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.“Now, then, Novice Scarlett.” The Groom crossed her arms, her anitats putting on an especially colorful display.“The Indra I mentioned.While none face imminent danger, several suffer from malnutrition and minor injuries.Once you are strong enough, my sister grooms and I could use the services of an experienced exovet like yourself.”Zenn grinned at the words.An experienced exovet.I like the sound of that.“Of course.I’d be happy to help.” The mere prospect of being near an Indra again, of being useful again, was enough to make Zenn feel that she’d recuperated quite enough.“I could start now, today.”“Easy, kid,” her father said, patting her shoulder with a soft laugh of the sort Zenn hadn’t heard from him since… she couldn’t remember when.“There’s plenty of time for you to get stronger first.The ships have to be separated again; lots of work to do before they’ll be going anywhere.”“And speaking of this work,” Treth said.“I am needed elsewhere just now.Rest and be well, Novice.”“You’ll let me know how I can help?”“Yes.But there is ample time.Our Indra will survive until you are up and about.”Zenn settled back into her pillows.Her thoughts returned to Liam, but she consoled herself that he was one towner boy who could probably take care of himself.She just wished he’d let her know he was OK.She had to admit that, at last, all things considered, it was permissible to luxuriate a bit in her surroundings – familiar faces, familiar food, the clean, soft, pleasantly scented sheets.Yes, there was ample time, now.Time to heal, time to attend to the Indra, to get reacquainted with the animals in the cloister clinic and, best of all, time to get to know the father she’d nearly lost.THIRTY-TWOLater that night, Zenn was reviewing a V-film status report on the cloister’s patients when there was a soft tapping at the room’s open window.Startled for a second, she then saw a blond sheaf of hair.Liam! She went to the window.“Scarlett.Thought I’d drop by.” She could only stand, staring.“Mind if I come in?”She stepped back from him, shaking her head in wonder.He pulled himself through the window, crossed to her and brought her body to his, giving her a brief, tight hug.He released her, and they stood close but not touching, grinning at each other, then laughing out loud.“Liam, what are you doing here? How’d you get onto Mars?”“Oh, nice to see you, too.I’m fine, thanks.”“I can see that,” she said.Same old Liam.“I mean, you just disappeared.No one knew what had happened to you.”“Remember that Fomalhaut with the waspworm?”“Yes, the one down in steerage.”“He actually turned out to be a pretty good guy.Except for the animal fighting thing.He had business here on Mars.He’d won a couple of berths on a private ferry drop.Don’t ask how, OK? Anyway, I came down with him.Nobody else knows I’m here.”“That would explain the window,” Zenn said.Katie had jumped off the bed and came to sniff at the boy’s foot.“Hey there,” he said, bending to pet her.“How’s my rikkaset?”“Oh, so she’s your rikkaset now? She’s fine.And I’m doing fine, too,” she said.“Thank you for asking.”“You? I never doubted it.It’d take more than a New Law plot to destroy civilization to keep you down.”Katie was up on her hind legs, sniffing Liam’s back pocket.He pulled out a small paper bag.“Dried grasshopper,” he said.“Crunchies!” Katie signed.“Crunchies for Katie?”“I happen to know they’re her favorite,” he said.Trilling loudly, Katie snatched the bag from him, hopped up on the bed with it and began feasting intently.“You know they’re looking for you, right? Will you stay on Mars?” She realized she wasn’t prepared for him to say no.“Turn myself in, you mean?” He made a sour face.“Liam,” Zenn said,”Vic and Graad forced you to help them sabotage the cloister.And you exposed what they were doing
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