“You should never believe everything anywhere,” said Spider.
“He said that, too,” agreed Gabriel.
The sound of the door opening made Spider turn. It was Keylinn, in, of all things, a dress.
Spider stood up. Without thinking, he blurted in anguish: “You’re going to the ball!”
“Yes,” she said distractedly. “I came to see if I left my packet of hairpins here—hello, Gabriel.”
Gabriel had already been coached in this. He rose and said, “Hello, Miss Gray.”
She grinned as though catching him out. “I thought you were told ‘Tech Gray’?”
“But you’re wearing a dress,” pointed out Gabriel. “I can’t call you ‘Tech’ if you’re wearing a dress.”
“There is some logic in this,” she said to Spider. “He’s trying to make the distinction between the roles of duty and social participation. Not bad for his age, true?” Spider merely repeated, “You’re going to the ball!”
“Why, aren’t you going?” She seemed to focus on his reaction for the first time. “Oh, Spider. I am sorry. I think Adrian only invited me out of guilt for not intervening when I was kidnapped.”
“I suppose Tal is escorting you.”
“It’s a wedding ball—an escort isn’t required.”
Spider turned away, looking like a child whose Christmas presents have just been taken away and given to another little boy whose parents love him. Keylinn came over and put a hand on his shoulder. “Spider—”
“You should wear gloves with a dress like that. You’re supposed to.”
“They’re in my quarters. Turn around, please?”
He turned. Her dress was a soft, satiny gray that looked deep enough to fall into. There were highlights when she moved. A band of dark green beads was around her neck and another was on her wrist. She hadn’t fastened the clasp properly, and it was starting to fall off. “My dear Spider,” she said.
“Wait a minute,” said Spider. He lifted her wrist into a better position and began refastening the clasp.
As he worked it shut, she said, “I missed the New Year’s Ball at home again this year. I wish so badly sometimes that I was home.”
“I know that feeling. I wish it myself sometimes. And I am home.”
“That’s the saddest thing I’ve heard in years. What a pair we are, Spider. I suppose we could both shoot ourselves, as our celebration of choice on Adrian’s wedding day.”
Gabriel’s voice said, “Adrian got married?”
They both looked at him. “Is that a joke?” asked Keylinn.
“Where have you been?” asked Spider. “For the last few weeks, I mean.”
He returned their looks blankly, then said, “Nobody invited me either.”
Keylinn smiled suddenly. “Can you get music out of that thing?” She gestured to the link.
“Sure,” said Gabriel. He got up. Spider started to go to the link, too, but she put a hand on his arm.
“Let Gabriel do it.”
“What kind do you want?” asked Gabriel. “I can only get into the public access paths. Special Officer Diamond hasn’t given me any link-privileges.”
“Find me a waltz,” said Keylinn.
Within seconds the air was full of violins. She put out her arms. “Dance with me, Spider.”
“What? I can’t dance.” He ducked his head uncomfortably.
“I don’t believe you.” She pulled him into the center of the office, and they swirled into a waltz, from the door, past the sofa, behind the desk, around the edge of the wall, back to the door.
He was very good. “Another lie,” she said breathlessly into his ear, when they finally broke by the door and she leaned back to rest.
“Not only that,” he said. “You’re not the first Graykey I’ve danced with.”
She started to laugh. Depression, elation, and sudden physical exertion took their toll, and they both became hysterical, there by the door. They ended up sitting on the floor, still laughing, Keylinn’s legs sticking out awkwardly from the pile of gray dress stuff.
Gabriel was facing them from the link, and he was laughing, too.
“Why are you laughing?” said Keylinn.
“I don’t know,” he said, and they all broke up again.
A minute later Keylinn started to rise. Spider pulled himself up at once and helped her to her feet. “Oh, dear,” she said, still quivering. “It’s been a long, hard winter for us all, boys.”
“Have a good time at the ball,” said Spider.
“Aye, I’ll work on it. Should I stop by and see you afterward?”
“Don’t bother. I’ll be at my mother’s, and with any luck I’ll be passed out.”
“Good night, sweetie, acushla.” She kissed him on the cheek. She waved to the boy at the link. “Good night, Gabriel.”
“Good night, Miss Gray.”
When the door had closed behind her Gabriel said, “Corporal Hastings? Spider? Things are very different here.”
Keylinn had missed the wedding because she was on duty, but she appeared at the ball a fashionable twenty minutes late (she had done social research). This put her in the same category as the Opal clerics who trooped in a body through the Obsidian Door—they also had missed the wedding, but had no intention of passing by the food and drink.
The ballroom was just off the Cavern of Audience, and if there had been any more guests, they would have had to relocate to that vast space. As it was, the hall was packed with Diamond admins, knights, and lords, with occasional Opallines, and with ladies in shimmering gowns with long white gloves. The styles of the Three Cities, Keylinn decided, were not always flattering to the old and out-of-shape; she passed three gray-haired women at a sideboard with jewels in their coiffures and ruffles framing the loose skin of their upper arms. The enormous hanging earrings lent no elegance at all to their faces, only calling attention to the age spots and the jowls. She found herself looking down at her gloves and imagining her own hands gnarled and wrinkled, and wondered if Cities people were just plain uglier than the ones at home. No, that couldn’t be true; she’d known some wondrous specimens of ugliness at home—but they seemed to wear it better.
Actually, Spider’s mother was older and fatter, but she seemed fine. Maybe it was just that the wealthy
