Gateway To Xanadu by Sharon Green Read Free Book Online

how hard it is to dispose of bodies on this ship?”
    “If I don’t get any of that, you’ll be faced with the need to make the effort,” I pointed out, moving my wrist in his hand. “I happen to be hungry, and I’d like to get something to eat. ”
    “Then let’s get you something to eat,” he said with a faint grin, heading me toward the other side of the galley before turning my wrist loose. “Is there some place with more elbow room where we can set this out?”
    “This” turned out to be more courses of fresh-cooked food than I ever expected to see before I got back to the Federation, all kept nice and warm behind the holder panels surrounding the cooker. I could now understand why I hadn’t smelled any of his efforts, but not why he hadn’t already begun digging in.
    “There’s a pull-out table in the salon you can use,” I answered. “I’ll have mine in a minute, and then I’ll be out of your way.”
    I tried to turn away from the open holder panels, but the hand in the middle of my back wasn’t allowing that. My avenue of retreat was well blocked off.
    “What’s the matter, are you too good to eat with me?” Val asked softly, making sure his arm stayed in my way. “Are you afraid to try it in case you like it? It takes a big person to accept a shortcoming, Diana, but I thought you were big enough to do it. Was I wrong?”
    I looked up at the sober face looking down at me, silently giving E for effort to the line he’d decided on.
    “All right, I’ll join you,” I grudged, trying not to lick my lips in anticipation of what was making those delicious smells. “But only this once. It so happens I-like syntho.”
    “Only this once,” Val agreed without hesitation, showing his grin nowhere except his eyes. “You get the pull-out table pulled out, and I’ll start bringing the food.”
    With chore assignments made I was free to go where I liked, which was into the salon to see to the table.
    A pretty white cloth fluffed out once the table was locked into open position, and Val began covering it with dishes while I unracked a couple of chairs from the dining set recess, then checked the wine list to see what was available. On the trip out I’d used a heavy brandy to get stoned on once, not caring to waste anything better on the urges of deep depression. A wine drunk is murder on the constitution, and the hangover had been bad enough to keep me from doing it a second time, which left the figurative cellar almost untouched. Val had prepared a seafood appetizer, a meat soup, a meat and vegetables main dish, something with about ten million calories for dessert, and had cheese and fruit and breads scattered around. I selected one good white wine, an average rose and a darned good red, then decided against the excellent brandy the yacht’s original owner had undoubtedly laid in for himself. If I felt like sharing brandy with Val, I could always call it up later.
    Once we were settled at the table, there was more plate-passing and swallowing than gabbing accomplished, the sort of silence one gives to a very creditable effort. Val’s handling of the seasoning was unorthodox but interesting, and the fact that I could have done better didn’t keep me from thoroughly enjoying myself. We worked our way through the first two bottles of wine along with most of the food, then sat back to sample the third.
    “This is nice,” Val observed, raising his glass so that the light gleamed red off its contents, then brought it to his lips again. “Have you made any plans for our first stop after we reach your Federation?”
    “I certainly have,” I answered with a good deal of satisfaction, noticing how close to blood color the wine was. I felt relaxed and good after that meal, and didn’t mind talking about my plans. “I have some unfinished business named Radman to see to, and then I’ll show you a few of the sights. ”
    “Isn’t that the name of the slaver who first put you on this ship?” Val