Although her voice was low, it was a rich, warm contralto.Killa wondered if the woman was actually musically inclined and might have come out of Transition as a singer.
"Why?We Fuertans have to stick together in this alien environment," Killashandra replied genially, appropriating one of the guest chairs while Lars took the other.
Two days had improved Donalla Fiske-Ulass considerably.Her face had lost its gaunt, wasted look; her hazel eyes had gained a sparkle, her skin a healthier color; her lips were pink and less pinched.In fact, from a death's-head she was quickly turning into a rather attractive woman.Perhaps even pretty, and Killa shot a glance at Lars who, as he had often told her, liked to look-only look-at pretty women."Easier on the eyes than ugly ones."But there was nothing in his expression other than attentive concern and interest.
Donalla dropped her eyelids, covering either embarrassment or confusion.
"I didn't even know about the Heptite Guild until Hendra mentioned it, and you."
Killa shrugged."Why should you?"
"It would have saved me a great deal of stress if I had known more about Fuertan notables."
Killa snorted just as Lars said, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "And here you always gave me the impression you were a renegade, Killa!"
"I suppose in time even renegades become respectable," Killa said diffidently.But she was irritated: she couldn't remember any details of her departure from Fuerte.Except that she had been very glad to go.Perhaps it was just as well that she had forgotten the circumstances.Maybe she hadn't wanted to remember.Being a crystal singer made that easy enough.
"You told me that you almost didn't make it off the planet with Carrick," Lars said.He turned to Donalla."Were you given the usual misinformation that crystal singers are wicked, dangerous, eager to entice the unwary into their lairs, corrupting the innocent?"
Donalla gave a little smile, her eyes glinting slightly."No, but then my informant was a relative, as much of a renegade as I guess you were, Killashandra.She thought you were daring and adventurous.She was thrilled with the chance to meet you, you know."
"Really?"Killashandra was amused.That hadn't come across in Hendra's brief conversation with her, but they had had other priorities at the time."Certainly I managed to escape Fuerte."
"It's changed since you were there," Donalla said loyally.
"It would have had to," Killa said dryly.She changed the subject."Presnol tells me you're over the worst of the Transition."
Donalla managed another of her semi-smiles."I'm unaware of any Transition…"
"That's it exactly," Killa said, rather pleased."The symbiont was kind to you.You won't be bedridden much longer."
"I'm deeply grateful for that, I assure you.I just wish that I'd been allowed here earlier when the extent of my paralysis was appreciated."
"Just like Fuertans to resist the inevitable," Killa said.
"My parents only wanted the best for me," Donalla said.
Lars rose then."Let's not tire her, Killa."
Obediently, Killa followed his lead, although Donalla protested that she enjoyed company-especially now she could talk again.
"I've a lot of catching up to do."
"We have, too," Lars said cryptically, guiding Killashandra out of the room.
"What did you mean by that?" she asked him when they were walking down the corridor.
He said nothing pretending to concentrate on the Met reports as he guided her down the corridor to the lifts to the administrative level.When she realized that their destination was Lanzecki's office, she tried to pull away from him.
"Oh, no!I'm not falling for one of Lanzecki's deals.And you're daft if you let him talk you into anything.We're in good credit, Lars.We can coast for a while.What we need to do is get out in the Ranges again.We've hung about far too long."
"We don't have to worry about Lanzecki," Lars said in a tight voice."He's not involved, Killa.Come in, please."
She couldn't withstand the entreaty in his voice; she entered the anteroom warily, looking about her.
Trag's desk was empty.Killashandra frowned, realizing vaguely that she wouldn't have seen Trag anyway.Splinters of recall suggested that there had been someone else, someone she didn't like.Lars had his hand on her back now and was propelling her into the office.It was empty.She looked about, wondering where Lanzecki had gone.Lars released her and, striding around the desk, sat down in the Guild Master's big chair.
"Killashandra Ree," Lars began in a tone she had never heard him use before: part entreaty, part frustration and part anger."You've simply got to recognize that Lanzecki is dead.You knew that two months ago.You even insisted that no one try to rescue him from Bollam…"She recognized that name and put an unattractive face to it.But Lars wasn't finished."Have you got that lodged in your head?Finally?Lanzecki is dead."
Killashandra stared at Lars, uncomfortably aware that this was something else she had conveniently managed to forget.She shouldn't forget who was Guild Master.He was the most important person to a crystal singer, to all Heptite Guild members.
"There has to be a Guild Master…" she began, floundering badly as the discomfort swelled and brushed against concepts and images that she didn't want to remember.
"There is a Guild Master, Killashandra."Lars's tone was kind, soothing, his expression concerned."I am the Guild Master now."
"No!"She backed away from the desk.
He jumped to his feet and came round the desk, arms outstretched to her, his expression both desperate and supplicatory.
"I know you've been resisting it, Sunny.I know that you've suppressed the fact of Lanzecki's death, but it is a fact.It's also a fact that I've been appointed Guild Master in his place.I would like you to be my executive partner in this, as you have been my partner in the Ranges."
Killashandra shook her head at him, more and more forcefully as she resisted the sense of his statements.How could Lars become Guild Master?That was absurd.He was her partner.They sang crystal together.They were the best duet the Guild had ever had.They had to return to the Ranges and sing crystal.With Lanzecki dead it was more important than ever that they sing crystal-black crystal, green crystal, blue!A Guild Master didn't have the time to sing crystal. Lars had to sing crystal with her.He couldn't be the Guild Master.
"I know, Sunny," Lars went more kindly."His death is hard to take.He was such a force for us all.I'd like to be as good a leader but I want-I need-your help.You're incontestably the best singer the Guild has.You know more about singing crystal than anyone else, and you can explain what you know.Many can't articulate or convey the information they have locked in their brains.You can.Hell, you taught me!"He grinned with wry flattery."That's only one reason why I need your cooperation and your input."He had come close enough to take her in his arms, trying with his clever hands, to which she had always responded, to soothe her distress and somehow stroke her into acceptance of the hard truths he had given her.
"There, there, Sunny.I see now that I was wrong to let you forget what you didn't want to remember just because I could always remember for you.But now I don't have that luxury.And I need you as my partner more than ever."
"But I'm a crystal singer.I'm not a-an office flunky."
Lars gave a brief laugh."You think Trag was a flunky?"
"Trag was-Trag," Killa finished lamely, casting about for any rebuttal he would accept as her refusal.Lanzecki was Guild Master.He had been and would be.Trag… she wasn't Trag.She wasn't anything like Trag.
"I know it'll take getting used to, Sunny, but accept the reality.Accept me as the Guild Master.I know I'm not Lanzecki, but each Guild Master puts his own stamp on the Guild, and I've got some positive, if bizarre, ideas on how to improve-"