Silent Dances (55 page)

Ambassador-at-Large was wearing her sound nullifiers and Tesa could

read the captioning
of Rob
'
s words.

"A month?"
Rob was saying with a broad grin
. "
That's g
re
at! How'd we
get so lucky? Hey, is that Tesa behind you?" Mah
re
e tu
rn
ed
,
her
long
,
brown braid swinging
. "
There she
is, in the flesh!" Tesa
still hadn
'

t gotten used to Mah
re
e's p
rofi
ciency in Grus sign language
.
The
former Secreta
ry
-Gener
al
to the CLS slung a companionable arm

around the t
al
ler woman
. "
You have Tesa to thank for our time
together, Rob. Since I dropped eve
ry
thing to get here to solve a

problem that doesn
'
t exist anymore
,
I've found myself with time for a
decent vacation
."
She winked conspirato
ri
ally. "You didn
'
t know that
StarB
ri
dge Academy was a pa
rt
-time
re
so
rt
, did you, Tesa?"

Rob was shaking his head. "You really know
how to get people
'
s

attention
, Tesa. You've got
the entire
CLS Council
in an uproar."

"I'm sure,"
Tesa signed
. "
I'm really sorry the way things worked out
.
To
get so close to achieving Ea
rt
h
'
s official First Contact ..."

268

Rob looked puzzled, then glanced at Mahree. "I haven't told her yet," the

older woman admitted. "I wanted to be positive, first."

Tesa turned to the CLS representative. "Sure about
what?"

"
Tesa," Rob explained, "not many people have ever found
two
different intelligent species on one planet before. The CLS Council has voted to

discount the effect the privateers had on your relationships with the Grus. It

didn't hurt that Thorn Albaugh had irrefutable proof that Khrekk's clan was so

heavily involved, and that Jamestown Founders was also working to

undermine the Contact.

"But the fact is that you found
another
intelligent species! And then to get the Grus and the Aquila, whose enmity was
steeped in so much tradition
,
to

cooperate for a common goalI'd say that was a pretty good day's

work!"

"And so do the First Councillors, Tesa,"
Mah
re
e added. "I've just finished
speaking to them
.
Earth is being given c
re
dit
for a successful First Contact. Terra will have full membership in the Cooperative League of

Systems, and"--Mahree's face
lit up in
a wide grin--"
all its inhe
re
nt perks
and
re
sponsibilities."

"We
did
it?" Tesa asked incredulously. "We're in? We got
it?" She flung
her arms around Mah
re
e
.
The smaller woman
re
tu
rn
ed the hug
enthusiastically.

When they broke the embrace, Rob was looking at them
wistfully. "Damn
,
I
always miss the best parties. Well, it's
great that you've worked out the

hookup so I can watch the dance. I understand your family will be joining in?

This is
tu
rn
ing into a wonderful cultural exchange
!
The media's

picking up the broadcast to give Terrans back home their first look at

their First Contact. Not to mention that the whole Academy's going to

be watching. Oh, I almost forgot--Jib sent his love. Hell, I practically had

to physically restrain him from sneaking into my office during this call."

"Tell him a long le
tt
er's coming," Tesa signed. "I miss him so much
!
I
was thinking
,
Rob, a good pair project on a wilde
rn
ess planet might
be just the thing to really mature that youngster!"

Rob looked at Tesa suspiciously. "You know, Mahree, when
those two we

re
together here
,
it was a miracle I got anything
done! But, Tesa, one

more question before I let you go. Did
you ever get squa
re
with your pa
re
nts about that surge
ry
?"

269

Tesa shifted uncomfortably. "Not yet.
But I
'll talk to them

today." At least she'd discussed it with Meg. The older woman

wasn't sure she understood, but she respected Tesa's decision and was

thrilled when she realized that meant Tesa would be
staying on
Trinity.

Mahree looked up at Tesa. "I need to discuss a few things with Rob, do you

mind, Tesa? I don't want you to feel like I'm giving you the rush."

"Which she is," said Rob with a teasing grin.

"No, I've got to get going." She waved farewell as she left Mahree bathed in

the glow of Rob's reflection.

Tesa almost made it to the door when Thorn stepped inside. Before she

could protest, he insisted,
"Two
minutes! I get two minutes of your precious time!" He pulled her toward a more
p
ri
vate area
. "
I've made all the
arrangements."

"What?"

"For our getaway. Now don't argue with me. Of course, I had hoped we could

go to your caldera, but Bruce says it's hipdeep in snow. Instead, we'll spend

four days in Rain's territory-you know, where you took your sweat bath.

Strictly business! The privateers spent a lot of time in that area. We
need to

assess the envi
ro
nmental impact in case they dumped
anything toxic,

and I'll still have time to write the report ... before I leave." He watched her,

waiting for her reaction.

"Leave..." Tesa signed blankly, feeling her chest tighten. "But I thought ...

You said you might stay ..."

He looked down, nodding. "I thought ... hoped I could. I wouldn't mind being

just a
biologist again. This special investigator stuff isn't all it's cracked up to be. But ... I'm going with Dhurrrkk' and Mahree on the
Twilight Blossom.

They'll take me to Hurrreeah, the Simiu homeworld. There, Dhurrrkk'
can

introduce me to the
ri
ght families
,
so I can continue my
investigation.

There were a lot of people involved. I owe it to Peter and Scott to pursue this

as far as I can."

Tesa frowned worriedly. "You're not going to Sorrow Sector, are you?"

"Not if I can help it," he promised. "Anyway, I've got two more weeks here.

How about it? Can Ms. Very Important

Diplomat find four days to spend with a poor foot soldier about
to go into the

t
re
nches?"

"What happens after you come out of the trenches?"

270

He shrugged. "I hear there'll be a few biologists' positions opening up

around here ... maybe I'll apply."

She smiled. "Okay. Four days. We'll see how it goes." Meg suddenly stuck

her head around the wall.
"I hate
to break you two up ..."

"Sure
you do," Thorn agreed sarcastically. He gave Tesa a quick kiss.

"Later."

"Everyone
is looking for you," Meg signed needlessly as she escorted Tesa to the door.

The young woman looked at the old biologist, enjoying the renewed sparkle

in her eyes. It had taken a few days, but Meg's spirits had lifted after their

ordeal. Last night, she'd begun telling funny stories of some of the scrapes

she and Scott had gotten into over the years. Even the Grus had enjoyed her

tales, but Tesa realized it was the first time since she'd met Meg that she'd

seen her speak of her dear friend without sorrow.

At the door of the shelter, Tesa stopped Meg. "Will you do me a favor? I

need ... a few minutes to talk to my parents alone. Can you ask them to come

in here?"

Meg looked at her suspiciously. "A few minutes? Is this what I think it's

about?"

"Please, Meg. I don't want to put it off any longer."

"Okay, I'll send them in. But
only
for a few minutes!" Tesa's mother came in first, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the dimmer light. AnadaAki was

dressed in her best dance costume, and as Dan entered behind her, Tesa

could see he was still trying to get his fancy Oklahoma bustle tied just right.

"Tesa," her mother signed, regarding her Grus shirt, "what a wonderful

outfit!"

Tesa smiled. "I knew you'd love it," she hesitated, dreading what she had to

say. "We need to discuss something."

"Yes..." her father signed,
smiling as
he reached over to gently touch the two alien feathers Tesa wore in her hair. "You have been through hell these

last few weeks," Tesa began, trying not to show her nervousness. "I hate to

add anything else to that ... but I'm afraid I've got to."

Her parents turned to each other, concerned.

"A lot's happened to me, here," Tesa signed, remembering the moment in

the forest when she'd realized her lodge faced the wrong direction-when she

first understood what lay in her life's path. "I've changed.
I know
now, who
I
am, and
the way ... I want to be. Mom, Dad-I don't want my ears

271

'repaired.' To me, they aren't broken! It wouldn't be right for me. I know I

might never convince you of that ..." AnadaAki's face changed subtly, but

she recovered quickly.
She sta
rt
ed to sign something
,
but D
an
placed a
hand on her shoulder
.
She looked up at him, questioningly.

"Don't apologize to us for your decision,"
her father signed
to Tesa. He looked at Ana. "I had a feeling this was coming.
I didn
'
t say anything to
you
,
because I wasn
'
t sure." He tu
rn
ed back to Tesa
. "
Remember
,
we spent two months in space ...
with your grandparents!" Both adults

smiled, remembering, no doubt, how that sorrowful voyage had started out.

"Your grandfather refused to believe you were dead. He insisted he was

coming here for a dance, not a funeral! He was being so ... contrary! Then,

when the message
arrived that you were safe ..."

"He must've been impossible!" Tesa signed, grinning. Her mother nodded.

"And then all your father and I talked about was bringing you home with us ...

to have that surgery." Her lip trembled, and she hastily wiped away a stray

tear.

"The grandparents never said much about it," Dan signed. "They just ...

disapproved quietly."

Ana nodded
. "
I ignored them. I still don't understand ...
"Maybe you never will, Mom," Tesa signed. "I think there are a lot of things children do that their parents never fully accept. I know you want what's best for me. You

want me to be just like you-it's what every parent wants! I understand that

better than I did six months ago. But you're looking for
the reflection of your

own desires in me. I don
'
t w
an
t the
surgery. I can't do it for
you,
and I don't want it for me."

"Will you be staying on Trinity, then?" her mother asked. Tesa nodded. Ana

touched the nullifiers in her ears. "Well,
being hearing here is ce
rt
ainly a
disadv
an
tage
..."
She sta
rt
ed to sob then
,
so Tesa pulled her into a
hug, feeling her father wrapping his strong arms a
ro
und the two of

them
.
Her mother
drew away after a moment, hastily wiping her face.

"You'll
ruin those beautiful feathers
!"
she scolded
, an
d gave a
goodnatu
re
d laugh
. "I love you, Tesa."

"I know
,
Mom." The three linked arms
an
d beg
an
to stroll toward the
door.

"
I think you should know
,
Tesa
,"
her father signed.
"There's a good chance that your grandparents may ask if they
c
an
stay
here.
" Tesa
looked at him, startled.

272

"The trip took a lot out of them," Ana told Tesa. "I think my mother was frightened of the deep-sleep ... and when she first saw Trinity, she got this

expression on her face."

"I know that look," Tesa agreed.

"And frankly," Dan admitted, "I think my father's interested in Meg!" The three burst out laughing as they stepped outside.

Tesa looked for her grandparents. Her grandmother was sitting beneath the

weeping tree, stitching up Tesa's quilt and chatting away, via voder, with the

Mizari Liaison. Tesa watched the elderly woman stealing glances at

Esteemed Shirazz's beautiful colors and wondered if Grandma was thinking

of a new quilt, perhaps in the Liaison's stunning diamond pattern?

Grandfather was clutching a coffee cup, and chatting up Meg. His eyes had

that mischievous gleam Tesa was very familiar with, but Meg had one

eyebrow cocked--she was on to him already. Thorn asked Grandfather