Free Star Hunters by Jo Clayton Page B

examined Umeme’s face. He smiled as the boy shifted uneasily. “Well?”
    Umeme stared hopelessly at narrow naked feet and said nothing.
    â€œDid Manoreh take his wife with him? Dallan told me about the ghost and the groundcar. He said nothing about stray wives.”
    â€œI didn’t see her.” Umeme met the Director’s calm gaze, lowered his eyes. “At least, I didn’t see her actually get into the car.” He shuffled his feet. “Dallan said I was to open the gate for them; he didn’t say count them.”
    â€œI’m not Dallan, young friend.” Then the Director chuckled. “Keep your mouth shut about this.” The hooded indigo eyes twinkled with mischief. “Done a good job of that so far. Now, not even to your best friend, you hear?”
    Umeme nodded vigorously. “I hear.”
    The Director took another look out the window. He sighed as he saw the loungers across the rutted street. “I wonder how it’s going to end.” Sighing again, he went out and began climbing down the ladder. Umeme stood in the doorway and watched him walking tiredly across the courtyard, moving past the small group of silent teachers with a nod but no words.

Chapter IX
    The groundcar moved through long shadows and turned into the gate left open when Kisima clan left Kobe’s Holding. It jolted through the twisting deserted street of the bound quarter, turned along the wall, then cleared the arch by a hair. Faiseh stopped the car by the well and climbed out, stretching and groaning. Aleytys stumbled out, breathing deeply of the cool dry air, stretching in her turn, laughing a little from the sheer joy of moving about after so many hours sitting cramped. Behind her she heard assorted grunts and sighs as the others unfolded after the long, rough ride. Then Kitosime ran past her, up the stairs and into the house, Hodarzu in her arms.
    Aleytys swung around. “What was that about?”
    Faiseh snickered. “Bladder. Kitosime likes her comforts.”
    Aleytys grimaced. “She’s not the only one.” She followed the watuk woman into the house.
    When she came out Grey was prowling about the courtyard, examining the designs on the tiles and peering down into the great Mother Well. Faiseh stood in the archway, shaking his head over the devastation dimly visible in the slowly brightening light of the moonring. Manoreh still sat in the back seat of the car. A stone man half dead. Aleytys crawled inside. Kneeling on the seat beside him, she touched his face, then slapped him hard. He showed no response.
    She sat back and regarded him, filled with impatience and frustration. Repeatedly during the ride she’d tried healing him, letting the black water flow into him. It went in and through. An endless drain, passing through and beyond him, not even touching him, as if his flesh were little more than cloudmist. For the first time her healing had failed. She backed out of the car and stood leaning against it, head down. Grey was watching her. He came to her and rested his hand on her shoulder.
    â€œHe alive?”
    â€œBarely.” She laid her hand on his. His warmth drove some of the chill out of her. “I can’t help him.”
    â€œYou all right?”
    She wrinkled her nose. “It undermines. You know?”
    â€œA little. What now?”
    Faiseh approached. When he heard the question he touched her arm. “The Umgovi Cluster will be up in another hour.” He pointed at the moonring strenghtening into full visibility as the last traces of sunset washed away. “Be a lot of light.” He jerked a thumb at the car. “Even in that wreck you could get Manoreh to the ghost in about six hours.”
    â€œMe?” She backed up until she was pressed against Grey. Her eyes slid to the dark figure in the car and she shivered. “No.” She shifted her gaze from Manoreh and faced the other Ranger. “Why me?”
    Faiseh