The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey Read Free Book Online Page A

groping, grasping, clenching. Then Theoda reached up to the button and cut the contact abruptly.
    Unconcerned, Helva switched to the wide vision of her exterior scanners and picked up the landcar as it sped toward her. The car discharged its passenger and left. But Theoda did not step onto the lift. Somewhat at a disadvantage because of the angle, Helva could only watch as Theoda paced back and forth.
    In the bunk, Onro slept on and Helva waited.
    â€˜Permission to enter,’ said Theoda finally, in a low voice.
    â€˜Granted.’
    Stumbling again, one hand in front of her as if feeling her way, Theoda entered the ship. Wearily she sagged into the pilot’s chair and leaning forward on the console, buried her head in her arms.
    â€˜You saw, Helva,’ muttered the therapist, ‘you saw. Those people have been like that for upward of 6 weeks. To move an eyelid with a commensurate effort of budging a ton. How many will come out of this sane?’
    â€˜They have an additional hope, Theoda. Don’t forget, once you can establish that the integral intellect remains, the body may be bypassed. There are advantages to that, you know,’ she reminded the therapist.
    Theoda’s head came up and she turned inher chair, looking in amazement at the panel concealing Helva’s shell-encased body.
    â€˜Of course. You’re a prime example, aren’t you?’
    Then she shook her head in disagreement.
    â€˜No, Helva, it’s one thing to be bred up to it, and another to be forced into it as the only expedient.’
    â€˜The young would experience no shock at shell life. And there are, I repeat, advantages, even distinct gains, to be made. Witness my ability to follow your tour.’
    â€˜But to have walked, and touched, and smelled, and laughed and cried . . .’
    â€˜To have cried . . .’ gasped Helva, ‘to be able to weep. Oh, yes,’ and an unendurable tightness filled her mind as her brief respite from grief dissolved.
    â€˜Helva . . . I . . . in the hospital . . . I mean, I’d heard that you had . . . I’m sorry but I was so lost in my own problem that I just didn’t realize that you were the ship who sang, and that you’d . . .’ Her voice trailed off.
    â€˜Nor did I remember that at Medea the virus didn’t just isolate the intellect in the body; it destroyed it, leaving only a mindless husk.’
    Theoda turned her head away.
    â€˜That baby, that poor baby.’
    â€˜Central Control to the XH-834, are you receiving?’
    Theoda, startled by the voice at her elbow, jerked back from the lighted tightbeam face.
    â€˜XH-834 receiving.’
    â€˜Prepare to tape computer report on MedOfficer Onro’s request.’
    Helva activated the apparatus and gave the a-ok.
    â€˜Verbal?’ asked Theoda in a stage whisper.
    â€˜Verbal requested,’ Helva relayed.
    â€˜No correlation between age, physical stature, health, ethnic group, blood type, tissue structure, diet, location, medical history is indicated. Disease random, epidemic force. No correlation muscle, bone, tissue, blood, sputum, urine, marrow in postplague postmortem. Negative medication. Negative operation. Possibly therapy.’
    â€˜There!’ cried Theoda in triumph, jumping to her feet. ‘Therapy the only positive.’
    â€˜Only “possible”.’
    â€˜But the only
positive
factor, nonetheless. And I’m positive it’s repatterning.’
    â€˜Repatterning?’
    â€˜Yes. It’s a bizarre therapy and it doesn’t always work, but the failure may have been because the intellect had retreated in desperation,’ Theoda argued with vehement confidence. ‘To be trapped, unable to make even the simplest communication – can you imagine how ghastly that must be? Oh, what am I saying?’ she said, turning in horror toward Helva’s presence.
    â€˜You’re quite right,’ Helva assured her blandly with inner