“It can. It’s harder for them, unless it’s someone with a very strong will and a personal connection, like my brother had to me.”
“Then, like I said, we’ll just make sure you stay up here. And if they try to come up here, I’ll…”
“You’ll what?” said Kalinda, turning fully to face her. She sounded frustrated. “What can you possibly do that will be of help?”
Tania considered it and then said with a lopsided smile, “I’ll get you really, really drunk and then do all sorts of fun things to you. So even if the ghosts are watching you, you’ll be in no condition to care.”
Kalinda stared at her blankly for a moment, and then she laughed. It was very soft and even a bit uncomfortable, but at least it was something. “I would like that a lot.”
“Then it sounds like we have a plan,” Tania said approvingly. She put out her arms and Kalinda went to her. She held her tightly and closed her eyes and kissed her, and for that moment, everything seemed as if it was going to be fine.
If she could have seen Kalinda’s face, however, she would have thought differently.
ii.
“Captain?” said Burgoyne, standing outside Calhoun’s quarters. “Do you have a moment?” When there was no answer, s/he rang the chime again, and then started to turn away when a voice came from within, instructing hir to enter.
Burgoyne did so, to see Calhoun lying leisurely on the bed. His boots were on, which seemed a bit odd to Burgoyne, but nothing that was worth dwelling on.
“What’s up, Burgy?” said Calhoun.
“Everything all right, Captain?”
“Sure. Why do you ask?”
“Well, this mission we’ve just received orders for—the one to New Thallon—it seems a bit strange, don’t you think?”
“Not really.”
Burgoyne was a bit surprised at the response. “No?”
“Not at all.” Calhoun turned over onto his side and propped his head up with his hand. “The Thallonians know they’re in a bind. They have a major political snafu that they’re trying to deal with, and they’ve come to the conclusion that I’m the only person who can possibly help them get it done. As far as I’m concerned, this is the most sensible decision I’ve seen them make in ages.”
“And you don’t think there might be some sort of ulterior motive for it?”
“Of course there might be,” Calhoun admitted readily. “But I’ve been doing this a long time, Burgy, and so have you. Do you seriously think that if something isn’t the way it appears to be, you and I won’t be able to keep one step ahead of them?”
“I suppose that’s true,” said Burgoyne. “But even so—”
“How’s your son?”
Burgy was confused by the abrupt change of topics. “What? You mean Xy?”
“Do you have another son that I’m unaware of?”
“No.”
“Then yes, obviously I mean Xy. How is he responding to the medication?”
Burgoyne knew what Calhoun was referring to. Selar, Xy’s mother, had obtained a formula for a medication that would counteract Xy’s unfortunate genetic makeup. Instead of speeding through his aging cycle and living no more than four years, Xy would have close to a century of life ahead of him, thanks to Selar. The tragic cost of that discovery had been Selar’s life. But she had died willingly in order to extend her son’s life, and Burgoyne was content in that knowledge.
“He’s… doing fine. The prognosis is excellent and it appears that the cure is working exactly the way his mother was hoping,” said Burgoyne. “Thank you for asking. Now about New Thallon…”
“You don’t find it odd?”
“Odd?” s/he echoed.
“Well, I haven’t seen you mourn the loss of Selar. You loved her, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but—”
“But what? It doesn’t bother you that you seem disconnected from what happened?”
“I’m not… disconnected,” said Burgoyne. “I just respect her decision—”
“That’s not the way it works, Burgy,” said Calhoun easily. “Not in my experience. I mean, you haven’t so much as shed a tear. At least not to my knowledge. Have you, and I just didn’t know about it?”
“I…” Suddenly feeling helpless, all Burgy could manage was a slow shake of hir head.
“Then that tells me one of two things: Either you’re in shock, or you just didn’t give a damn about her.”
“Captain, I don’t quite see how—”
“If it’s the first option, I’m not entirely sure that you’re capable of carrying out your duties,” Calhoun went on, his voice sounding almost implacable. “If it’s the second… what does that say about you, Burgy? It says to me that you need