[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.All of us, airborne couples gliding near the ceiling, start to float down softly, and then land on our feet just in time to touch down on the floor that once again rises to meet us, flattening at the main level of the walkways.“Want something to drink?” he says, still holding me around the waist almost gingerly, but his confident smile returns.“Sure!” I nod.We move off the dance floor toward the walkway, while my thoughts flitter about wildly, wondering again where Aeson Kassiopei is, and if he even made it to the Dance.Xelio and I make our way to the nearest drink station, where Xel gets in line for us, telling me to wait by the glassed-off area of the tech cube, out of the push-and-shove traffic zone.Grateful to him for dealing with the drink crowd, I move away and stand, watching the dancers.And then I turn, and see them.Command Pilot Kassiopei, wearing his Fleet dress uniform, white and gold, walks slowly with Oalla Keigeri and Keruvat Ruo, from the direction of the entrance.They must’ve just arrived, I realize.Keruvat is also dressed in the full parade uniform, tall and gorgeous.Oalla on the other hand, wears a long red dress, sleek and bright like a flame.Her golden hair falls loosely around her shoulders, and it is threaded with many ruby-red jewels that catch fire in the bright pulsing lights.Her heels are at least three inches tall, and she steps effortlessly with perfect grace.And her face, when she turns, is made up in elegant high-fashion, with dramatic colors.Immediately my heart lurches in my chest and I feel my pulse picking up, racing.I watch Kassiopei approach, and he is splendid, regal, spectacular—I run out of crazy words for him in my mind, as I stare, wildly.When they are just a few feet away, talking and laughing among themselves, I turn my back to them—to him—because suddenly I am the same nervous awkward girl, who cannot even walk easily in two-inch heels, much less face him.They pause, almost next to me, still not seeing me.In that moment Xelio emerges from the drink station, carrying two tall covered glasses with straws.He sees Kassiopei and the other Pilots and waves to them with one glass.“There you are, Kass,” Xelio says, flashing a wicked smile.“Glad you bothered to show.Though, I’m amazed you’re here this early.”“Sorry we’ve missed your opening, Xel,” Oalla says, coming up to him and bumping his arm in an easy, relaxed manner of longtime friends.Aeson, standing almost next to me, and literally not seeing me, folds his arms casually—his favorite stance—and simply stares at Xelio with a faint hint of a smile.“Nice job, so far, Pilot.”“Why, thank you, Command Pilot.” And Xelio grins, at the same time as he attempts an insolent salute while still holding the ice-clinking glasses in both hands.“Love your color scheme,” Keruvat says in his deep voice.“Remind me what this color is called—is it by any chance—red?”Xel snorts.There is general chuckling.“So, Xel, where’s your date?” Oalla asks suddenly.“Hope you didn’t frighten her too badly with your delightful charming personality?”Xel raises one brow, and then takes a step in my direction.“There she is!” he says with a softening smile.I turn my head around, and then the rest of me, turning to face them all.Everyone glances, and in that moment I see Aeson Kassiopei, as his gaze alights upon me.He is transformed.Aeson sees me, and I swear, he jolts in place slightly.Then he frowns, grows perfectly still, and his lips part.He stares at me in disbelief, and I look back at him.A warm flush starts rising from a deep place inside me.rising, rising.Good thing I’m wearing so much makeup that my blush is probably invisible.What a wonderful disguise.“Lark?” Aeson Kassiopei asks.“Yes?” I say, looking up at him.Even though I feel breathless and I’m blushing like crazy, a tiny little smile of triumph wants to break through and settle on my blood-cherry-red gloss-covered lips.“I—I didn’t recognize you, sorry,” he says coldly.And he continues staring with great big wide-open eyes.“Gwen Lark?” Oalla exclaims.“Is that you? No! But, you look amazing! I didn’t recognize you either, wow! What a gorgeous dress! And I love your makeup! You could be at the Imperial Court, looking like that!”“Thank you,” I say softy.Keruvat nods appreciatively, and they all look at me now, examining me as if I’m an exotic zoo specimen.“Here you go.” Xelio interrupts the moment by handing me my drink.“Thanks,” I say, glancing at him with a smile.And then I add, “Hey, do you know what time it is? My vocal performance is at 8:15.”I momentarily glance back at the others, and my God, they are all still staring at me.Furthermore, he is staring at me—Kassiopei.He is so still, so perfectly unbelievably motionless, that I actually wonder if something is wrong with me.“Don’t worry,” Xel tells me, checking a small gadget he pulls out of his pocket.“The performances begin at 8:00 PM, which is in ten minutes from now, and looks like you are the second person in the lineup.”“Great!” I smile brightly, and turn to all of them.“All right, you must hear me sing!”“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Oalla says, smiling back at me.And then she sees Aeson Kassiopei, still frozen motionless, still looking at me, and she nudges him on the arm.“Kass? Hey!”“Yes?” He blinks as though coming awake and gives his attention to her at last, tearing himself away from me.“We’re going to stick around long enough to hear Lark perform, all right?”He nods.“That’s fine.” And now, he is no longer looking at me at all.They go to get drinks, and then the Command Pilot walks around the perimeter, his arrogant back turned to me, as he checks out the room.I watch the back of his head, the sleeked-back golden hair, as he moves off into the crowd, retreating from me.And then I sip my drink through the straw, careful not to damage my perfect lip makeup.Xelio stands at my side and glances in the direction of the CP.“So, your commanding officer is his usual uptight self tonight, which is to say—” He never quite finishes the sentence, but there’s a wicked smile on his lips [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]