"Maybe we ought to skip it," Romanoff said hesitantly. "I'd feel terrible if I made you miss your ship. Everyone in the Society knows how important it is that you visit Sherrington."
The look on her face made it abundantly clear to Brim that she was seriously concerned. He grinned. "It's all right, Anna," he assured her. "Really. We don't have to fly it, you know."
Romanoff smiled. "Well," she said, taking a deep breath. "I really would love to see the bridge—if you're sure this isn't going to be too much of an inconvenience to anyone."
Brim chuckled. "I can assure you that one Wilf Ansor Brim will feel no inconvenience—and," he continued, indicating the table of chattering Bears. "I'll bet these research types won't even notice that we're gone."
"All right," she said almost shyly, "let's do it."
Ursis winked surreptitiously as they excused themselves from the table. He knew....
The flight bridge of the Sherrington starship Alesander Neyvsky was exquisitely laid out. It should have been, Brim mused as he settled into the Helmsman's recliner. It was clearly brand-new—and also one of Knez Nicholas's personal transports. Beside Brim, Romanoff had seated herself in the right-hand seat, gazing with fascination at the control panels. As he switched power to the console, and color patterns began to cascade over the panels, she started a little in alarm. Then she blushed and put her hand to her lips, watching him from the corner of her eye. "Well, what did you expect?" she laughed in feigned defensiveness, brushing a stray wisp of hair from her forehead. "After all, it is my first time on a flight bridge."
Brim grinned as he glanced across at her. Anna Romanoff was a good-looking woman, no doubt about it. And one of the things that made her so attractive was that she seemed to have no idea how really lovely she was.
"That's a curious look you're giving me, Wilf Brim," she said presently. "Did I say something wrong?"
Brim shook his head. "No," he said, a little embarrassed at being caught in his daydream. "I don't think you could say anything wrong, Anna," he added in a mumble, then turned to the instrument panel. "Ah... this cluster of green indicators," he began, suddenly feeling as bashful as a teenager, "is the set of gravity controls..."
It took nearly a half-metacycle to complete his description of the little starship's myriad controls and indicators—interspersed with the businesswoman's frequent questions, many of which required thoughtful answers. When they'd finished, Brim sat back in the seat and grinned in honest admiration. "I doubt if many instructors at the Helmsmen's Academy ever get so thoroughly interrogated," he said, indicating the fully energized panel with a sweep of his hand. "We've actually got this little ship ready to fly." Then he frowned and looked at her conspiratorially. "You sure you couldn't put that client off for another metacycle or so? I mean, there's still plenty of time for me to get to the terminal, and we wouldn't have to go for a long flight."
Romanoff's eyes glanced around the little flight bridge, then focused through the Hyperscreens toward the end of the Becton tube. She took a deep breath and half stifled a grin. "I really shouldn't..." she began hesitantly, "but..." She shook her head while a delighted expression filled her eyes. "Oh, Wilf, I'd love to."
Then she frowned. "But what about your friends Nikolai and Dr. Borodov? Are you sure they're not going to mind?"
Brim shook his head. "I've touched elbows with the two of them for years," he said. "If they weren't enjoying their colleagues, they'd have let me know. Sodeskayans may be polite, but they're also anything but bashful." He looked into her eyes. "How long can we stay out?"
Romanoff glanced at her timepiece—a handsome, sparkling bauble that suggested quality. It fit, Brim thought. "Well," she said hesitantly, "I suppose I could make my call later in the evening." She suddenly looked him in the eye. "I'll take as much time as you can give me, Wilf," she declared.
"In that case," Brim said with a grin that defied all control, "what do you say we get this little beauty up in the sky where it belongs?"
"What do you say we do?" she asked softly. Within fifteen cycles, they were on their way into deep space.
While Brim put the 224 through its paces, he and Romanoff found more than enough to talk about: starships, the ISS, even the League's latest threats against Beta Jagow. But somehow, he felt an unstated constraint that limited their conversation to "safe" subjects, nothing especially personal, even though he found himself increasingly drawn to this alluring woman. She was obviously a private person, even though her expressive brown eyes made it quite clear that she was anything but bored with his company.
The Carescrian found himself suddenly quiet as he prepared for a sunset landfall on the Becton tube, pulsing steadily in its still-distant forest clearing ahead. Unexpectedly, what had started as a casual lark appeared to be ending not at all the way it had started. There was clearly something about Anna Romanoff that attracted him; he'd felt it the first time they'd met. And now that he was beginning to know her, that attraction was turning to downright fascination. He shook his head and quashed the little fantasy before it developed any further.
As the tops of the giant conifers blurred past, he rolled the 224 slightly—filling the flight bridge for a moment with reddish light from the setting sun—then coasted in over the fence toward the end of the Becton tube. At the last instant, he lifted the nose and settled gently onto the gravity gradient. As the little starship glided to a halt, he stole a glance at Romanoff, relaxed in the recliner beside him with an absolutely enthralled expression on her face. At that moment, he felt like a little boy who has just scored a SyncBall goal in front of the parish heartthrob.
Later, back in the recreation area, the Bears were waiting for them, all grins. Borodov kissed Romanoff's hand. "Well, young lady," he said, "have you decided to take up starship Helmsmanship, now?"
Romanoff's eyes lit with delight. "No, Dr. Borodov," she laughed. "I shall be more than glad to relinquish all starship piloting to the Wilf Brims of the universe."
Brim nodded. "And I," he added gallantly, "shall be quite happy to cede all business transactions to the Anna Romanoffs." He hoped no one would notice how much he had really enjoyed his ride, but it was clear that Ursis had guessed something special had occurred. He and the Bear had been close friends for too many years.
"I take it that the Sherrington performed well during the, er, trials?" Ursis asked with a knowing grin.
"Oh... the trials," Brim said. He smiled. "Actually," he said, "the 224 really is a nice little ship. I'd only flown a few Sherringtons before."
Ursis winked. "In that case," he said, "I shall have my friend report that the flight was a success." He took Romanoff's hand and kissed it. "Miss Romanoff," he said, "it has been much too brief a pleasure. Perhaps some other time, Wilf Ansor will permit us Bears more of a chance to know you."
Romanoff blushed. "Thank you, Nikolai," she said. "I shall look forward to it."
Borodov bowed with all his old-fashioned charm. "And so shall I, Miss Romanoff," he said with a smile.
Clearly surprised by the attention the Bears were lavishing on her, Romanoff opened her mouth for a moment, then reddened, touching her fingertips to her lips again. "I, ah..." she stumbled, "thank you both.