Free A Different Light by Elizabeth A. Lynn Page B

effort, Jimson focused on Russell. The redhead was holding a glass. His other hand swooped at Jimson's face and held a capsule in front of his eyes. "I want you to take this," Russell said. "Can you manage?"
    "I-if you help me with the glass." Jimson shoved the pill at his mouth. Like a hard pebble it lodged at the back of his throat, and he gulped water until it went down. "What is it?"
    "Neutralizer," said Russell. "It'll get you half-sober, at least. Come on, we'll get you home."
    "No." Jimson stiffened his legs like a baulking animal, and stopped in the center of a city square. "Not home."
    A hand like iron closed round his upper arm and jerked him off his feet. "You'll go home."
    "I don't want to go home."
    He felt Russell's grip relent. "All right, not home. I know a place—are you getting sober?"
    Jimson squinted, trying to gather his drunken senses. They were walking a checkerboard pattern, through the city squares, which you couldn't do during the day. But the squares were less crowded at night. Most of the stores were closed, though the bars were open. Above the squares hung the bubble cables. Like falling stars, the bubbles dived by overhead, bouncing red or orange or indigo light off the pavement. It was getting easier to walk. "I'm getting sober. But I can't stop shaking."
    "That's the pill," said Russell. "It's not much farther now." Jimson tried to remain steady. But on the stairs his legs collapsed with tremors, and Russell had to carry him through a doorway, into a warm room. "Here. Lie on the bed."
    Once on the bed, the shaking eased off.
    "I'm making us both some coffee."
    "Good."
    Russell sat on the edge of the bed, his face in shadow. "Do you remember talking to Kay tonight?"
    "K-Kay?"
    "Kay, at Rin's."
    Jimson did remember. He nodded. It astounded him that he could nod. He was very tired.
    "What did you say to him?"
    It was hard to be precise. "Told him—told him that Leiko had found a ship. Ysao, too."
    "Did you tell him the name of the ship?"
    "No."
    "Did you tell him where the ship was going?"
    "Why don't you ask Kay?" he said, irritated. And, too late, put up a hand to stop the palm that slapped him.
    The whole right side of his face hurt.
    Russell caught his chin and turned his head around, positioning him for another blow. "Because I don't have time to beat the lies out of him," he said. "Did you tell him where the ship was going?"
    "No."
    "Did you mention the Crystal Masks?"
    "No."
    "Did you mention De Vala?"
    "No."
    "Did you tell him my name?"
    "I-I told him we were old friends. He knows you're a Starcaptain."
    "Did you tell him my name ?"
    "Yes."
    "Did you tell him when the ship was leaving?"
    Jimson swallowed. He kept his eyes on Russell's face and not on his hand. "I said two days. Day after tomorrow."
    "Anything else? At all?"
    Jimson shook his head. He could smell the coffee. "Nothing else," he said. "I was very drunk, Russ."
    Russell sighed. "I know. I'll get you that coffee."
    He came back with two mugs, and settled himself on the bed again. Jimson sipped the coffee. It was hot and very strong, the way he liked it. No sugar. Russell took sugar. We remembered that about each other, after all these years. He relaxed into the pillow. His shakes were almost gone. "Russell?"
    "Yes."
    "Will it ruin the job for you that I talked with Kay?"
    Russell said, "I don't know. Kay's a snoop, but he keeps his mouth shut. I've never heard it said that he sold to the cops. But I'm in an uneasy business. I don't like people knowing where I'm going, or with whom, or when. So I think we won't wait that extra day. We'll leave tomorrow."
    Jimson closed his eyes. "You're a dream," he said. "You're just a dream. You never came to Nexus. I never saw you. I'll go to sleep, and wake up, and you'll be gone." He could not keep the bitterness out of his voice. He opened his eyes. Russell was looking at him.
    "No. Not a dream. I'm real." He got off the bed.
    Suddenly he bent, caught Jimson's chin and kissed him, quick