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He caught the finger she was indignantly shaking at him； pulling her hand across the laden table to his lips。 The familiar caress evoked familiar responses deep in her groin and she tried to use her irritation with his methods to neutralize its effect on her。
Just then a munit bleep startled her。 With a fleeting expression of annoyance； Lanzecki lifted his wrist unit to acknowledge the summons。
A tinny version of Trag's bass voice issued from the device。 〃I was to inform you when the preliminary testing stations reported；〃 the Administration Officer said。
〃Any interesting applicants？〃
Although Lanzecki sounded diffident； even slightly bored； the curious tension about his lips and eyes alerted Killashandra。 She pretended to continue eating in a courteous disregard of the exchange； but she didn't lose a syllable of Trag's reply。
〃Four agronomists； an endocrinologist from Theta； two xenobiologists； an atmospheric physicist； three former spacers〃 … Killashandra noted the slight widening of Lanzecki's eyes which she interpreted as satisfaction … 〃and the usual flotsam who have no remendations from Testing。〃
〃Thank you； Trag。〃
Lanzecki nodded his head at Killashandra to indicate the interruption was concluded and finished off the dish of fried Malva beans。
〃So what is the glitch in the Optherian assignment？ A lousy fee？〃
〃On the contrary； such an installation is set at twenty thousand credits。〃
〃And I'd be off…world as well。〃 Killashandra was quite impressed with the latitude such a credit balance would give her to forget crystal。
〃You have not been awarded the contract； Killa。 I appreciate your willingness to entertain the assignment but there are certain aspects which must be considered by the Guild as well as the individual。 Don't mit yourself rashly。〃 Lanzecki was being sincere。 His eyes held hers steadily and a worried crease to his brows emphasized his warning。 〃It's a long haul to the Optherian system。 You'd be gone from Ballybran nearly a full year。。。〃
〃All the better。。。〃
〃You say that now when you're full of crystal resonance。 You can't have forgotten Carrik yet。〃
His reminder conjured flashing scenes of the first crystal singer she had met： Carrik laughing as they swam in Fuerte's seas； then Carrik wracked by withdrawal fever and finally the passive hulk of the man； shattered by sonic resonance。
〃You will in time； I've no doubt； experience that phenomenon；〃 Lanzecki said。 〃I've never known a singer who didn't try to push himself and his symbiont to their limits。 A major disadvantage to the Optherian contract is that you would lose any resonance to your existing claims。〃
〃As if I had a decent claim among the lot。〃 Killashandra snorted in disgust。 〃Rose is no good to anyone and the blue petered out after two days' cutting。 Even the white vein skips and jumps。 I cut the best of the accessible vein。 With the kind of luck I've been enjoying； the storm has probably made a total bollix of the site。 I am not … not； I repeat … spending another three weeks in a spade and basket operation。 Not for white。 Why can't Research develop an efficient portable excavator？〃
Lanzecki cocked his head slightly。 〃It is the firm opinion of Research that any one of the nine efficient； portable and durable；〃 a significant pause； 〃excavators already field…tested ought to perform the task for which it was engineered。。。 except in the hands of a crystal singer。 It is the opinion of Research that the only two pieces of equipment that do not tax the mechanical aptitude of a singer are his cutter … though Fisherman does not concur … and his sled； and you have already heard section and paragraph from the Flight Engineer on that score。 Haven't you？〃
Killashandra regarded him stolidly for a few moments； then remembered to chew what was in her mouth。
〃Overheard him；〃 she said； with a malicious grin。 〃Don't try to distract me from this Optherian business。〃
〃I'm not。 I am bringing to your notice the several overt disadvantages to an assignment that involves a long absence from Ballybran for what might； in the long run； be inadequate pensation。〃 His expression changed subtly。 〃I'd rather not be professionally at odds with you。 It interferes with my private life。〃
His dark eyes caught hers。 He reached for her hands； lips curved in the one…sided smile that she found so affecting。 She no longer shared a table with her Guild Master but with Lanzecki the man。 The alteration pleased her。 On numerous occasions； during sleepless nights in the Milekey Ranges； she had fondly remembered their love…making。 Now； seated opposite the charismatic Lanzecki； she found that her appetite for more than food had been pletely restored。
Her smile answered his and together they rose from the little table and headed for the sleeping room。
Chapter 2
Killashandra pushed herself back from the terminal and； balancing on the base of her spine； stretched arms and legs as far from her body as bone and tendon permitted。 She had spent the morning immersed in the Optherian entry of the Encyclopedia Galactica。
Once she had got past the initial exploration and evaluation report to the release of the Ophiuchine planet for colonization； and the high…flown language of its charter … 〃to establish a colony of Mankind in plete harmony with the ecological balance of his adopted planet： to ensure the propagation thereon of the Species in its pure； unadulterated Form。〃 She kept waiting for the fly to appear in the syrupy ointment of Optheria's honey pot。
Optheria was an old planet in geological terms。 A near…circular orbit about an aging sun produced a temperate clime。 There was little seasonal change since the axial 〃wobble〃 was negligible； and modest glaciers capped both poles。 Optheria was inordinately proud of its self…sufficiency in a civilization where many planets were so deeply in debt to mercantile satellites that they were almost charged for the atmosphere that encapsulated them。 Optherian imports were minimal。。。 with the exception of tourists seeking to 〃enjoy the gentler pleasures of old Terra in a Totally Natural World。〃
Killashandra； reading with an eye to hidden significance's； paused to consider the implications。 Although her experience with planets had been limited to two … Fuerte； her planet of origin； and Ballybran； she knew enough of how worlds wagged to sense the iron idealism that probably supported the Optherian propaganda。 She tapped a question and frowned at the negative answer： Optheria's Charter Signers were not proselytizers of a religious sect nor did Optheria recognize a federal church。 As many worlds had been colonized for idealist forms of government； religiously or secularly oriented； as for purely mercial considerations。 The guiding principle of foundation could not yet be considered the necessary criterion for a successful subculture。 The variables involved were too numerous。
But the entry made it clear that Optheria was considered efficiently organized and； with its substantial positive galactic balance of payments； a creditably administered world。 The entry concluded with a statement that Optheria was well worth a visit during its annual Summer Festival。 She detected a certain hint of irony in