Anne McCaffrey - Nimisha's Ship

N I M I S H A ' S SHIP

CHAPTER 1

Lady Rczalla Boynton-Chonderlee was often bemused and puzzled by her

body-heir, Nimisha Boynton-Rondymense, as the child began to develop a

personality. She was, indeed, all and more that a womb-mother could wish in

her body-heir: beautiful, gentian-eyed, intelligent, healthy, and obedient in

almost every matter. Lady Rezalla considered the infrequent displays of temper

and minor rebellions against necessary protocol only to be expected in the

very young. Nimisha was certainly not as wayward or overindulged as some of

the children of her contemporaries.

However, as Nimisha grew past the nursery stage and started the formal

tutorial lessons, she showed decided preferences that were unexpected. She

loved to take first mechanical and then robotic units apart, a hobby that

struck her womb-mother as unusual. Lady Rezalla consoled herself that at least

Nimisha showed an aptitude for something that kept her occupied for hours.

Lady Rezalla knew that some of her social peers had . . . difficult . . .

children with tendencies to be violent or abusive as the very young often

were. Even in the best families. She privately admitted to some anxiety that

Nimisha's mechanical avocation might be considered "quaint" for someone in the

most prestigious social level of Acclarke City on Vega III. On the positive

side, the Boynton-Chonderlee-Rondymense connection was sufficiently powerful

to permit much that might have been censured or condemned in a lesser Family.

4NIMISHA'SSHIP

"It's in the genes she inherited from me, Rezalla," Lord Tionel

Rondymense-Erhardt remarked on one of his visits to see the daughter he had

contracted to provide Lady Rezalla. Though he would have been perfectly

willing to have had a much longer contract with the elegant Rezalla, she had

never given him the least bit of encouragement for an extension. This

disinterest both annoyed and intrigued him since he was much in demand as a

sire in the best Acclarkian circles. Still, he enjoyed her company and

excruciatingly accurate remarks about their society and peers. She was not

averse to his visits since she felt that her body-heir by him was quite the

best of the lot he had so far sired. She was less sanguine about the way he

encouraged Nimisha in her whimsical bent, happily answering her questions or

giving her a pointer when she seemed at a standstill in reassembling what she

had taken apart.

"It has obviously escaped your attention, my dear Rezalla," he remarked one

day after explaining to Nimisha the function of the tiny chips she had spread

out on the floor, "that she invariably improves the design and function of

whatever she's tinkering with. I find that most ingenious of her. Most

ingenious. If she continues to develop this aptitude, why I might just leave

her my Ship Yard. No one else I've sired shows the least bit of interest in

spaceship design. Much less doing any work of any description. I have grave

concern that what nine generations have built up in the Rondy-mense Ship Yard

GmBH might decline and disappear in the next

one."

"My body-heir," Lady Rezalla replied, rather more dismayed than pleased by

Lord Tionel's remarks, "will have no need for unsuitable bequests, Lord

Tionel."

"You were happy enough to find ten thousand shares of Rondy-mense stock in her

birth-gift portfolio," he remarked. Then he went on in his softest, most

persuasive voice, his blue eyes dancing, though his face had assumed a

properly repentant expression.

ANNEMcCAFFREY 5

"Don't be angry with me, Rezie. There's nothing unsuitable about a firm that

has been designing spaceships and in profit for over two hundred years. Surely

the financier in you appreciates that!"

The point was well taken, Lady Rezalla had to admit in all fairness. She

herself had increased her holdings and wealth due to a nearly infallible

instinct for the profitability of new businesses. Tionel was not given to

casual remarks. She knew very well that his body-heir, Vestrin, a decade older

than her Nimisha, was a disgrace to his sire. He seemed to have no interest in

anything that wasn't "thrilling, exciting, or totally new," which included

dangerous hunts and rather nasty jokes on those who might be considered

"close" friends. Tionel could do worse than sign the Rondymense Yard over to

his girl child if he wished it to continue. Nimisha need not do anything in

such a well-run establishment. Rezalla didn't know how much Tionel did in the

administrative end of the business, but she was quite capable of instructing

her daughter in the financial aspects sufficiently to keep the Yard in profit.

Especially as many contracts from the Admiralty were awarded to Rondymense

Ship Yard GmBH. It was always good to be "in" with the Admiralty, especially

as she had recently acquired the controlling interest in a small freighter

company.

"I have never faulted you on your business acumen, Ti," she replied, relenting

as they both watched Nimisha's careful reassembly of a robotic toy, the gift

of her Great Uncle Dahmison. While expressing appreciation for the gift, Lady

Rezalla wondered if Uncle knew which sex the child was. But it was certainly

the sort of thing Uncle would give: It made the most appalling noise. Children

liked noise; Rezalla didn't. "You've always been lucky with your designers."

"My designers?" Lord Tionel looked insulted and gestured at Nimisha. "I'm my

designer. I am responsible for all the innovations at the Yard. And half of

what the Vegan Fleet uses."

6NIMISHA'SSHIP

It was Lady Rezalla's turn to be surprised, and despite her many years of

schooling her expression to show only what she wished an audience to see, it

was a full minute before she could respond with cool dignity.

"You never mentioned that, Tionel." It was as near a reprimand as she could

bring herself to make. Members of the First Families had to set good examples

to everyone, even their peers, but they delegated duties; they didn't do them.

"I thought everyone knew," Tionel replied with a properly cool indifference

and a shrug of one shoulder. "Ah, very nice, Nimi," he said as his

six-year-old offspring presented him with the repaired toy. He set it on the

floor and pressed the activating stud. It began its series of acrobatics,

making Nimi clap her hands. "What did you alter in its circuitry?"

"She's made it quiet!" Lady Rezalla said, her voice echoing her delight. So

Nimisha had noticed her distaste for the sound it had made. "Such a dear

child."

"Well done, Nimi, well done!" Lord Tionel clapped his hands and, without a

glance at his former contractual spouse, held his arms out to the child. She

promptly climbed into his lap and put her arms about his neck, a show of

affection that caused Lady Rezalla to regard Lord Tionel with dismay. He

noticed. "Nonsense, Rezie. I am her father and I like to cuddle my children."

"How ... how exceedingly .. . old-fashioned of you," Lady Rezalla said,

seething with a variety of emotions, the most dominant being envy.

Nimisha would never have dared to climb onto her mother's lap. But then,

Rezalla had never indicated that such a display would have been acceptable.

Lady Rezalla did not like her exquisite self handled. What with Nimisha's

preoccupation with mechanical things, her fingers and hands were rarely as

clean as they should be, though Nurse did the best she couid. Oddly enough,

Nimisha did not have even a smudge of dirt on her clothing.

ANNEMcCAFFREY 7

If Tionel wished to have his fashionable tunic and trousers marred by dirty

fingers, that was his choice. He had always been a tactile person. If she had

once found this trait of his charming, she did not think unessential personal

contact dignified. Certainly not in their social sphere. At least Nimisha was

still very much a child, so such a display could be condoned. She and her sire

seemed to have established a bond that was not entirely due to the child's

interest in taking things apart. It did the child no harm to receive paternal

caresses--if not carried too far. Lady Rezalla was fair-minded. She thought

she and Nimisha had an excellent relationship; certainly she enjoyed her

daughter's company whenever she chose to take her anywhere. For the first

time, Lady Rezalla realized how odd her own behavior might look to others.

Very few of her social friends bothered to have their child-heirs accompany

them as much as Lady Rezalla did. But she genuinely liked the child and

thought her occasional observations clever. Rezalla also thought herself quite

broadminded in rearing Nimisha. The child's only flaw, as her mother saw it,

was this fascination with dismantling and reassembling mechanical and chippy

things.

She did remonstrate with Tionel when he started presenting Nimisha with

birthday gifts of a construction nature; things to assemble even down to

schematic drawings and instructions. To offset Tionel's influence, Lady

Rezalla subtly began to emphasize the feminine instruction that all girls of

their social level had to acquire and display suitably in Acclarkian society.

She was quite successful in such tuition. By the time Nimisha was eight, she

insisted on choosing her own apparel. As she displayed an innate good taste.

as well as a sense of color and design. Lady Rezalla stopped fretting about

her child's quaint preference for mucking about with greasy gears and engines

and the chips she so enjoyed fooling with. What only Nimisha's Nurse knew was

that her charge knew how to strike a balance that permitted her time to do

what she really wanted--to examine things mechanical and improve them--

8NIMISHA'SSHIP

and time to satisfy a mother whom she genuinely loved and respected, at least

in matters of dress and deportment.

"Actually, good design is good design anywhere," Nimisha told Nurse after a

shopping session with her mother. "And choosing clothing isn't much different

from choosing the right chassis for a sleek skimmer."

Such a remark merely proved to Nurse that her charge was cleverer than Lady

Rezalla realized, a fact that Nurse proudly ascribed to her own careful

nurturing of her charge.

Because Nimisha's sire did show a marked interest in her--and the guidance

counselors admitted that a friendly paternal regard generally contributed to

the stability of a child, male or female-- Lady Rezalla permitted Lord Tionel

to take Nimisha on trips to the Rondymense Ship Yard. Since Nurse was

agoraphobic and bluntly refused to leave the solid surface of Vega III even

for Nimisha's sake, Lady Rezalla sent to the employment agency she patronized

for a suitable female attendant who had experience in space travel. Five

candidates were offered by the agency, and their prospective employer

subjected each to a long and searching interrogation.

Lady Rezalla settled on twenty-one -year-old ]eska Mlan because of her

family's long and illustrious record as military and naval personnel. Mlan had

trained and applied for Service as well, but sadly she was one centimeter too

short and a half kilo too light to be eligible. So she had registered as a

bodyguard. All her credentials were in order, her intelligence was above

average, her manner pleasant, and her accent that of an educated Acclarkian

(acceptable in any social circle). It was important that Nimisha did not pick

up any "common habits." Lady Rezalla deplored the latest fad in her

society--of using certain cant terms or resorting to archaic language and

expletives that mystified her.

The young woman certainly didn't look like a bodyguard. Though not

traditionally pretty, Jeska was attractive, her face shewing good

ANNEMcCAFFREY 9

character, and she knew enough about dressing herself to enhance her

appearance. She would look well in Lady Rezalla's stylish personal livery. But

the telling factor was leska's interest in things mechanical.

"My father and brothers taught me how to keep a skimmer serviced, Lady

Rczalla," she said, and then added with a slight smile, "and other equipment

that I hope I shall not have to use."

"Then you are familiar with stunners?"

"I have been checked out by the Acclarkian Peace Guardians on hand weapons and

carry permits for personal defense implements," Jeska replied.

"Do you have a current valid permit with the APG?"

"Not at the moment, ma'am, but my training has been registered with them."

"I shall apply for the necessary permit immediately. Do you generally carry

two knives, Mlan?"

"Yes, m'lady," Jeska said without apology. The security arch on the main

entrance had disclosed that the girl carried one sheathed between her

shoulders and another in her right boot, a slender blade that the Residence

Manager termed a "stiletto."

Lady Rezalia could approve of the quiet dignity of that response: consonant

with her training, certainly, and a basic precaution for an attractive young

female. There were parts of Acclarke where personal weapons would undoubtedly

be required, though Mlan's address was not in one of those insalubrious areas.

\A/hile leska's primary duty was to accompany Nimisha on any excursions

outside the Boynton-Chonderlee compound, she was also enjoined by Lady Rezalla

to keep the girl physically fit. Mlan's resume had included a list of the

awards that she had received for gymnastic events. Rezalla herself used daily

dance and an aerobics routine to keep supple, in addition to weekly sessions

with a

10

NIMISHA'S SHIP

trainer. So many of her contemporaries resorted to surgical methods to

maintain their figures, a practice that Rezalla found abhorrent and which she

intended to eschew. Though one of her close personal friends, Lord Naves,

specialized in body sculpture, she did not intend to use his skills. Good

physical habits in childhood would result in a firm adult body that would need

no surgical interference.

"So many children these days are content to have everything done for them,"

Lady Rezalla said, leading her new employee to meet her daughter. "I do not

care to see my daughter become languorous and ineffectual. You will see that

she is kept in top physical condition."

As Lady Rezalla did not specify what physical fitness program she wished her

daughter to learn, leska passed on more of what she herself had been taught by

older brothers and sisters in the services. Gymnastics provided a solid base

from which to start. When leska saw how beautiful her young charge was, she

included general self-defense moves in the exercise program. As Nimisha grew

in height, weight, and strength, leska added offensive tactics, including the

use of daggers, stunners, and hunting weapons, and how to turn seemingly

innocuous objects into weapons in an emergency. While leska knew that many

members of the First Families were ardent hunters and enjoyed pursuing very

dangerous prey on those preserves set aside for such sport, Nimisha was

uncharacteristically-- for her social rank--devoid of any interest in the

hunt. She ignored those of her peers who boasted of killing this animal or

that predatory avian and waved aside details of such prowess. She was vitally

interested in how the flitters, skimmers, and ground vehicles worked. And how

to improve their performance--an interest that leska was certainly delighted

to foster.

Like most scions in her rank of society, Nimisha was tutored at home, her

mother deciding what subjects she should study. Lan-

ANNE McCAFFREY

11

guages. of course, and mathematics featured very early on, as well as a

foundation in economics. She was also tutored at the appropriate age in

astrography, galactic history, various branches of the physical sciences, the

workings of the Vegan civic administrational structure, and basic legal

precepts.

"Which means when to put in a hurry-up call to the family legal advisers,"

Nimisha said to leska with a droll grin. At ten she was far more aware of

civic responsibilities than leska had ever been.

leska was quite willing to improve her own education, especially in useful

areas like mathematics, legal codes, and statutes. So, since she had no duties

during the morning tutorial sessions, she took to sitting quietly in the back

of the room, acquiring knowledge that had not been available in the general

curriculum of her school. Like any member of a serving family, she had learned

phrases and words of many different languages, but not necessarily those

appropriate for the ears of a First Family scion, so she was pleased to become

acquainted with more socially correct usage. She was delighted when Nimisha

emphasized more and more engineering concepts with the science tutor who was

only hired to give her a basic general understanding of the profession.

Nimisha regretted that the schoolroom computer system did not have a tri-d

display device sophisticated enough to allow her to design something more

satisfying than gowns or interior decorations or the other programs available

to a First Family scion of the female sex. However, her tutor did find a

manual for a professional design unit and privately sighed over its seemingly

unlimited virtual display factors. Although Lady Rezalla allowed her body-heir

a great deal of leeway, Nimisha knew when discretion was required. It was

enough to have leska permitted to join the lessons.

"It's much easier to review lessons with someone," Nimisha had confided in

leska. "I'm glad you're not bored."

"That's highly unlikely in your company, Nimisha," [eska replied

12

NIMISHA'S SHIP

with a grin. She had quickly grown fond of the bright, cheerful child in her

care, and if she bent a few rules for Nimisha, the girl did the same for her.

As Nimisha grew older, she was invited on more frequent excursions with her

sire, and these feska enjoyed almost as much as her charge.

The Rondymense Ship Yard occupied an area on the outskirts of the primary

Vegan Fleet Space Yard, where new vessels were built and older ones underwent

maintenance and refitting. While Lord Tionel never said anything to the point,

leska Mlan was quick to realize that Rondymense was in such proximity to the

big Fleet installation because it supplied the Fleet with a great many of its

improvements, most of which originated in Lord Tionel's fertile mind. Jeska

was thrilled: She might not have made the Service, but she became privy to a

lot that her serving relatives would never know. Since discretion had been a

facet of her early childhood training in an active service family, she had no

trouble keeping what she saw and heard to herself. On her infrequent visits

home, she often had occasion to smile quietly as she listened to her siblings

raving about this or that improvement to the Vegan Spaceship 7890B, or the

brand-new VSS 8650C--innovations she had watched from the design stage onward.

She was also alert to the fact that Nimisha was equally discreet, though Lord

Tionel had frequently discussed technical aspects that Jeska knew to be very

top secret. But discretion was subtly inbred in any child of the First

Families.

It didn't take Lord Tionel long to realize that his daughter's bodyguard was

as eager to learn as Nimisha. So he equipped them both with tools and gave

them projects to complete, all deftly geared to augment the larger educational

program he now had in mind for Nimisha. When she appeared to have stopped

growing, he had them both measured for space suits so they could accom-

ANNEMcCAFFREY 13

f

pany him and his crews on exterior investigations. Of course, they knew as

well as he did that Lady Rezalla would have instantly curtailed these visits

had she known that they'd accompanied Lord Tionel into the vacuum of space.

But he had undertaken their instruction himself, been satisfied that they

appreciated the risks and would adhere to the precautions. They were always

safely linked to experienced EVA personnel.

Early on, Lord Tionel tested Jeska's piloting skills in a space skimmer as

well as a ground vehicle and rated her competence equal to that of many

pilots. He also taught Nimisha how to drive, preferring to be certain she was

capable long before Lady Rezalla allowed her body-heir a personal ground

vehicle.

"I may be usurping some of her birth-mother's prerogatives," he told [eska one

day without a trace of guilt, "but I prefer to oversee her education in such

matters. I've no doubt Lady Rezalla instructs her as efficiently in the purely

feminine skills in which she herself excels."

Jeska nodded, understanding completely what he had not said. "I am very

appreciative, Lord Tionel, of the benefits I have received while in Lady

Nimisha's company."

"You've an aptitude worth cultivating, my girl," he replied honestly. "When

Nimisha no longer requires your. .. companionship, this Yard would consider

you an asset." He smiled in his beguiling fashion, rubbing his hands together

as if already anticipating the moment when he could make good on his offer.

"Small wonder you succeed so well with the Fleet types, Lord Tionel," she

said, grinning impudently up at him. The current High Admiral of the Fleet was

an attractive and highly efficient woman. Jeska knew he spent considerable

time with her and her Design teams.

His smile broadened and he accorded her a slight bow. "I like to encourage

talent wherever I encounter it. Now," he continued in

14

N I M I S H A # S SHIP

a brisker tone, "what trinket would please my daughter when she receives her

Necklace four weeks from now?"

"A skimmer, sir," leska replied promptly, sober-faced, though she couldn't

keep the glint of mischief out of her eyes.

"A skimmer?" The uplift of his voice in surprised repetition made her grin.

"Even Lady Rezalla will agree that Lady Nimi, at fourteen, should have her own

transport. Especially as she will promise to service it herself." leska

paused, rather pleased that she had been able to astonish Lord Tionel. "That

way no one but she and I will know the engine capacity, the optimum cruising

range, or the versatility of the vehicle."

"Ah!" Lord Tionel's eyes lit up. He gave Icska's back such an approving thump

that only the girl's superb natural reflexes kept her from bouncing off the

worktable in front of her. "Oh, sorry about that, leska. Caught me by

surprise, you did. Excellent. Excellent." And he went off, chuckling to

himself. "Capital idea! lust the thing."

Oince leska had been Nimisha's companion for six years, she was permitted to

attend the important Necklace Ceremony, traditional in First Family circles.

She stood well behind those who were related by blood, of course, but she was

there when Nimisha celebrated her minor majority, colloquially known as the

Double M.

The adult majority was four years hence, but body-heirs were expected from the

moment of their Necklacing to act in an adult fashion and leave childish

practices and manners behind them. Beside leska, Nurse was sniffling, since

this ceremony marked the end of her employment. That she was being

munificently rewarded by Lady Rezalla and need never work another day in her

life did not seem to compensate for leaving Nimisha. Since leska was fonder of

Nimisha than she was of any of her own siblings, she quite understood Nurse's

sorrow. She would continue in her duties

ANNE McCAFFREY

15

to the body-heir of Boynton-Chonderlee House, but she and Nurse had been of

one mind in keeping certain aspects of Nimisha's daily routines from Lady

Rezalla. Once Necklaced, Nimisha was guaranteed more freedom from constant

supervision. Indeed, during the festivities, other servants would be moving

Nimisha's belongings out of the nursery and into private quarters in the west

wing of the House.

Before relatives from both sides of the bloodline, as well as Lady Rezalla's

particular friends and confidants, Nimisha was led in by her dam's mother, the

Lady Astatine Boynton-Tatanovic, a formidable woman who had never approved of

her own body-heir's friends or her deplorable tendency to dabble in "finance."

But Lady Astatine knew what was owed to Family despite the fact that she

deplored Nimisha's height, among other things that were beyond the girl's

control.

"You make me look like a midget, young woman. Most inconsiderate," was the

grandam's complaint. "Don't bruise my fingers. Gels are supposed to be

delicate, not have the grip of a man. Did not your dam teach you any feminine

arts?"

"Your couturier made my gown, Grandam," Nimisha murmured. She might not have

gone through the ceremony officially allowing her to speak out to an elder,

but she would not allow anyone to fault her birth-mother. Especially her

grandam.

"That much Rezalla learned from me," was the haughty reply. "Who the most

original designers are."

"And learned well, Grandam."

A muffled throaty growl greeted that courteous reply. Then Lady Astatine

passed Nimisha's hand to Lady Rezalla for the rest of the ceremony and stepped

back, deftly kicking the train of her elegant and fabulously expensive gown

out of her way.

Nimisha was handed by her mother onto the three-level podium set in place for

the ceremony, so that she was clearly visible to the assembled. Lady Rezalla,

her eyes bright with tears of pride,

16

NIMISHA'S SHIP

advanced with Lord Tionel, equally bright-eyed and grinning widely with

delight in his part of the ceremony. He held the case in which Nimisha's

Necklace reposed. He had insisted on sharing the cost so, when he turned to

display the magnificent jewelry, there were muted gasps and astonished oh's of

approval.

The family of Tionel Rondymense-Hrhardt was just fractionally older and more

exclusive than the Boynton-Chonderlee, so the necklace intricately displayed

the families' identification patterns, the same ones that had been indelibly

tattooed on Nimisha's neck shortly after her birth. With the courtliest of

bows, Lord Tionel presented the case to his former contractual spouse. Lady

Rezalla lifted the glittering ornament by its ends and, standing on the

highest level of the podium, deftly encircled her body-heir's neck and

fastened the clasp. Using one finger, she gave a minute adjustment to the

left-hand side to cover the tattoo beneath. Then she tapped Nimisha. Nimisha

turned and her mother accorded her the six embraces required by the ceremony,

the accolades of approaching adulthood. And for once the kisses were genuine

touches of lip to cheek and lip to lip.

Moving gracefully, and as deftly as her grandmother with the train of her

splendid gown, Nimisha then accepted the salutes from her sire, her grandam,

and the relatives awaiting to applaud her entry into Society. She did a smooth

and gracious circling, though she could have done without Great Uncle

Dahmison's sloppy kisses. She wasn't the only one of the younger relatives in

the auxiliary lines who disliked his tendency to slobber.

Then she made her way to Nurse and embraced her warmly, giving her the four

kisses of extreme favor. She gave leska the two proper embraces allowed and

squeezed her hands tight, covertly promising that they'd both try out the new

skimmer that was parked behind the house. They might have to sneak out of the

house at night to do so, but fortunately her Necklacing party would not be

ANNE McCAFFREY

17

as prolonged as the one to celebrate her adult majority. That was four years

away and there would be so much to do to reach that exalted state. Especially

now that Nimisha would have more control over her daily activities.

The music started--since this was a Boynton-Chonderlee House affair, the

musicians were humans, not mechanicals--and her sire requested the first

dance, as was his right. Lady Rezalla watched, not quite beaming with pride at

the elegant way father and daughter danced, but as close to such an expression

as she allowed herself. She sighed once, rather pleased that she had picked

Tionel to sire her body-heir. He had done well by her and was doing far more

than most sires did for their offspring. Certainly more than he did for the

oaf who was his body-heir. She spared a sideways glance at Vestrin. He was as

tall as his sire and with the same nose and ears, but after that he resembled

his dam, the insidious Lady Vescuya, far too closely. Fortunately Lady Vescuya

was not among the invited: She had a previous engagement she could not cancel,

for which Lady Rezalla was grateful, since she had as little use for Vescuya

as did almost everyone else of the First Families.

When Lady Astatine brusquely waved off Tionel's offer to dance, as etiquette

required of him, he more gladly took his former spouse onto the floor. At the

end of that dance, everyone paired off to enjoy the music and the rest of the

celebration.

Lord Vestrin did the obligatory dance with his blood-half-sister and spent the

next hour, Lady Rezalla noted, on the sidelines criticizing the guests to

Great Uncle Dahmison, whose hearing was minimal anyway. Then Vestrin abruptly

departed, making the barest of bows to his hostess and birth-father.

When the last guests were well gone, Nimisha and leska slipped down the

stairs, dressed in clothing appropriate for an early morning spin in a newly

acquired skimmer. Nimisha spoke the security

18

NIMISHA'S SHIP

passwords into the estate system, and the two walked quickly to the garage

area.

leska had her knife out a second before Nimisha did when a shadow detached

itself from the corner of the first parking slot.

"If you two thought you'd try it out on your own, you thought wrong," Lord

Tionei said, holding his arms widespread as he emerged.

"Scare the life out of me, you would," leska said, sheathing her knife. "I

could have skewered you, Lord Tionei." She didn't sound the least bit

repentant.

"I know your reflexes by now, Mlan, so 1 was in no danger," Tionei said,

chuckling.

"I could have sworn I saw you drive away, sir," Nimisha said, after taking a

deep enough breath to calm a fast-beating heart.

"Oh, I did, and doubled back around before the security net was activated. I

brought suitable clothing. And I can be Tionei, or Ti, as you wish, m'dear,

now you're Double M."

"Don't you have any faith in your training of me, Tionei?" Nimisha asked,

quick to accept his offer.

"Oh, 1 do, but you haven't driven something as powerful as this one, and

neither has leska. In this test run, you'll drive with me until I'm sure you

both have the measure of these engines. Get in."

As this was a two-seater skimmer, suitable for city and country travel--or so

Lady Rezalla would think--there were only two bucket seats. However, behind

them, there was a little space and a ledge across the back, just adequate for

someone as slender as leska, if she sat sideways with her knees bent.

The skimmer purred into activity when Nimisha thumbed on the engine.

"Slowly, my girl. Those engines could wake even your dam from a sound sleep,"

Tionei said, raising one hand in warning.

"I can feel the power in them," Nimisha agreed, smiling. "You're such a good

father, Tionei."

ANNE McCAFFHEY

19

Tionei sighed and Nimisha wished she'd phrased that some other way, for she

knew how disappointed he was in his own body-heir. And really, she couldn't

blame him. Vestrin was useless and he needn't have been. Once again Nimisha

had cause to thank her mother for her upbringing and nurture. Vestrin's dam

might have been the acknowledged beauty of her debut year, but that,

Anne McCaffrey - Nimisha's Ship

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