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

It was the hardest thing he’d ever done, harder than any seduction (with the possible exception of hers). To start with, he had to convince her it was a good idea. She wasn’t even initially flattered, not for a second. It was a terrible idea, she told him. He was too young, too inexperienced, it was far, far too early in his Contact stint. He wasn’t impressing her; he was being stupid. It wasn’t romantic, it wasn’t sensible, it wasn’t flattering, it wasn’t practical, it was just idiotic. And if by some miracle they did let him go along with her, he needn’t assume that just making this great commitment would ensure she’d sleep with him.

This didn’t prove anything except that he was as foolish as he was vain.

III

III

The General Contact Unit Grey Area didn’t hold with avatars; it spoke through a slaved drone. ‘Young lady--’

‘Don’t you “young lady” me in that patronising tone!’ Ulver Seich said, putting her hands on her suited, gem-encrusted hips. She still had the suit helmet on, though with the visor plate hinged up. They were in the GCU’s hangar space with a variety of modules, satellites and assorted paraphernalia. It looked like the space was fairly crowded at the best of times, but it was even more cluttered now with the small module that had belonged to the ROU Frank Exchange of Views sitting in it.

‘Ms Seich,’ the drone purred on, unaffected. ‘I was not supposed to pick up you or your colleague Dn Churt Lyne. I have done so because you were effectively adrift in the middle of a war zone. If you really insist--’

‘We weren’t adrift!’ Ulver said, waving her arms around and pointing back at the module. ‘We were in that! It’s got engines, you know!’

‘Yes, very slow ones. I did say effectively adrift.’ The ship-slaved drone, a casingless assemblage of components floating at head height, turned to the drone Churt Lyne. ‘Dn Churt Lyne. You too are welcome. Would it be possible for you to attempt to persuade your colleague Ms Seich--’

‘And don’t talk about me as if I’m not here either!’ Ulver said, stamping one foot. The deck under Genar-Hofoen’s feet resounded.

He had never been more glad to see a GCU. Release from that damned module and Ulver Seich’s abrasive moodiness. Bliss. The Grey Area had welcomed him first, he’d noticed.