Jeanne G'Fellers - No Sister of Mine by Jeanne G'Fellers (reading tree TXT) 📗

the accustomed ill fit and tucked the leg bottoms into her boots.

“Don’t feel bad.” Firman tugged his jumpsuit down. “She made sure mine was short, too.”

“She could never pick clothes for anyone but herself,” said Krell.

Firman leaned close and pointed to Tatra’s backside as she disappeared into the launch. “I’ve never seen a climbing suit filled out quite so nicely, how ’bout you?”

“I’ve always appreciated the way she seems poured into her clothes,” whispered Krell. “Her mouth is what scared me away.”

“I heard that!” called a voice from inside the launch.

“See?” Krell chuckled as she forced a frown. “All sense of appreciation is lost.”

“Not mine,” beamed Firman.

“I heard that, too!”

“Good!” he yelled. “Your ears should be burning ’cause the rest of you is flaming hot already.”

Krell found their developing relationship amusing. Tatra had never been one to deal with Autlachs more than necessary and Firman was one to love a challenge. They made an interesting pair.

“You going to hold on this time?” he asked when Krell had barred the hatchway.

“Oh, shut up.” Tatra turned up her nose.

“You first, if you can.” Firman winked at his sibling when she passed. Krell smiled back knowing Wileyse had finally met her match.

They waited their turn for liftoff and took their place in the convoy. The imbedded storms made landing a tricky affair but all crafts were successful. It was late afternoon on the surface, so the teams were dispatched to do preliminary searches while daylight remained.

“There’s so much to cover.” Tatra surveyed the narrow canyon they’d been assigned. “Where do we begin?”

“Not here.” Krell looked toward the western horizon. “Belsas gave us this area because she wants me close to camp.”

“There might be something down there.” Firman leaned over the canyon edge, watching the bottom rage with muddy turbulence. Chills cascaded down his spine at the thought of LaRenna being washed away, unsteadying his stance until Tatra grabbed his arm, pulling him from the edge.

“Careful, you’ll slip.”

“Didn’t know you cared,” he crooned.

“I don’t.” She dropped her hand. “Just wanted to spare myself any unnecessary work.”

“When you two are through,” interrupted Krell before Firman could form a comeback, “I think we should look west.”

Firman consulted their map and shook his head. “That leads us outside the search parameters. Are you sure you want to cross Belsas?”

“LaRenna is in that direction. I’m sure of it.” Krell led the way across the rough terrain. The others followed, dedicated though reluctant, puzzled by her fixed sense of direction.

They walked due west of their starting point, circumventing large standing puddles and deep-mudded bandit beast wallows. Krell kept the lead, homing in on some invisible beacon. All thoughts faded from her mind save one—LaRenna. That one image forced Krell blindly onward. LaRenna was in pain and that’s all that mattered.

“Krell!” Firman pointed to the nearly set sun. “It’s getting late. We should return to camp.”

“No, I’m going on. It’ll take most of the morning to get this far again.”

“We’ll take a land launch.”

“It may be too muddy for touchdown. You saw how far the planetary launches sank when we landed.” Krell looked at the clouds stacking on the horizon. “I can’t leave. Take Tatra back if you want. I’m going to keep moving until it’s too dark to see.”

“We can’t leave you out here alone.” His jaw set in a stern lock. “Come back to camp and dry off. You’ll catch your death.”

“LaRenna already has.” Krell’s voice took an ominous tone that caused Firman to stare.

“How do you know she’s sick?” Tatra had heard most of the conversation and now drew close, hand returning to Firman’s arm as she listened. Full-sense telepathy between Taelach lovers wasn’t unheard of, but all recorded cases involved pairs who had been together for decades.

“I just do. She’s very ill, Tatra. Her chest hurts.” Krell drew a ragged breath. “Her foot too, but in a different way.”

Firman turned to the healer. “She for real?”

“I believe so,” whispered Tatra. “There aren’t many pairs who can phase like this. Where is she, Krell?”

“She’s asleep, and hot, so very hot.” Krell’s eyes rolled back.

“A fever.” Tatra’s nod confirmed Firman’s analysis.

“She still a prisoner?” queried Tatra.

“No, I don’t think she is.”

“She alone then?”

“No, someone she knows and trusts is caring for her.”

“Who?” pushed Tatra. “Who’s she with?”

“That’s all I can sense. I’m still too far away.” Krell’s eyes opened. “You two get back to camp. I’ll go it alone from here.”

“Are you kidding?” Firman’s hand pressed reassuringly into his sibling’s. “We haven’t come all this way to be scared by the dark. Have we, Tatra?”

“Nope.” She smiled up at them. “We’re not turning back now. Show us the way, Krell. We’ll follow you to her and help bring her back.”

The downpours continued through the evening and night, providing little relief to the search teams. All but Krell’s group returned at sunset, no one noticing the missing trio until Belsas called for their report.

Fearing that flash floods might have swept them away, a morning search was organized for the narrow canyon they had been assigned. Belsas knew Krell wouldn’t have taken her crew into danger so she assumed they had begun an independent search. Their punishment when they returned would be severe, decided Belsas, especially for Krell. How dare she not stay close when LaRenna’s body could be recovered at any time?

Things went no better for the independent threesome. They stopped when the rain became too fierce for movement, seeking refuge under a group of low shrubs. Firman and Tatra cuddled up for warmth as well as companionship, leaving Krell to think.

LaRenna’s mental presence was so vivid that they shared the same feverish dreams. The images came in waves, initially revolving around LaRenna’s family, friends, and childhood. Krell found these to be pleasant, insightful glances at LaRenna’s past. But as the night progressed and her fever rose, the mental pictures became disillusioned and increasingly violent. Surreal visions of the Creiloff twins’ depraved behavior pierced their shared nightmare until it twisted Krell into hysterical fury.

“Krell!” Firman shook his sibling.