been　conditioned　to　the　restriction　from　birth。
　And　that　tenor　had　sung　with　absolute　pitch。　It'd　be　a　bloody　shame　to　muzzle　that　voice　in　preference　to　an　organ；　however　〃perfect〃　an　instrument　it　might　be。　Hazardous　crystal　singing　might　be　as　a　profession；　but　it　sure　beat　languishing　on　Optheria。　A　sudden　thought　struck　her　and；　with　a　fluid　stride；　she　went　to　the　terminal；　tapped　for　Library；　and　the　entry　on　Ballybran。　A　much　expurgated　entry　scrolled　past；　ending　with　the　Code　Four　restriction。　She　queried　the　Files　for　political　science　texts　and　discovered　fascinating　gaps　in　that　category。　So；　censorship　was　applied　on　Optheria。　Not　that　that　ever　acplished　its　purpose。　However；　an　active　censorship　was　not　grounds　for　charter…smashing；　and　the　Guild　had　only　been　requested　to　discover　if　the　pla