Neverness by David Zindell Read Free Book Online Page A

mother stole furtive, ugly glances at Katharine. I could tell that she did not like her, probably because it was obvious that I did. Katharine smiled at me again, and said, "Congratulations, Mallory, on your ... To go off exploring the Entity, that was a brave ... we're all very proud." I was a little irritated at her scryer's habit of not completing her sentences, as if the person she was talking to could "see" what was left unsaid and skip ahead to the crest of her rushing thoughts.
       "Yes, congratulations," Soli said. "But the pilot's ring seems a little small for your finger. Let's hope your pilot's vows aren't too great for your spirit."
       My mother cocked her head as she pointed at Soli's chest and said, "What spirit remains? Within the Lord Pilot? A tired, bitter spirit. Don't speak to my son of spirit."
       "Shall we speak of life, then? Yes, we shall speak of life: Let's hope Mallory lives long enough to enjoy the life of a new pilot. If there was a tumbler of skotch at hand we'd toast to the glorious but too short lives of foolish young pilots."
       "The Lord Pilot," my mother said quickly, "is too proud of his own long life."
       Justine grasped Soli's arm while she brought her full, pouting lips up to his ear and began whispering. He broke away and said to me, "You were probably drunk when you swore your oath. And your Lord Pilot was certainly drunk. Therefore, my lovely wife informs me, we've only to announce that the whole thing was a joke, and we are both finished with this foolishness."
       Beneath the silk of my robe, I felt hot sweat running down my sides in rivulets as I asked, "You would do that, Lord Pilot?"
       "Who knows? Who knows his fate?" He turned to Katharine and asked, "Have you seen his future? What will be done with Mallory? Should he be kept from his fate? "To die among the stars is the most glorious death' that's what the Tycho said before
he
disappeared into the Solid State Entity. Maybe Mallory will succeed where our greatest pilot failed. Should he be kept from fate and glory? Tell me, my lovely scryer."
       Everyone looked at Katharine as she stood there calmly listening to Soli. She must have sensed their stares because she put her hand into the side pocket of her robe, "the pocket of concealment," where the scryers keep their tub of blacking oil. When she removed her hand, her forefinger was covered with a cream so black that it shed no light; it was as if she had no finger, as if a miniature black hole existed in the space that her finger occupied. According to the custom of the scryers she daubed the oil into the hollows of her eyepits, coating the scars with concealing blackness. I looked at the hollows above her high cheekbones; it was like looking down two dark, mysterious tunnels into her soul where windows should have been. I looked at her for only a moment before I had to look away.
       I was about to tell my sarcastic, arrogant uncle that I would do as I had sworn no matter what he decided when Katharine let out a clear, girlish laugh and said, "Mallory's fate is his fate, and nothing can change ... Except, Father, that you
have
changed it and always will have..." And here she laughed again, and continued, "But in the end we choose our futures, do you see?"
       Soli did not see, and neither did I nor anyone else. Who could understand the paradoxical, irritating sayings of the scryers?
       Just then Bardo ambled over and thumped me on the back. He bowed to Justine and smiled before quickly looking away. Bardo - he had always tried to keep it a secret, but he could not - lusted for my aunt. I did not think that she lusted for him, nor did she quite approve of his brazen sexuality, though in truth, they were alike in one certain way: They both loved physical pleasure, and cared little for the past, nothing at all for the future. After being introduced to Katharine, he bowed to Soli and said, "Lord Pilot, has Mallory apologized for his barbaric