680. forlorn

Von stood before the port window as a mountain in the last days of winter, his balding head buzzard unkept. His eyes held the years like pristine lakes, full of fish grown, of moss covered banks, and trees of fir, heavy of rain, of thickening sap, of a drooping sadness. Kyra watched him scratch his head, those galvanic fingers, watched him lost in thought in the way of a father wondering where he went wrong, alone in a solitude beyond the travelled path. He wore his whey robes as he did on most days, the folds from a distance looking still as marble, museum quiet, where whispers were ecclesiastical and feet walked as if the ground itself were alive. She had thought Trev would have taken the leaving of Mairi the hardest or perhaps Em in the knowing look of Trev's eye; but it was Von, now, who stood as one forlorn, as a shepherd without a herd, abandoned even of dog.

Four weeks it had been and not a word. The restlessness of orbit thickening the air; pettiness became as bubbles, as froth, drivel and dross and dreck. Still, he stood, seeming to fly above the squabbles, holding his comm in his palm, rubbing it like a rock.

"Von?"

"Yes."

"Talk to me."

"I hear talk of leaving."

"Idle chatter."

"Show me a tree and I'll show you a root."

"We're not going anywhere."

He shook his head. We never made eye contact. There was no need.


++++++


Rog rolled over, his teeth gently raking Yul's lobe. "Want to go on-world?"

Yul arched her back, her shoulders fitting the groove of his collarbone. "Sure. But first, tell me about the dock."

"I've told you everything."

"No, I don't think so."

"Yep."

"Nope."

"I'm gonna spank you."

"Is that what she said?"

"Who?"

"Susan."

"What are you talking about?"

"So you were her little whore. And then somehow, a lowly ranch boy, your brother too, got a ticket off-world. Just like that."

"Yeah."

"Bullshiott."

"You don't believe me?"

"How did you get your paper?"

"None of your business."

"You frailed her for it."

"You're crazy."

"You frailed her day and night, like a young plow in old soil."

Rog shakes his head.

"And she got you a ticket."

"Maybe."

I knew it! You whore."

"You complaining?"

"Show me."

"Show you what?"

"How you did it. How you frailed your way off-planet. I can't imagine it was just any kind of frailing."

"Well, maybe it wasn't."

"You liked it didn't you?"

"Liked what?"

"Being good enough to earn your keep."

Rog began to answer. Yul put a finger to his lips. "No more words. Close your eyes. Earn your keep."


++++++


"I need the cottage," said Em.

"Kyra says no one is allowed on-world," said Trev.

"I'm not asking."

"Oh."

"Do what you have to do."

"Really?"

"I need stone, under foot. Tall lazy grass, the sun on my face. An old roof, one bedroom and a bed to wake the birds when you ply my waters like a man needing a son."

Trev sighed. "Wait here. I'll see what I can do."

"Trev?"

"What?"

"I'm not interested in seeing."

"What? Oh. Right."