Sweet Starfire

was the ultimate form of orgasm.”
    She was outraged. “I never said any such thing!” “I beg your pardon. My misunderstanding.” “Harmonic mind link is a beautiful, creative, sensitive experience. It is not an… an orgasm, and it is not made up of horrible illusions.”
    “How do you know? You’ve never experienced it, remember?”
    “One doesn’t have to have experienced something to have an understanding of it.”
    “I keep forgetting about your educational accomplishments.” Severance headed back to the gaping hole in the ship. “Yell if I start turning into a blue monster again.”
    “I’m going to start yelling right now. Severance, I think we ought to get out of here.”
    “I agree. I just want to see if I can find the quartzflash first, though.” He used the flame for illumination as he leaned back inside the ship and scanned the interior. “There it is. We’ll need it tonight. Stay here while I get it.”
    “The last time you went inside, you came out wearing an ugly blue suit. I’m not sure I could stand it a second time around.”
    He was already inside, scooping up the flash. He flicked it on one last time. “Look, Cidra. If I hold the light just right, I think I can see into that case.” He used his fist to scrub off some of the dirt. “Sweet Harmony, I think it’s a skeleton.”
    Leaning through the opening of the ship, Cidra caught a glimpse of a huge skeleton mouth through the murky case cover. She shuddered. “Look at those teeth.”
    Severance grinned briefly. “Definitely a carnivore.”
    Cidra glanced at his own rather feral smile. “His teeth remind me of yours. Damn it, Severance, if you don’t come out of there, so help me, I’ll—” A flash of black light at the end of the case interrupted her words. Once more energy sizzled, although it seemed weaker this time. “The light! Severance, that’s what happened before!”
    Severance felt the same tingling shock he had experienced earlier. Energy clawed him, not as strong this time, but enough to force him to his knees. With both hands he gripped the pulser and aimed for the source of the eerie light. He squeezed off one shot and then another before a small explosion rocked the shattered ship. He heard Cidra call his name, and then everything went still.
    Slowly he got back to his feet, watching as the light flickered and died at the end of the long case. “Cidra?”
    “I’m all right, Severance. So are you. What happened?”
    He examined the charred metal fixture that had produced the crackling energy and the light. “Whatever it is, it’s useless now. Tough to keep machinery working on Renaissance.”

Chapter Seventeen

    The hike through the jungle to the river’s edge was without further incident. Cidra was exceedingly grateful. When the campsite came into view, looking very much as it had when they left, she smiled with relief and headed for the tent.
    “I can’t wait to change these clothes. This habit Wolves have of wearing one set of clothes all day long is bad enough, but to be stuck in the same set for three days is very annoying.” She plucked at the fastening of the oversize shirt as she walked through the silent deflector screens.
    “Wait a minute, Cidra. Let me make sure nothing has decided to take up residence in the tent. The deflectors have been off for at least a full day.” Severance caught her arm.
    She stopped short. “Yes, of course. Details.”
    “Paying attention to details is supposed to be one way of staying alive on this planet.” He stepped around her and cautiously opened the tent, pulser in hand.
    “If you ask me, sheer luck has a fair amount to do with staying alive around here.”
    Satisfied with the tent search, Severance turned to give Cidra a laconic glance. “I didn’t know you believed in luck.”
    “I’ve learned a lot lately.” She sauntered past him as he waved her into the tent. “What I’d really like is another bath.”
    “I don’t know how you survived without your usual two hours a day in a lav.”
    ‘A clean body aids in the development of a harmoniously tuned mind,’” she quoted from inside the tent.
    “One of your Klinian Laws?”
    “A minor but important one.” She stuck her head outside the tent and smiled winningly. “Feel like fetching some water for me?”
    His mouth kicked up at the corner as he took in the blatantly coaxing expression. “You’re not the only one who could use a bath. I smell like the inside of that