“Beck?” The woman perked up, but she left me standing there with my hand out.
“Yes.”
“Are you related to Sean Beck?”
“Yes, matter of fact, I am. I’m his son.” I shot Kira a victorious look.
“Your father should be ashamed of himself.”
“What?”
“Trivializing science like he does. Making field research out to be some kind of joke. Entertainment for the common man. Bah!”
“I really don’t think—”
“Not that I’m judging you on your father’s shortcomings. I would never do something like that.”
“Good to know—”
“Are you armed, Mr. Beck? Because I think it is only fair to warn you that my husband is hidden in the bush with a long-range slug thrower trained on your head as we speak.”
“Mother!” Kira protested.
“And he’s an excellent shot.”
“No, ma’am. I am not armed.”
“I told you, Jannigan didn’t even have any clothes when I found him.”
“Is that right?” She used the RB to gingerly lift up the edge of my poncho to see for herself.
I stood exceedingly still.
“Hmph.” Having satisfied herself that I wasn’t concealing any weapons, she let the folds of my poncho drop.
“Mother, you are being rude!” Kira said.
“No problem,” I said. “I’d be cautious too.”
“So what can we do for you, Mr. Beck?”
“Kira said that you’re all traveling to a spaceport in a few days and that I could come with you. I need to contact my company back on Anglad.”
Before she could answer, a short ruddy man emerged from the underbrush to my left. He was not much taller than those Bondril creatures that attacked me on the bridge. And he kind of looked like one of them as well—only he was dressed in a field jacket.
“Transport to Ganga Kos, eh?” He looked up at me through thick bushy red eyebrows. “Well, that’s going to cost you.”
“You’re not serious, Father,” Kira said.
I didn’t know what to say.
The man erupted in laughter and winked at me. “Dr. Thastus Lark at your service.” he took my hand and shook it heartily. “I presume you’ve met my wife, Dr. Biella Lark.”
“Yes, sir. Pleased to meet you both.” I nodded politely at the two of them. They made an odd-looking couple. Biella Lark was tall and elegant, and appeared well composed even here in the middle of this steaming jungle. Her scruffy husband, however, looked like he should be teaching fifth-grade science at a public school on Mimbala.
“Jannigan’s gone through a lot,” Kira said. “He could use our help.”
“Of course, of course.” Thastus clapped me on the shoulder. “The Basin is a rather inhospitable place. Let’s get you into some normal clothes and perhaps into a stiff drink as well.”
“I’m not sure that’s the wisest idea, Thastus,” Biella Lark said. “The young man is doubtless dehydrated from his ordeal.”
“Nonsense, dear. Alcohol calms the heart and freshens the spirit.” He turned to me. “Have you ever had a pink gin, my boy?”
“I can’t say that I have, Dr. Lark.”
“Please, call me Thastus. We don’t hew to needless formalities hereabouts. Follow me, if you will.”
4
The Larks’ camp consisted of a clearing ringed by a handful of portable structures made of spun nemacrese and raised up on half-meter struts. I spotted a peri-guard system with a bunch of sentry units. Presumably to keep the wildlife out.
“Kira dear, perhaps, you might scrounge up some of those ormillas you found yesterday. For our guest. He must be hungry.”
“First she’s going to see to those Ctenzl samples,” Biella said.
“There is no way I’ll have time to catalog them tonight!” Kira huffed.
“You can catalog them in the morning,” Biella said. “I just need them to be stored properly. We shan’t have a repeat of what happened at Kitslowe.”
Kira made an exasperated sound and stalked off towards one of the buildings.
“This way, Beck!” Thastus led me up into a long, narrow living unit that reminded me of a passenger cabin on a Jaalbarian hovertrain.
From the looks of the cluttered furnishings and the size of the bed, it looked like Mr. and Mrs. Lark did not share a bedroom. Thastus poked around in a small closet near the far end of the room, and threw a pile of clothes on the bed. “Some of these should fit you. It looks like we’re close to the same size.”
I stifled a laugh. Not even close.
“What size boot do you wear?” Thastus asked.
“Eleven and a half.”
“Hmmm. Won’t be able to help you there.” Then he snapped his fingers as something seemed to occur to him. “Wait! I have some slippers in the sauna. Better than nothing. I’ll fetch them while you get changed.”
I thanked him and he left me to rifle through the pile of clothes, which were mostly unwashed. I did manage to find a pair of shorts with an elastic waistband and a shirt that I could fit into—barely. I looked ridiculous, but it was better than wearing a plastic poncho with nothing beneath it.
“Looking good, Adventure Boy!” Kira said. She handed me a pair of elastic slip-on shoes. “I’m supposed to give these to you.”
“Thanks. Your parents are something.”
“I know, right? I tried to warn you. They’re a little on the eccentric side.”
“But I really appreciate the hospitality.”
“Well, you may want to take my dad up on his offer of booze. It could be a long evening.”
She was right. It turned out to be a long evening, but I didn’t mind at all. Partially because of the pink gin (which turned out to be a big tumbler of straight gin that was barely touched by a few drops of some herbal tincture that turned the drink orangey-pink). Partially because the Larks were good company. Especially Kira, who matched me drink for drink, and laughed louder even than her jovial father.
I repeated my story for Thastus and Biella, careful to stick to the same narrative I had told their daughter. When I got to the part about me learning that I had lost seven years, Thastus and Biella had two very different reactions.
Biella was definitely skeptical, and thought that maybe I
