За разломом орла

           We’vegonethroughthesameprocesswitheightornineothers,sincethen." Gretalookedatme,herheadcockedagainstherhand."There’sathoughtforyou,Thom." 

           "Thereis?" 

           Shenodded."It’sdifficultforyounow,Iknow.Andit’llbedifficultforyouforsometimetocome. Butitcanhelptohavesomeoneelsetocareabout.Itcansmooththetransition." 

           "Likewho?"Iasked. 

           "Likeoneofyourothercrewmembers,"Gretasaid. "Youcouldtrywakingoneofthem,now." 

           *** 

           Greta’swithmewhenIpullSuzyoutofthesurgetank. 

           "Whyher?"Gretaasks. 

           "BecauseIwantheroutfirst,"Isay,wonderingifGreta’sjealous. Idon’tblameher:Suzy’sbeautiful,butshe’salsosmart. Thereisn’tabettersyntaxrunnerinAshantiIndustrial. 

           "Whathappened?"Suzyasks,whenshe’soverthegrogginess. "Didwemakeitback?" 

           Iaskhertotellmethelastthingsheremembers. 

           "Customs,"Suzysays. "ThosepricksonArkangel." 

           "Andafterthat?Anythingelse?Therunes? Doyouremembercastingthem?" 

           "No,"shesays,thenpicksupsomethinginmyvoice. ThefactthatImightnotbetellingthetruth,ortellingherallsheneedstoknow. "Thom.I’llaskyouagain.Didwemakeitback?" 

           Aminutelaterwe’reputtingSuzybackintothetank. 

           Ithasn’tworkedfirsttime.Maybenexttry. 

           *** 

           ButitkeptnotworkingwithSuzy. Shewasalwaysclevererandquickerthanme;shealwayshadbeen. Assoonasshecameoutofthetank,sheknewthatwe’dcomealotfurtherthanSchedarsector.