BooksBarbecue
Back Excession
Chapters (108)
  1. About the Author
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. 1 - Outside Context Problem
  6. I
  7. II
  8. III
  9. IV
  10. V
  11. VI
  12. 2 - Not Invented Here
  13. I
  14. II
  15. III
  16. 3 - Uninvited Guests
  17. I
  18. II
  19. III
  20. IV
  21. 4 - Dependency Principle
  22. I
  23. II
  24. III
  25. IV
  26. V
  27. 5 - Kiss The Blade
  28. I
  29. II
  30. III
  31. IV
  32. V
  33. VI
  34. 6 - Pittance
  35. I
  36. II
  37. III
  38. IV
  39. V
  40. VI
  41. 7 - Tier
  42. I
  43. II
  44. III
  45. IV
  46. 8 - Killing Time
  47. I
  48. II
  49. III
  50. IV
  51. V
  52. VI
  53. VII
  54. VIII
  55. 9 - Unacceptable Behaviour
  56. I
  57. II
  58. III
  59. IV
  60. V
  61. VI
  62. VII
  63. VIII
  64. IX
  65. X
  66. XI
  67. XII
  68. XIII
  69. XIV
  70. 10 - Heavy Messing
  71. I
  72. II
  73. III
  74. IV
  75. V
  76. VI
  77. VII
  78. VIII
  79. IX
  80. X
  81. XI
  82. XII
  83. XIII
  84. XIV
  85. XV
  86. 11 - Regarding Gravious
  87. I
  88. II
  89. III
  90. IV
  91. V
  92. VI
  93. VII
  94. VIII
  95. IX
  96. X
  97. XI
  98. XII
  99. XIII
  100. XIV
  101. 12 - Faring Well
  102. I
  103. II
  104. III
  105. IV
  106. V
  107. VI
  108. Epilogue

Dajeil looked at Amorphia for a while, her hands absently stroking the bulge of her belly under her robe. ‘What is happening, Amorphia?’ she asked, keeping her voice soft. ‘Why is all this taking place?’

‘I can’t . . . there is no need . . . no need for you to know,’ the avatar said hesitantly. It looked exasperated, and shook its head as though angry, gaze flicking up and around the room, as though seeking something.

Finally it looked back at her. ‘I might be able to tell you more, later, if you will agree to stay on board until . . . until a time comes when I can only evacuate you by another vessel.’

She smiled. ‘That sounds like no great hardship. Does that mean I can stay here longer?’

‘Not here; the tower and everything else will have gone; it will mean living inside. Inside the GSV.’

Dajeil shrugged. ‘All right. I suppose I can suffer that. When will that have to happen?’

‘In a day or two,’ Amorphia said. Then the avatar looked concerned, and sat forward on the seat. ‘There . . . it’s possible

... it’s possible there . . . might be a slightly increased risk to you, staying aboard until then. The ship will do all it can to minimise that, of course, but the possibility exists. And it might be . . .’ Amorphia’s head shook suddenly. ‘I - the ship, would like you to remain on board, if possible, until then. It might be . . . important. Good.’ The avatar looked as though it had startled itself. Dajeil suddenly recalled having held a tiny baby when it had farted loudly; the look of utter, blinking surprise on its face was not dissimilar to that on Amorphia’s face now. Dajeil choked back an urge to laugh, and it disappeared anyway when, as though prompted by the thought, her child kicked within her. She clamped a hand to her belly. ‘Yes,’ Amorphia said, nodding vigorously. ‘It would be good if you stayed on board. . . . Good might come of it altogether.’ It sat staring at her, panting as though from exertion.

‘Then I had better stay, hadn’t I?’ Dajeil said, again keeping her voice steady and calm.

‘Yes,’ said the avatar. ‘Yes; I’d appreciate that. Thank you.’ It stood up suddenly from the seat, as though released by a spring within. Dajeil was startled; she almost jumped. ‘I must go now,’ Amorphia said.

Dajeil swung her legs out and stood too, more slowly. ‘Very well,’ she said as the avatar made its way to the staircase set onto the wall of the tower. ‘I hope you’ll tell me more later.’

‘Of course,’ the avatar mumbled, then it turned and bowed quickly and was gone, bootsteps clattering down the stairs.

The door slammed some moments later.