Bedtime Stories_ A Collection of Erotic Fairy Tales Part 6

An angel of the G.o.ds! Wali Daad stared at her. Wali Daad stared at her. Am I . . . Am I dead? Am I . . . Am I dead?

She straightened and grinned. "No, you are not dead, Wali Daad- Master Wali Daad, rather. And yes, I am an angel of the G.o.ds. You may call me Desna. This is the truth of what has just happened: You, Wali Daad, are honored by Heaven. Nothing more than that . . . and nothing less less." Sweeping her hands at the palatial chamber around them, she repeated herself. "Heaven has peered into your heart and remolded your home overnight to match it."

"But . . . why?" Wali Daad asked. Part of him was a little frightened that she could read his thoughts, though she wasn't frightening in the least. He felt as if he should know her, though he knew he had never seen her before. Everything was confusion, and he didn't know what to make of these sudden changes in his life.

Tucking her arm in his, she guided him toward an archway hung with strands of precious pearls for its beaded curtain. "Because you are worthy. And because you gave a true gift, expecting and wanting nothing in return, and continued continued to give and give with no expectations. And because there are two mighty nations, both of whom honor Heaven, who are expecting to see what you have always seen. But . . . their eyes are busy thinking that wealth is equal to beauty." Her smile slipped into a moment of sobriety. "It is sometimes easier for Heaven to transform a simple cottage into a magnificent palace than it is to open the eyes of the people to the natural wonders of the world." to give and give with no expectations. And because there are two mighty nations, both of whom honor Heaven, who are expecting to see what you have always seen. But . . . their eyes are busy thinking that wealth is equal to beauty." Her smile slipped into a moment of sobriety. "It is sometimes easier for Heaven to transform a simple cottage into a magnificent palace than it is to open the eyes of the people to the natural wonders of the world."

"So . . . this will only be here for the length of the wedding?" he asked, gesturing vaguely at his unfamiliar, opulent surroundings.

Smiling, she drew him into the next room, where several more youths, some of them men and some of them women, awaited with towels and anointing oils, with the promised bath and finely woven clothes to follow it. "It will be here for as long as you wish it, Wali Daad. For as long as your heart is true."

Bemused and wordless, Wali Daad allowed himself to be bathed and readied for the day.

SHE was every bit as beautiful as her letters had proclaimed. Not in a listing of her features, which were indeed fine, but in the way she had written, full of wit, charm, humor, and intelligence. Her brown eyes gleamed with amus.e.m.e.nt, her mouth curved with kindness, and her cheeks blushed with awareness when Prince Kavi, Champion of the East, requested a moment alone with her in one of the palatial rooms in the home of the kind, quiet-spoken, slightly befuddled-looking Wali Daad. In a palace that his couriers and border guards, one and all, had sworn hadn't hadn't been there just the day before. But the prince could not focus on that peculiar fact just yet. been there just the day before. But the prince could not focus on that peculiar fact just yet.

Dismissing even the last of his bodyguards, he waited until Princess Ananya, Flower of the West, had rea.s.sured and sent on her way the last of her own guardswomen. Closing the door carefully, Kavi turned back to her. She looked like a painting from Heaven in her beautiful sari and pearls. A living deva. His wife-to-be.

"What did you wish to discuss in private, Your Highness?" she asked him politely.

"No." Leaving the door, he lifted his finger between them. "Right now, there is no 'Highness' between us. No prince, no princess, and no nations. We will not have this chance to be alone again until late tonight, long after we have become the joint rulers of our lands . . . but right here, right now," Kavi coaxed her, taking her hands in his, "there is just a wonderful woman and a very grateful man."

Her smile widened and her blush deepened. "It is I who should be grateful. I had no plans for anything other than a marriage of state, but your letters . . ."

He lifted her fingers to his lips, deeply grateful he could finally touch them. "And yours," he agreed. Drawing her closer, he placed her palms against his chest. He smiled and closed his hands as she flattened and spread her fingers. "Yes . . . touch me. Touch all all of me. Did you know you have been driving me insane with pa.s.sion nearly every night?" of me. Did you know you have been driving me insane with pa.s.sion nearly every night?"

Ananya smirked and stepped closer, brus.h.i.+ng their bodies together. "Lady Bhanuni gave me some ideas to start out with, but most of it has been inspired all from my own imaginings. But this, touching the rest of you you . . . this is better than mere imaginings." . . . this is better than mere imaginings."

Cupping her face in his hands, Kavi kissed her. He kissed her deeply, thrilled when she returned each nip and suckle with her own lips. Aware of the pa.s.sing of time, aware that they could not stand there and kiss each other forever-however much he longed for it-he reluctantly broke their kiss. Resting his forehead against hers, ignoring the slight scratch of her hair ornaments, Kavi spoke from his heart.

"Marry me. Marry me and make me happy, and teach me to be wise, and help me to be a good father and a good ruler, and continue to share with me all your excellent advice. Rule with me, so that all of our people may prosper, both West and East. Please?"

She grinned. "I was about to ask you something similar. I am honored to accept, Kavi. My Kavi . . ." Her fingers s.h.i.+fted a little, finding the hard beads of flesh beneath his ornately embroidered tunic. Deepening her smile, she rubbed them a little. "Do you think . . . ?"

Kavi groaned. "With your hands finally on the rest of me, how how can I think?" can I think?"

"I believe you can think about this this," she murmured, exploring further with increasingly bold fingertips which wandered southward down his chest. "Do you think . . . we have enough time . . . for a quick . . . ?"

Groaning, Kavi kissed her again, plundering her for everything implicit in that invitation. Their courtiers would have to wait, the palace servants would have to wait, and the inestimable, kindhearted, brilliant brilliant Wali Daad, the wisest man in the world, would have to wait. Heaven itself would just have to wait, though Heaven itself would surely agree why. Wali Daad, the wisest man in the world, would have to wait. Heaven itself would just have to wait, though Heaven itself would surely agree why.

"YOU have a truly beautiful home, Wali Daad," Queen Ananya said, praising her quiet, almost bashful host. She looked down the terraced slope of the gardens toward the river in the distance, lit more by colorful lanterns, made of dyed paper in the Eastern tradition, than by the last, glorious hues of the fading sunset. Nestled as she was in the curve of her new husband's arms, she let loose a sigh that sounded somewhere between happy and wistful. "I wish we could stay here forever."

"As do I," King Kavi agreed.

Wali Daad looked at his transformed home. He looked at the gardens, at the walls, at the windows and the stables and the milling guests of two nations joined happily into one mighty land. All he wanted to see was his gra.s.sy fields and his little cottage, barely more than a hut with a wooden floor. But everyone was happy here, as they would not have been happy in his simple gra.s.s cutter's home. He could not spoil their happiness at the expense of his own.

A glance to his side showed the attentive deva still hovering near his elbow, as she had lingered for most of the day. The name she had given for herself was Desna, which he thought was very appropriate, for it meant offering offering. He had been offered this palace for as long as he wished it. For as long as my heart is true . . . and my heart is saying I must do this. For as long as my heart is true . . . and my heart is saying I must do this.

Can you hear my thoughts, Desna? he wondered. he wondered. The ones in my heart? The ones in my heart?

She smiled and nodded, giving him a single, graceful bow of her head. A bow of permission.

Pleased and relieved, Wali Daad turned to Their Majesties. "Then if you admire it so much . . . it is yours. I give you this palace and all of its delights to be your new home-it is well placed between the two arms of your new land, and the well has never gone dry, even in the deepest of droughts. But, as in all all things in life, you must give generously of its water to all who come to visit, however long or brief, so that its generosity will never have cause to dry out." things in life, you must give generously of its water to all who come to visit, however long or brief, so that its generosity will never have cause to dry out."

"No, we couldn't accept your home," His Majesty demurred.

"I insist. Heaven itself insists-and who are we to argue with Heaven?" Wali Daad added, lifting his hands in surrender, though he smiled as he did so.

Her Majesty touched him with one of her gentle hands, her wrists still adorned with the bracelets he had ordered made. "Then you must must stay with us and honor us with your presence." stay with us and honor us with your presence."

Wali Daad glanced between her and the deva and smiled sadly, shaking his head. "I may come back for a visit, but my work here is done. This is your home now, and your life. Mine lies elsewhere."

Bowing as gracefully as he could, Wali Daad escorted Desna away.

"That was a generous, true-hearted thing which you have done, Wali Daad," the deva murmured in his ear.

Wali Daad nodded to his friend Ha.s.sim, who had taken his sudden change in households with a blink and a smile, and a prayer of thanks for Heaven having saved both of them.

"It was the right right thing to do. But now . . . Now I must find a new home, and a new field or two, and new customers for whose horses I can cut gra.s.s. Would you know of any crossroads in need of an aging but very good gra.s.s cutter?" he asked her. thing to do. But now . . . Now I must find a new home, and a new field or two, and new customers for whose horses I can cut gra.s.s. Would you know of any crossroads in need of an aging but very good gra.s.s cutter?" he asked her.

Desna leaned back a little, her pose coquettish. "Why yes, actually. The G.o.ds just happen to need a good gra.s.s cutter at the borderlands between the mortal realms and Heaven. They send Their devas back and forth several times a day, and though we are devas, our horses still need to drink sweet water and dine on the finest hay. If you accept, we will have a cottage with a wooden floor and a big field of gra.s.s waiting for you within the hour. It is a simple life, with simple rewards and simple pleasures, but I think it would suit you. If If that is what you want, Wali Daad." that is what you want, Wali Daad."

"It would," he agreed, relieved. "And it is. Thank you."

"No, Wali Daad," the deva corrected softly, kissing him on his age-weathered cheek. "Thank you you."

The Princess on the Gla.s.s Hill.

Author's Note: This was one of my favorite stories as a young girl. Though I can't really put my finger on why it was a favorite, I have decided to put my own twist on the story. Since my three favorite genres are fantasy, romance, and science fiction (in no particular order, though I do enjoy combining romance with the other two), this time I'm going to rewrite the tale with a sci-fi twist. My deepest thanks go to my friend Iulia for sharing her great knowledge of chemistry with me; she was the professional, thus any mistakes or oddities are entirely my own. This was one of my favorite stories as a young girl. Though I can't really put my finger on why it was a favorite, I have decided to put my own twist on the story. Since my three favorite genres are fantasy, romance, and science fiction (in no particular order, though I do enjoy combining romance with the other two), this time I'm going to rewrite the tale with a sci-fi twist. My deepest thanks go to my friend Iulia for sharing her great knowledge of chemistry with me; she was the professional, thus any mistakes or oddities are entirely my own.

VICTOR Amariei, captain of the inchiriat inchiriat, knew his cousin had a dare for him when Ston swaggered onto the bridge. Sighing, the muscular captain sat back in his chair, temporarily abandoning his search for the next round of cargos to deliver. Most of the time he was good at lining up business, ferrying supplies and goods from s.p.a.ce station to s.p.a.ceport throughout the solar system and usually doing so in a profitable chain of connected locations. But in the last five runs, his luck had run out.

He didn't want to dip into their savings fund, since that money was earmarked for s.h.i.+p upgrades. So it was either take on disparate runs, which would send his s.h.i.+p bouncing around the system with no intermediary stops, wasting time and money, or sit in port until a good string came along. If necessary, he'd take a single, high-paying run that would get him into a better position to set up a new chain of runs. But that meant sitting here and staring at the trade channels, looking for work. He didn't have time for more pleasurable things.

Unlike Ston, who had vanished for five hours onto the local s.p.a.ce station, Liberty VII Liberty VII, no doubt to drink and carouse. The last thing Victor wanted to do was go onto the s.p.a.ce station in search of relaxation. Mining outposts like this one had a peculiar sense of what was acceptable behavior and what was not. What a "local boy" could get away with was not the same thing as what an outsider such as the two of them could . . . though it looked like Ston had come back unharmed.

His cousin's unabashed, smug grin did not bode well. Nor did the way he lounged insolently against the navigation console.

"You look like the cat that swallowed a whole rabbit," Victor muttered, folding his arms across his chest. The movement made the metallic fabric of his s.h.i.+rt gleam in several shades of red.

"Maybe I did," Ston agreed.

"Spit it out, cousin," he ordered. "What trouble are you trying to get me into this time?"

"It's a contract, not trouble. And it's worth half a million million credits . . . credits . . . if if you take on the additional, mmm . . . side-quest, shall we say?" Ston offered, rubbing at the short, neat beard darkening his chin. you take on the additional, mmm . . . side-quest, shall we say?" Ston offered, rubbing at the short, neat beard darkening his chin.

Even though they were sixty/forty partners and had been working together for years, Victor didn't trust his cousin implicitly. "What is the regular contract worth, without the side-quest?"

"Eighty thousand," Ston admitted, shrugging carelessly. The amount wasn't bad, but the jump to half a million made the younger man's words suspect.

Like his cousin and captain, he wore a metallic s.h.i.+rt-currently the fas.h.i.+on of choice back home on their family's portion of Earth-though Ston's s.h.i.+rt was a dark metallic blue, making him look more enigmatic. Deliberately, no doubt. Victor narrowed his eyes, and Ston pressed his hand to his heart.

"There you go again, making with the fox-eyes. You're about to ask me what's illegal about the rest of it, aren't you? Well, there is nothing nothing illegal about it. My word of honor as your cousin." illegal about it. My word of honor as your cousin."

Victor sighed. "You may be a pain in the asteroid, but you are an honest pain in the asteroid. What is the cargo, what is the side-quest, and why is the side-quest worth so much more than the main contract?"

"The cargo is a rare isotope of bis.m.u.th 209. Normally they mine it on Earth and Mars and the inner asteroid ring, but not in very large quant.i.ties. The miners here at Liberty VII Liberty VII have found a substantial deposit of it, and they've been working to refine it into a pure metal. have found a substantial deposit of it, and they've been working to refine it into a pure metal.

"The side-quest involves a certain special lady whom the isotope needs to be delivered to. Hand Hand-delivered, to be specific," his cousin clarified. "Her name is Dr. Evanna Motska, chief researcher at LUCI, the Lunar Ceramics Inst.i.tute. If you accept the contract for the cargo, you will have handcuffed to your wrist a case about the size of your head that can only be unlocked by a combination of a personal code, which you yourself will enter, and by Dr. Motska's personal security thumbprint as well-I have been rea.s.sured the isotope is not dangerous, just very, very rare and very, very expensive, leading to these security precautions."

"And the side-quest?" Victor asked, still skeptical. Part of his mind was already leaping through the trade channel information he had been perusing, trying to line up at least one other cargo toward either Earth or its sole natural satellite, or to one of the stations...o...b..ting Saturn, which was sort of on the way to Earth. "What about it and this lady make it worth nearly half a million?"

Ston grinned. "You have to kiss her, for a start."

"A kiss kiss is worth nearly half a million? Who pays that kind of money for a simple kiss?" Victor demanded, scowling at the insulting thought. "You just is worth nearly half a million? Who pays that kind of money for a simple kiss?" Victor demanded, scowling at the insulting thought. "You just do do it!" it!"

"According to the friends I made, the friends who are offering this contract . . . fifteen miners here at the station, twelve previous couriers of various other supplies and goods, forty-three chemistry lab workers, seventeen ceramics engineers, thirty-seven . . . no, thirty-six former lab a.s.sistants, and twenty-seven relatives and friends of the good doctor," Ston recited, lifting his gaze toward the low ceiling of the bridge as he recalled the count. He smirked. "It seems they have all pooled their betting money together as a reward for the man-or even the woman-who can make the Ice Princess melt."

That made more sense, though it still disgusted him a little. Victor folded his arms across his chest. "I only kiss willing women. Or anything else, for that matter. What if she doesn't want want to be kissed?" to be kissed?"

"That's the problem. According to her coworkers and her family members, she's never never been kissed," Ston related, s.h.i.+fting to drop into the navigator's seat. Swiveling the chair, he stretched out his legs, crossing his ankles. "It's not Dr. Motska, you see. It's the Lunar Ceramics Inst.i.tute, and the group she belongs to, the Lunar Intelligence Trust. They had the largest hand in raising her since she was about seven or eight, from what I was told . . . and they have been so determined to keep their greatest 'brains' isolated in their 'brain trust' that they have very carefully raised their little geniuses to have zero interest in 'biological activities.' " been kissed," Ston related, s.h.i.+fting to drop into the navigator's seat. Swiveling the chair, he stretched out his legs, crossing his ankles. "It's not Dr. Motska, you see. It's the Lunar Ceramics Inst.i.tute, and the group she belongs to, the Lunar Intelligence Trust. They had the largest hand in raising her since she was about seven or eight, from what I was told . . . and they have been so determined to keep their greatest 'brains' isolated in their 'brain trust' that they have very carefully raised their little geniuses to have zero interest in 'biological activities.' "

"Zero interest?" Victor asked, curious in spite of himself. "How is that even possible? She is is a Human, isn't she?" a Human, isn't she?"

"Basically, the Ice Princess has never been kissed because she has never been given given the opportunity to be kissed. Everyone who goes to work with her must sign a non-intimacy clause, swearing they will keep their interactions with the members of the Lunar Intelligence Trust to 'an efficient, impersonal level of workmans.h.i.+p, with a neutral level of interpersonality' or some such s.p.a.ce-rot." Ston scratched his beard again. "So far, Security has stopped all attempts to defy this clause by the workers employed at LUCI, even among non-Trust members. Which is why her friends and relatives, coworkers, and even the miners here, have pooled their resources to reward the lucky, handsome prince who will melt the ice from their brainy princess. the opportunity to be kissed. Everyone who goes to work with her must sign a non-intimacy clause, swearing they will keep their interactions with the members of the Lunar Intelligence Trust to 'an efficient, impersonal level of workmans.h.i.+p, with a neutral level of interpersonality' or some such s.p.a.ce-rot." Ston scratched his beard again. "So far, Security has stopped all attempts to defy this clause by the workers employed at LUCI, even among non-Trust members. Which is why her friends and relatives, coworkers, and even the miners here, have pooled their resources to reward the lucky, handsome prince who will melt the ice from their brainy princess.

"When my drinking buddies mentioned how they needed a prince to rescue their fair maiden, naturally I thought of you you." Giving Victor an expressive shrug, Ston tucked his hands behind his head and studied his cousin, coworker, and captain with a lighthearted look. "So . . . are you going to take the bet?"

Victor eyed his cousin, sorely tempted. Bets involving women were one of his few weaknesses, though in the last year he had gotten a lot better at resisting the temptations presented by the wilder ones. Still . . . a very intelligent woman, so intelligent she's been sheltered from pa.s.sion all her life . . . no doubt from some silly belief that s.e.x detracts from one's intelligence . . . Still . . . a very intelligent woman, so intelligent she's been sheltered from pa.s.sion all her life . . . no doubt from some silly belief that s.e.x detracts from one's intelligence . . . He knew that wasn't true. It He knew that wasn't true. It was was a distraction, undeniably yes, but in his experience, the more a person embraced all the various aspects of life, the more likely that person was to think of innovative new ways of tackling life and all of its inherent problems. a distraction, undeniably yes, but in his experience, the more a person embraced all the various aspects of life, the more likely that person was to think of innovative new ways of tackling life and all of its inherent problems.

But to be paid paid to kiss a woman . . . to kiss a woman . . .

The money was very, very tempting. With half a million added to his savings, he could upgrade the in-system thrusters for their s.h.i.+p to those new, fast FTL engines, increasing their speed by a thousandfold. No more having to worry about conservation of ma.s.s if we go to FTL. We can start lining up cargos for outside the home system-even if we stayed in-system, people would pay all the more for fast delivery of their goods, and Ston and I do have a good, strong customer base right here in the heart of Terran s.p.a.ce . . . No more having to worry about conservation of ma.s.s if we go to FTL. We can start lining up cargos for outside the home system-even if we stayed in-system, people would pay all the more for fast delivery of their goods, and Ston and I do have a good, strong customer base right here in the heart of Terran s.p.a.ce . . .

But to kiss a woman just for profit and some s.h.i.+p upgrades?

His conscience dwelled a little longer on that part, chewing on it, until the weakest corner of his mind piped up. If she's never been kissed before, then isn't this Lunar Intelligence Trust If she's never been kissed before, then isn't this Lunar Intelligence Trust robbing robbing her of one of her most basic rights as a Human being? To kiss and be kissed, to hold and be held, to love and be loved? You her of one of her most basic rights as a Human being? To kiss and be kissed, to hold and be held, to love and be loved? You would would be rescuing the princess from her imprisonment-by-ignorance if you tried . . . thereby making the attempt the be rescuing the princess from her imprisonment-by-ignorance if you tried . . . thereby making the attempt the right right thing to do. thing to do.

It was a very compelling argument.

His cousin flashed a grin. "You're taking the bet. The last time I saw that that fire in your fox-colored eyes was when you agreed to spank the lithe and lovely Melissa Mtaube in public. Have the monks forgiven you for disrupting their prayer services yet?" fire in your fox-colored eyes was when you agreed to spank the lithe and lovely Melissa Mtaube in public. Have the monks forgiven you for disrupting their prayer services yet?"

Victor gave Ston a dirty look. "I haven't haven't decided yet. And I've promised never to return to that part of New Mumbai, so it doesn't matter if the monks forgive me. Now, what would const.i.tute solid, bet-winning proof of this kiss?" decided yet. And I've promised never to return to that part of New Mumbai, so it doesn't matter if the monks forgive me. Now, what would const.i.tute solid, bet-winning proof of this kiss?"

Ston rubbed his beard once more, making Victor wonder why his cousin didn't just shave it off if it kept itching so much. The younger man shrugged. "According to what I heard . . . there are security cameras everywhere. Some of the lab workers have connections in Security and would be able to watch everything you did while you are at the inst.i.tute. But . . . they also say that seeing her learn the importance of a kiss isn't enough, though it might be the right way to thaw her initial resistance, if done properly. Which I know you can do."

"They say that, do they?" Victor repeated, his skeptical side vindicated that there was indeed a catch.

"Someone else-one of the former chemistry lab workers-tried to kiss another member of the LIT group," Ston told him. "Apparently she was fired for the 'audacity' of it. Which is why she's willing to pool most of her savings on this project and why they've come up with the idea of getting the miners in on it, so they can give the job to the isotope courier. The courier is not not bound by the rules imposed on everyone else by LIT and LUCI, you see . . . so bound by the rules imposed on everyone else by LIT and LUCI, you see . . . so you you cannot be fired." cannot be fired."

"No, I cannot be. But for trying I could be blackballed, at least from picking up similar contracts, though since I haven't heard of this Lunar Ceramics Inst.i.tute before now, I doubt they have the power to shut down our s.h.i.+pping business entirely. And I'm still waiting for the rest of the catch." Victor clasped his hands across his stomach, studying his cousin and s.h.i.+pmate. "What is so important about teaching this doctor the value of s.e.x that all these people are willing to pay half a million for someone to pull it off?"

"Well, there is one other thing, cousin," Ston added, uncrossing his ankles and lowering his hands so that he could sit forward, elbows braced on his knees. "Dr. Motska is the the top researcher at LUCI, and top researcher at LUCI, and the the biggest brain in the Lunar Intelligence Trust. Whatever Dr. Motska wants, Dr. Motska gets. She is a modern-day princess as far as the management at LUCI is concerned. If she puts her foot down on a project she is a.s.sociated with, all work on it stops until her conditions are met. biggest brain in the Lunar Intelligence Trust. Whatever Dr. Motska wants, Dr. Motska gets. She is a modern-day princess as far as the management at LUCI is concerned. If she puts her foot down on a project she is a.s.sociated with, all work on it stops until her conditions are met.

"If she she can be convinced that pa.s.sion and personal interaction are worthwhile . . . then that means the can be convinced that pa.s.sion and personal interaction are worthwhile . . . then that means the other other people caught up in LIT's control of LUCI can finally date each other. They can have personal lives in the same place where they work and live. As things stand, only those who are allowed to go out to one of the civilian domes, or down to Earth, or to one of the other colony worlds or s.p.a.ce stations out there can have a personal life, and only while they're away from the Lunar Ceramics Inst.i.tute. So you would not only be doing the Ice Princess a favor by melting her with a kiss, you would be freeing many others trapped in their own gla.s.s prisons by the Trust's anti-interpersonal policies. Stupid policies, if you ask me . . . but that's the object of the bet. Kiss the good doctor, get her to demand the anti-interpersonal policies be revoked from all contracts, and win half a million dollars as a grateful thank-you from everyone involved." people caught up in LIT's control of LUCI can finally date each other. They can have personal lives in the same place where they work and live. As things stand, only those who are allowed to go out to one of the civilian domes, or down to Earth, or to one of the other colony worlds or s.p.a.ce stations out there can have a personal life, and only while they're away from the Lunar Ceramics Inst.i.tute. So you would not only be doing the Ice Princess a favor by melting her with a kiss, you would be freeing many others trapped in their own gla.s.s prisons by the Trust's anti-interpersonal policies. Stupid policies, if you ask me . . . but that's the object of the bet. Kiss the good doctor, get her to demand the anti-interpersonal policies be revoked from all contracts, and win half a million dollars as a grateful thank-you from everyone involved."

"They are are stupid policies," Victor agreed, thinking about it. "You say her family is in on this bet?" stupid policies," Victor agreed, thinking about it. "You say her family is in on this bet?"

"Yes." Ston held himself still, no doubt giving his cousin room to think.

"Then I want information," Victor stated, making up his mind. "I want to know what her life was like before she was sent to this brain trust she's with. Plus information on what her life is like now. Anything she may have let slip to her friends and family of a personal nature. Dreams, wishes, hobbies, longings, everything she may have mentioned that they can recall, particularly anything to connect the woman she is now with the girl she used to be. Be sure you tell them in advance I will make no guarantee of success . . . but that I will try. In my own way, at my own pace, and only after I have sufficient insight into her past and her mind.

"While you're at it, Ston, ask if they have any other, less enc.u.mbered cargo they want us to deliver to the vicinity of Saturn, Earth, or the Moon. Eighty thousand will pay for the return trip to the inner system, plus some of our operating expenses," Victor admitted, "but the rest of that half million isn't guaranteed. I'd rather rebuild ourselves a good cargo chain that will be guaranteed."

"I'll look into it, but like you said, there's no guarantee of success," Ston warned lightly. Standing, he stretched, spreading his arms to either side to avoid smacking his hands against the overhead controls. "Well, I should get to bed."

"It's supposed to be your your duty s.h.i.+ft, remember?" Victor pointed out. duty s.h.i.+ft, remember?" Victor pointed out.

Ston shrugged and scratched his beard. "I took an anti-intoxicant before heading for the bar. I'm not stupid, and I knew I'd want a clear head if I drank while on the station. But it's going to come cras.h.i.+ng down on my system for about two hours in just a little bit. Considering how much I drank, I'll want a nap when it does-I'll owe you one, right?"

"You certainly will. You can have the eighty thousand and I'll take the rest of that half million, if I can rescue this Lunar princess from durance vile," Victor muttered. "You'd better hope this doesn't backfire as badly as that bet over those twins from the Ganymede settlement-and you still owe me for three pulled muscles and the red tape over the s.p.a.celane violation, you know."

Ston made a face, but left the bridge anyway. His cousin returned his attention to the commodities channel displaying various goods, prices, and destinations on two of his viewscreens. A moment later, he s.h.i.+fted and called up a browsing service on a tertiary screen.

Whoever this Dr. Evanna Motska is, she's bound to have her image posted somewhere. And maybe some trade papers published. I need to get into her head. If this LIT group has has brainwashed her into thinking life is meant to be all work and no play, I'll need some sort of leverage to get her to open herself up to new possibilities. brainwashed her into thinking life is meant to be all work and no play, I'll need some sort of leverage to get her to open herself up to new possibilities.

BUT what if the annealings were done at 14 mils instead of 17, to lighten the ma.s.s of the hull? Would that affect the shearing forces adversely?

"Dr. Motska?"

Her left hand rotated the microscopic view of the ceramic alloy projected by her headset gla.s.ses. Flicking her right finger, she applied several direct blows to the simulation, observing the results. It would still harden the plating from a direct hit, yes . . . but I think it might chip the panels with a glancing blow. That would be unacceptable for combat applications in spite of the increased in-system maneuverability due to the overall lower s.h.i.+p ma.s.s . . . It would still harden the plating from a direct hit, yes . . . but I think it might chip the panels with a glancing blow. That would be unacceptable for combat applications in spite of the increased in-system maneuverability due to the overall lower s.h.i.+p ma.s.s . . .

"Dr. Motska?"

What I need is a way to stop those shears from stripping off chunks of the plating, without adding significantly to the ma.s.s of the- "Dr. Motska!"

Irritated, Evanna clenched her fists to end the connection between her hands and the program, and stripped off her gla.s.ses. She glared at her a.s.sistant. "What? I I told told you I needed time alone to concentrate on this project!" you I needed time alone to concentrate on this project!"

Amanda Heatherfield gave her a patient look. "You also also told me to tell you the moment the new diamagnetic isotope for bis.m.u.th came in, and that the delivery was very important to told me to tell you the moment the new diamagnetic isotope for bis.m.u.th came in, and that the delivery was very important to this this work." work."