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

Glad to hear Screce is so fair.

The Homomda are most accommodating and gracious hosts. I think I may have lost a couple of my Idiran crew members to the local pleasure-dens for the duration, but otherwise I have no complaints.

Stay safe. And peace, like they say, be with you.

XIV

XIV

The briefest of introductions completed, they stood facing each other in the circular room under the translucent dome. ‘So,’ Dajeil said, inspecting the other woman from toe to crown. ‘You’re his latest, are you?’

Ulver frowned. ‘Oh, no,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘He’s mine.’

Dajeil looked as though she wasn’t sure how to answer that.

‘Ms Seich, welcome aboard the Jaundiced Outlook,’ said a disembodied voice. ‘I’m sorry this is all so precipitate, but I have just received instructions from the Sleeper Service that you are to be evacuated aboard myself forthwith.’

‘Thank you,’ Ulver said, gazing round the room. ‘What about Churt Lyne?’

‘It has expressed a desire to stay aboard the Grey Area,’ the Jaundiced Outlook told her.

‘I thought those two were getting on suspiciously well,’ the girl muttered.

Dajeil looked like she wanted to ask something, but in the end said nothing. After a moment she stood up, putting her hand to the small of her back as she did so with a tiny grimace. She indicated the table to one side. ‘Please,’ she said. ‘I was about to have dinner. Will you join me?’

‘I was about to have breakfast,’ Ulver said, and nodded. ‘Certainly.’

They sat at the table. Ulver held up the small book she’d been reading and which she still held in one hand. ‘I don’t want to be rude, but would you mind if I just finish this chapter?’ she asked.

Dajeil smiled. ‘Not at all,’ she murmured. Ulver gave a winning smile and stuck her nose back in the slim volume.

‘Excuse me,’ said a small hoarse voice from the doorway. ‘What the fuck’s going on then?’

Dajeil looked over at the black bird Gravious. ‘We’re being evacuated,’ she told it. ‘You can live in the cellar. Now go away.’

‘Well thanks for your hospitality,’ the bird spluttered, turning and hopping down the winding stairs.

‘That yours?’ Ulver asked Dajeil.

‘Supposed to be a companion,’ the older woman said, shrugging. ‘Actually just a pain.’

Ulver nodded sympathetically and returned to her book.