Last Stand of the DNA Cowboys

them, but he was far from clear about what she wanted. Although she was worldly-wise in many respects, she seemed painfull inexperienced in the necessities of adventuring. Her reaction to the float egg had been silly in the extreme and unworthy of anyone who wanted to be an adventuress. It had definitely lowered her in his esteem.

The final and most perplexing problem was the course that the new incarnation of the DNA Cowboys was going to take. The world had certainly become too grim and serious to support their old fantasy ways. Even though he did not voice it to the others anymore, he was still haunted by the idea that there were somehow remote powers controlling their destinies. He sat up with a sigh. If he had learned anything in his travels, it was that the future stubbornly refused to reveal itself and that brooding about what was going to be only made him depressed. The unfortunate part was that dreaming about it also made him depressed.

The veetar was on the bed beside him. He stretched out a hand to open the case but stopped halfway. It was pointless. But to his surprise he found that his hand was still working on the snaps. He swung his feet onto the floor and carefully lifted out the gleaming handmade instrument. He positioned it on his knee. His fingers flexed, and shimmering notes flowed from it. He ran slowly through the introduction to 'Speeding through Nowhere,' then lowered his head slightly. If it had been a public performance, the mannerism would have indicated to an audience that he was going to sing. He stopped abruptly with an impatient discordant clang. He still had nothing to say. He put the instrument back into the case and shut the lid, then rolled back onto the bed and closed his eyes. Within seconds he was fast asleep.

Speeding through nowhere

At the velocity of dreams

Bowed by memories of shame

But streamlined

By the fear that follows

I'd look around if I could

But I'm afraid that I'd lose my grip

I know that you're back there

And that only makes it twice as hard

Do we go on to infinity?

To the points where all things meet?

In infinity, will we be together,

Or does infinity just mean never?

(In infinity do we break down and show ourselves?)

Speeding through nowhere

At the velocity of dreams.

A fragment of 'Speeding through Nowhere'

by the Minstrel Boy

— Pressdra Vishnaria

CHAPTER EIGHT

'I think we'll be going up to our. . rooms.'

Billy and Renatta had their arms around each other, but at least they had the decency to look a little sheepish. The Minstrel Boy glanced at Reave. It was a whole new development that appeared to have come into being while he was asleep. Reave gave the slightest of shrugs, as though he was also at a loss to explain the new blossoming of romance.

By the time the Minstrel Boy had finally come down to the Grand Lounge of the Leader Hotel, the others had already been there for some time, and the entwining of Billy and Renatta was well under way. The Minstrel Boy had not said anything, although he was aware that he must have looked a little surprised when he had first walked in. He had settled himself on one of the low reclining couches and let the gold-clad serving women pamper him. He had at one point, however, caught Renatta's glance and she had responded to his slightly raised eyebrow with a look of defiance.

The Minstrel Boy raised a hand in a confused gesture. 'Uh. . yeah. Good night.'

He sipped his drink and watched them walk away. Renatta was certainly turning out to be something else. 'So how did that get started?'

Reave spread his hands. 'I really wasn't paying attention. I was too busy drinking and looking at the waitresses.'

'Come on.'

'Does it bother you?'

The Minstrel Boy thought fora moment. 'I'm not sure.'

'If you're not sure, you ain't hurting.'

'I was curious how it came about.'

'How do these things ever come about? First of all they weredrinking together, and then they were whispering together, and finally they were pawing at each other like they couldn't wait to be off on their own.' Reave's eyes twinkled. 'It did seem that they waited for you to show up before they left.'

'That was nice of them.'

Reave peered at the Minstrel Boy with narrowed eyes. 'You don't like this, do you?'

The Minstrel Boy grimaced. 'It ain't that I don't like it. It's just that it's. .'

Reave filled in for him. 'It's just that it's Billy.'

'Damn right it's Billy. I don't know what to make of him anymore. He's like a zombie half the time. I didn't even know he was interested in women anymore. We've got to do something about him before he gets to be a menace.'

'What do you suggest we do with him? Drum him out of the regiment?'

The Minstrel Boy knew that the conversation was going to be pointless. Whatever they said, they were stuck with Billy. 'I don't know.'

Reave pursed his lips. 'You've always considered yourself superior to Billy, haven't you?'

The Minstrel Boy blinked. 'Haven't you? He's a cyclatrol fuck. He isn't called Billy Oblivion for nothing.'

Reave stroked his chin. 'I'm not sure that partners should feel superior to each other.'

'I'm not sure that partners should put the make on your girl.'

'Maybe she just wanted to screw all three of us.'

There was a long silence while the Minstrel Boy stared at Reave. Finally he sighed. 'In the tank?'

Reave nodded. There was another silence.

Suddenly the Minstrel Boy laughed. 'Well, if you're right — and it looks like you are — it's one hell of an ambition.'

Reave finished his drink and set down the glass. 'The fact does remain that she's gone with Billy and we're the cast-off rejects. And what's more, we don't seem to be exactly cutting a swath in this place.'

The Minstrel Boy raised his head and looked around. 'Are you suggesting that we do our drinking somewhere where they might appreciate us a little more?'

'That's exactly what I'm suggesting.'

The Minstrel Boy studied the Grand Lounge of the Leader Hotel. It was reputed to be an accurate reconstruction of the ballroom of the starcruiser Bel Air, the civilian luxury transport that had been vaporized by the Draan back at the very start of the war. It was a vision of white and gold magnificence,