The Lost Star's Sea Read online

  04

  'Breakfast's ready.' Cin called out from the main compartment.

  I found I was very hungry, so I hurried out, and settled into the chair next to her with a steaming, covered plate. I lifted the cover and took a whiff of the fragrant steam. 'Ah, you and the synth-galley, I'm very glad I don't have to give up that combination.'

  'Don't be so oily, Litang.'

  'I'm not. I like your cooking, and I like you. Sorry.'

  'What's with the radar?' he/she said to change the subject.

  I took a bite before answering. 'As good as it smells. The radar unit is fine. I have set up the parts printer to begin printing out the components for a replacement transponder. I'll show you how to operate it so that by the time I've had my nap, you could have it printed out and assembled. Then it's just a matter of attaching it to either the hull of the gig, or somewhere on the island and we can begin to record our course and build up a chart that we could use to retrace our steps.'

  'You expect to sleep with me working in the compartment and the printer going?'

  'Aye, with a sleep machine,' I said, and took another bite.

  We finished our meal in silence, thinking our own thoughts.

  When done, I made two mugs of cha, and as I handed one to her, I asked, 'Tell me, Cin. How'd you come to be here in the first place? How did you get this assignment? I'd have thought?' I stopped myself from saying "...that you would've been given an Honor Mission years ago" since that might be hard to explain. I shouldn't know that much about St Bleyth. So I said instead, '...you'd have been the last agent they would have assigned to try and tackle Min again. No reflection on your ability, just on your luck and history.'

  'I don' think the Masters had a choice. Like you, I have to believe that they would have chosen anyone but me, if they had a choice. It was simply their bad luck that the planet they sent me to was the one.'

  Chapter 03 Cin's Tale