Starship Fall (Starship Seasons, #2)(22)

“But why did the girl come to see you?” Carlotta asked. She opened her mouth in a silent, “Ah...” then went on, “It was about what she saw, yes?”

I nodded, and described what Kee had told me, editing the ‘dark woman’ from the account. I knew, rationally, that this could not refer to Carlotta, but even so I thought it best not to confuse the issue by mentioning it.

“And she said that Hawk’s death was the strongest image?”

“She did. Not that I hold much credence in it–”

Carlotta was looking at me oddly. “We scoff at mysteries we do not understand at our own expense, David. From what I know of the drug... well, there’s something in it.”

I stared at her. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

She nodded. “There were times, after Ed had smoked drug, when he’d make a decision that would turn out to be spectacularly correct.”

I laughed. “Intuition,” I said. “He had a drug-induced vision, believed in it so much that his strength of will brought about the desired result.”

She tipped her head, her lips screwed to one side in a maybe gesture. “Or perhaps the drug did grant him a foretaste of the future.”

I hesitated, then said, “When you smoked the stuff... you believed what you saw?”

“I told you what I saw – myself, alone… and it was enough to make me believe, and to beg Ed not to go...”

I smiled and shrugged. “Anyway, to be on the safe side we’ll make sure that Hawk doesn’t visit the sacred cavern in a hurry.”

She nodded seriously. “I’d do that, David. Now,” she said, with a lascivious smile, “I thought that kiss earlier was going to lead to something more.”

“I think perhaps it might,” I said.

* * *

Carlotta left a while later, arranging to meet me at the Jackeral that evening, and I realised that I’d never got round to asking what she’d picked up from the Telemass station that afternoon. I showered, dressed, and decided to visit Matt and Maddie and tell them about Kee’s visit.

I was about to leave the Mantis when the com chimed.

I accepted the call and the screen showed Maddie, grinning out at me. “What a coincidence,” I said. “I was just about to come over.”

“Do that, you old dog, and tell us all about it.”

“What?” I said, all innocent.

She laughed and said over her shoulder to Matt, “He says ‘what?’, as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.”

“Word travels fast,” I laughed.

“Old Ben Henderson and his cronies saw you two leaving the Jackeral hot foot the other night,” she said. “And since then you’ve been inseparable. His crowd don’t miss much.”

“Anyway, I wasn’t coming over to tell you about me and Carlotta, Maddie. Sorry to disappoint you. But I had Kee here this afternoon. She was in a bit of a state.”

She looked alarmed. “Is Hawk okay?”

“He’s fine. Look, I’ll be over to tell you all about it. Get the beer chilled.”

I cut the connection and hurried from the ship.

I made my way around the bay to Matt and Maddie’s dome. The sun was high and hot, and by the time I arrived thirty minutes later I’d worked up a fair thirst.

They were sitting on the verandah overlooking the bay, and waved as I trudged up the sand. I climbed the steps and joined them, and Matt dutifully poured me an ice cold beer.

Maddie said, “You’ll be needing this, David.”

Deadpan, I said, “Yes, it’s a fair walk.”

“I wasn’t referring to the walk,” she said, touching a pair of binoculars on the table before her.

“I don’t believe it!” I appealed to Matt. “Does this woman have no shame? Spying on friends, now?”

Matt shrugged. “I don’t know what to do with her,” he said.

Maddie said, “So... you think this is the real thing, David?”

Before I could reply, Matt said, “We always think it’s the real thing, don’t we?” He stared out to sea. “That’s the beauty and the wonder of it, and sometimes the tragedy.”

Maddie laughed. “Listen to the philosopher!”

Matt hoisted his glass and smiled.

Maddie was still looking at me, eyebrow raised.

I said, “I… it’s early days. Who can tell? But it’s certainly intense.”

She reached out and squeezed my hand. “Good for you, David.”

Matt hoisted his beer. “To the happy couple.”

I took a long drink and licked froth from my upper lip. “About Kee... I don’t know, but it’s eerie...”

“Tell,” Maddie commanded.

I recounted Kee’s visit, her description of the visions. “She said she saw Hawk attacked and stabbed. She said he was in the chamber with me and a tall, dark haired woman when it happened.”

Maddie frowned. “Anyone she knew?”

“That’s just it. As Kee was leaving, Carlotta was paying me a visit – as you well know,” I said. “And Kee’s expression when she saw Carlotta... it was as if she’d seen a ghost.”

Maddie shrugged. “It might not necessarily mean that Carlotta and the woman in Kee’s vision were the same.”