Free Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks Page A

wobbled, shrugging. ME NEITHER it
printed on its aura field, in letters of grey on a rosy background.) 'Be all
tought it'd be abusing to relax our ibude systebs and cadge colds,' the young
crewman explained, showing her and the drone into an elevator at one end of the
hangar.
    'All
of you?' Sma said, as the door closed and the elevator rolled and rose. 'The
whole crew?'
    'Yes,
dough dot all ad the sabe tibe. The peebil who've recobered say id's very
pleasid abter it's ober.'
    'Yes,'
Sma said, glancing at the drone, which was keeping a standard pattern of formal
blue on its aura field, apart from one large red dot on its side that probably
only she could see; it was pulsing rapidly. When she noticed it she almost
started laughing herself. She cleared her throat. 'Yes, I suppose it would be.'
    The
young man sneezed mightily.
    'Due
for a spot of R-and-R soon, are we?' Skaffen-Amtiskaw asked him. Sma nudged the
machine with her elbow.
    The
young crewman looked puzzledly at the machine. 'Jusd bidished sub, adjilly.'
    He
glanced away to the elevator door as it started to open, Skaffen-Amtiskaw and
Sma exchanged looks; Sma crossed her eyes.
    They
stepped into a wide social area, floored and walled with some dark red wood,
polished to the point of gleaming; it supported a variety of richly upholstered
couches and chairs, and a few low tables. The ceiling wasn't particularly high,
but very attractive, composed of great flutes of gathered-up material rippling
in from the walls and hung with many little lanterns. From the light level, it
looked to be early morning, ship time. A group of people round one of the
tables broke up and came towards her.
    'Biz
Sba,' the young crewman said indicating Sma, his voice seeming to get thicker
all the time. The other people - about fifty-fifty men and women - smiled,
introduced themselves. She nodded, exchanged a few words; the drone said hello.
    One
of the people in the group held a little bundle of brown and yellow fur,
cradled against one shoulder rather as one might hold a baby. 'Here.' the man
said, presenting the tiny furry creature to Sma. She took it reluctantly. It
was warm, had four limbs arranged conventionally, smelled attractive and wasn't
any sort of animal she'd ever seen before; it had large ears on a large head,
and as she held it, it opened its huge eyes and looked at her. 'That's the
ship,' the man who'd handed her the animal said.
    'Hello,'
the tiny being squeaked.
    Sma
looked it up and down. 'You're the Xenophobe ?'
    'Its
representative. The bit you can talk to. You can call me Xeny.' It smiled; it
had little round teeth. 'I know most ships just use a drone, but,' it glanced
at Skaffen-Amtiskaw, 'they can be a bit boring, don't you think?'
    Sma
smiled, and sensed Skaffen-Amtiskaw's aura flicker out of the corner of her
eye. 'Well, sometimes,' she agreed.
    'Oh
yes,' the little creature said, nodding. 'I'm much cuter.' It wriggled in her hands, looking happy. 'If you
like,' it giggled, 'I'll show you to your cabin, yes?'
    'Yes;
good idea,' nodded Sma, and put the thing over her shoulder. The crewpeople
called out to say they'd see her later as she, the ship's bizarre remote drone
and Skaffen-Amtiskaw headed for the accommodation section.
    'Ooh,
you're nice and warm,' the little brown and yellow creature mumbled sleepily,
snuggling into Sma's neck as they headed down a deeply carpeted corridor for
Sma's quarters. It stirred and she found herself patting its back. 'Left here,'
it said, at a junction, then, That's us just breaking orbit now, by the way.'
    'Good,'
Sma said.
    'Can
I cuddle up with you when you sleep?'
    Sma
stopped, detached the creature from her shoulder with one hand and stared it in
the face. 'What?'
    'Just
for chumminess' sake,' the little thing said, yawning wide and blinking. 'I'm
not being rude; it's a good bonding procedure.'
    Sma
was aware of Skaffen-Amtiskaw glowing red just behind her. She brought the
yellow and brown device closer to her face. 'Listen,