Quote Originally Posted by Ramil
10

Whatever were Curtis’s thoughts about what had happened he never talked of/about it ever since. Two medics that were working too well for ones looking/ones who looked so young had glued/closed the Kay’s wound, administered several ampoules of unknown preparations and then applied a thin film of aerosol as a finishing touch.
“Will it hold for two days?” inquired Kay.
“Even for two years if you like.” said one of them as he shrugged his shoulders. The familiarity/experience of/in the tone of voice only strengthened the suspicion that these two “young guys” had undergone the aThan not long before.
Kay was relaxing in his room. It was twilight outside; the rhythm of life in the estate was bound to the local time of the tower.
The silicoid appeared when Kay was starting to doze off.
“In the fights with organic lifeforms the bulrathi sometimes used poisoned claws” he informed instead of saying some words of greeting.
“He didn’t have time to apply poison and the medics administered some anti-toxin, but thank you anyway.”
“May I?” the silicoid had floated to the sofa and even before Kay could react in surprise he bent his body and sat beside Kay. Kay moved farther away – the stone body poured out/radiated heat. “Let’s have a moment of silence in memory of a life gone.” solemnly said the silicoid.
Kay went silent for two minutes. Then he asked:
“Is it difficult for you to set a screen?”
“It’s easier at closer distances. Unfortunately you cannot move closer. It’s done. We’re shielded from any listening.”
“Even from Curtis’s?”
“Yes.”
“Are you so sure that I have some words for you?”
“Yes, speak.”
“The Bulrati have found your weak spot, boulder. The structures that generate your force field are unstable. Isn’t it amusing for a race that is obsessed about power balance/the balance of power, is it? A sound of specific frequency and intensity resonates with them… so even a slight push would be enough to turn you into a motionless, helpless albeit still thinking stone.”
“What is the sound?”
“I cannot emit it. You would need a throat of a bulrathi.”
“You could be lying.”
“Perhaps, perhaps not.”
“Why have you disclosed this to me?”
“The humans/Humans fought with you only episodically. You live on the planets we wouldn’t willingly go to. The Human Empire may have its interests; the Bases of Silicoids may have its own. They don’t cross. And even if war happens we wouldn’t send a bunch of castrate singers against you. A laser pistol would even our chances, a fusion blaster would give me a ten out of ten advantage. One has to be a bulrathi to seek the advantage in a hand-to-hand fight with a silicoid.”
“We were worried about that, Kay” sounded or murmured the silicoid. “We don’t like unclear situations.”
“I thought so myself… What can you tell me, silicoid?”
“Curtis Van Curtis bought the aThan prototype from the Psilonians for twenty five hundred credits.”
“Well, at that time this price was…”
“… as surprisingly low as it is now. A year and a half later the Psilonians had encapsulated their space. That’s all. I said everything I could. My debt/obligation to Curtis will last for quite a long time.”
The air quivered as the protection screen disappeared. The silicoid took the air. The sofa was emanating a faint smell of burnt leather.”
“We have honored the deceased with silence. As clear a silence as he deserved. And now, Kay, Arthur Van Curtis is waiting for you. You have work to do.”

When Kay entered the premises of Arthur Van Curtis he remembered his asylum. Any of the rooms of Curtis junior could easily house his whole “G” block with its multilevel dormitory, learning and recreational modules. This one, for example, was an oval hall ornamented with tapestries painted in dark colors. Kay didn’t have any complex on inferiority about that; Altos gave him the only thing it could give – life. It was just a childhood flashback.
“Hi, daddy.” said Arthur. He was sitting on the floor in the Lotus pose with his eyes closed and his hands resting on his knees.
“You’re wrong, it’s me.” said Kay and sat nearby.
“I know it’s you. But we should be getting used to our legend, shouldn’t we?”
“That’s right, hi sonny.”
Arthur winced without opening his eyes.
“No, I don’t think you call me ‘sonny’. It would sooner be ‘kiddo’.”
“No way.”
“All right, let’s think about it… You are tedious, boring and very pleased with yourself; you save every credit, and you try very hard to bring up a decent merchant out of me… You call me ‘son’ or simply by name.”
“Ok, son. Can your name be shortened somehow?”
“What?” Arthur opened one eye.
“When we are revived I will have to express a lot of emotions. According to the legend this will be our first aThan. No matter how cold-hearted and stiff I should be I shouldn’t just say “my son Arthur”. How did your father call you when you…”
“Son.” Arthur smiled and closed his eyes again.
“Well, we’ll decide it once we're there then. Where do we live?”
“Endoria. We’ve got a house near the ocean…”
“…two storeys high, a vineyard, a landing pad for flyers…”
“…you leave your ship at the government port. It’s farther than Endoria-Plus but far much cheaper…”
“…you’ve graduated the compulsory course at the average private college then I’ve decided to educate you myself…”
“…my mother runs the financial affairs of the “Ovald & son” company and never flies with us. Sometimes you cheat on her, and you have a lasting affair on Ruch. I pretend I don’t know about it.”
“It’s all right.” Kay nodded. “Now we know the official part. Let’s speak about things that weren’t in the instructions.”
“Are you the one of those who always try to play it safe?”
“Of course, I have to be. What food do you like?”
“Tasian jelly.”
“A son of a minor trader couldn’t have ever tasted it.”
“Why? We were freighting the jelly from Tasia to Terra. For Curtis Van Curtis himself. And we ate the two percent that is written off for the transportation losses.”
“Well, all right, I suppose. What is it you don’t like?”
“Cheese sandwiches.”
“Why?” Kay was at a loss.
“I really don’t like them!”
Kay nodded and rose up with difficulty stretching his numb legs. Arthur continued sitting as if he had turned into a stone.
“A couple of questions outside the legend. What is this room?”
“It is the hall for meditation. Why?”
“Just interesting. Have you got any brothers?”
“None that I know of.”
“Have you ever been off Terra?”
“This is the third question already.”
“All right, let’s continue…”
Kay walked around Arthur.
“Are you afraid of the dark?”
“No.”
“Height?”
“No.”
“Death?”
Arthur turned his head and their eyes met.
“Of course not, daddy.” said the boy with an icy voice.
“And are you afraid of me?”
“Only when you have been smoking trab.”
“Never had it.”
“All the traders smoke trab. There is a package in the bone casket behind the drapes. Take it.”
There were many interesting things behind the drapes. A casket with trab, several other caskets, an opened though turned off communicator’s control panel, an activated sentry droid whose cameras were steadily watching Kay’s every move… Kay put the plump package into his pocket and returned to Arthur.
“Do I smoke it often?”
“When the business is bad. Seldom.”
“Do I like to preach morale?”
“Of course.”
“Have I told you about the differences between stamens and pistils?”
Arthur began to smile.
“Yes, when I turned ten, you summoned me to your study… to the cockpit and said ‘Arthur, you’re growing up and you have to learn about some aspects of adult life. When a man and a woman are in love and they want to have a little baby they do some things…’.”
“Do I have to be such an idiot?” asked Kay.
“Yes, every time, everywhere. You do want me to act natural?”
“Ok, now it’s your turn.”
“Do you shave?”
“Every day except for the days I’ve been smoking trab.”
“Do you snore?”
“Sometimes”
“Are you unkempt sometimes when you think nobody sees you?”
“Of course.”
Arthur made a back roll and easily straightened out/up.
“You’re not bad, Kay. Would you like juice? Or wine?”
“A glass of yellow Mrshhan”
“A glass of yellow Mrshhan and a glass of orange juice” repeated Arthur in the air. “Damn, I wish we had more time. We would/could have pulled together/we could have gotten our legend down then.”
“We will. We don’t have any other choice. Let’s continue…”