Planetbound, DM Arnold [interesting books to read .TXT] 📗

values, but I'd hazard a guess a place like that would go for five hundred thousand -- if it were on the market.”

“Five hundred thousand?”

“That's a guesstimate.”

Nyk pondered. “Is that a lot?”

George chuckled. “It is -- if you don't have it.”

“Does your friend intend to sell?”

“That's a good question, Nick. I know Fred hasn't used the place much since his wife died. He bought it for her -- she loved spending her summers by the sea. Fred never spent too much time there, himself. Maybe he's hanging onto it for nostalgia's sake.”

“George -- if he decides he wants to sell -- tell him I'll buy it -- at whatever price he wants.”

Suki's father turned and looked at him. “YOU'll buy it? Where will you come up with that sort of money?”

“I guess I'll have to start saving.”

“I guess you will.”

Suki performed her nightly toilet. Nyk jacked his laptop computer into the broadband data circuit in the apartment. Via the Internet, his computer was connected to one of the clandestine communications uplinks installed by the Floran ExoAgency. The uplink accessed a communications relay station parked above Earth's sun's north pole, outside the heliopause in interstellar space. From his laptop computer, he had full access to his homeworld's communications network. He manipulated the keyboard to access the Floran central database.

Suki stepped from the bathroom with her hairbrush. “It's cooler tonight -- a change in the weather. I'm glad for that.” She stepped behind him and massaged his shoulders. “Tell me you weren't serious about buying that summer house.”

“I'm dead serious. I think it's my duty to buy it -- and to pass it along to future generations of your family.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Look here -- this is Koichi's journal. This'll give you a chance to brush up on your Floran.”

She read the passage. “You're right -- it does describe what could be Daddy's friend's house.”

“It can be no other. It's logic, korlyta -- if I have the opportunity to buy it and pass it on to future generations, then I have an obligation to do so.”

“Where will you come up with the money?”

Nyk stood and took a carton from a closet. From the box he withdrew a polymer fiber sack. dipped his hand in, and retrieved a handful of raw diamond crystals. “Maybe I can raise some money by selling some of these. I brought these to help fund ExoAgency operations, but I know Seymor has skimmed some money for himself. I can't imagine anyone getting too upset -- especially for such a worthy cause.”

“Providing future generations of Kyhanas with a recreational home is a worthy cause?”

“Certainly. Koichi loved that beach house. It was part of what formed him. Do you remember what the sky looked like from the beach?”

“It was dazzling -- I felt I could touch the stars.”

“The sky doesn't look like that from Queens. As a child, Koichi would take a telescope to the beach and stargaze. Without that house, he might not have pursued his career as an astral navigator -- and without his skills, Floran might not have been founded.”

“So,” she said, “you believe, if you are presented with the opportunity to buy the house and fail to do so -- you'll be guilty of temporal interference?”

“That's right. I must figure out how to begin selling these.” He dumped the crystals into the sack and switched off the computer. “Care for some bed?”

Nyk undressed and stretched out. Suki slipped off her robe, sat on the bed and began caressing his legs. “You're a little pink -- it looks like you did get some sun this weekend.”

“Yes -- I'm grateful for your sunscreen. This world's sun is so much more intense. I imagine without your lotion, I'd be in agony right now.” He caressed her thigh. “You don't appear pink.”

“I never burn,” she replied. “I just get darker. I have tan lines, now.” She guided his hand higher on her thigh. “Like here...” She pressed his hand against her breast. “And, here...”

Nyk awoke to Suki's caressing his face. He opened his eyes and gazed into hers. “Bon'matina.”

“Bon'matina,” she replied. “Did you notice anything different last night?”

He shook his head. “Notice what?”

“I enjoyed myself.”

“Don't you usually?”

“I'm trying to express this so it comes out sounding right... Nykkyo -- I feel the power of your love. A girl would be nuts not to respond to love such as yours.” She looked into his eyes. “Even a gay one would be. Don't get me wrong, Nykkyo -- I cherish our physical relationship. But, for me -- it begins on an emotional level. Once I get started -- I get into the swing.”

“I feel the same emotional connection toward you. I'll admit, though -- there's another aspect ... something more...”

“More ... animal?”

“An inelegant way of expressing it -- but, yes.”

“I've never felt that way toward you. That doesn't mean I don't find our lovemaking fully satisfying -- I do. But, last night -- I wanted you, Nykkyo. I had a raw, animal attraction to you. I wanted us to get inside each other -- to crawl under each other's skin. Didn't you notice?”

“Come to think of it -- you were more ... eager.”

“It was your legs. I was sitting on the bed, touching you -- looking at your bit of sunburn -- thinking how pretty your legs were. Before last night, I've wanted you -- for you. I've wanted to give myself to you for you -- to please you. Do you understand?”

“Of course I do. What you've described is the Floran approach.” He stroked her cheek. “Are you sure you weren't born there?”

She smiled. “Last night I wanted you for ME.” She took his hand and kissed it. “Just talking about it arouses me.”

“Would you care to dissipate some animal attraction now?”

“We'd better not -- let's save it for tonight.”

He kissed her cheek. She pressed her lips to his, and then covered his face with kisses. “Oh God, Nykkyo -- how I love you! I don't know how I'll keep my mind on my work today.”

“Nick -- can you reach this?” Yasuko handed him a tray and he placed it in a high cabinet.

“Have you seen Suki?”

“She might be upstairs, meditating. She does that after dinner, sometimes.”

Nyk climbed the stairs and peeked into the bedroom. He saw her sitting, cross-legged on the bed, her right hand cradled in her left palm. Her eyes were closed. He stood, leaning on the doorjamb and watched her.

She swung her arms over her head and stretched. “Whoa! You startled me. How long have you been there?”

“Not long. Your mom said you might be meditating. About what?”

“About us. Nick -- help me off the bed.” He gave her a hand. “Nick...” She pressed her finger against his lips. “Hear me out... I had such a wonderful time this weekend with you and my folks at the beach. But, I had to be on guard. Several times I almost called you Nykkyo in front of them. And, today -- I referred to you as Nykkyo in front of Mom -- though I don't think she noticed. I'm afraid I'll slip up and give something away.

“You know I support your activities here on Earth one-hundred percent. I know it's a good and noble thing you're doing. I'd hate to think of some careless act on my part jeopardizing it.

“I came here to meditate on a solution. I was reviewing my options. One would be for me to send you on your way -- to disengage, as you call it -- for the better good of your people. I'm afraid I'm too selfish to give you up for a greater good.”

“Thank goodness for your selfishness,” he replied.

“My other option was to drive Nykkyo Kyhana from my mind, and replace him with ... with Nick Kane. That is what I have done. It's who you are to Earth people -- and, I'm an Earth person. So, from this point -- you must be Nick Kane to me. Perhaps I'll visit your world again, and then you can be Nykkyo for a while. Do you understand?”

“Perfectly.”

“You wanted me to call you by your real name when we're alone. You're not upset if I don't?”

“Not in the least. What's in a name, anyway? One small point -- if I'm now Nick Kane to you ... you have no excuse not to marry me. You can keep your maiden name if you'd like. You can be Dr Sukiko Kyhana -- Mrs Nick Kane.”

She looked at him for a long moment and broke into a smile. “Yes, Nick -- I will marry you.”

“Let's go tell your folks.”

He descended the stairs holding her hand. “I see you found her,” Yasuko said. Suki stood by her mother, held her hand and beamed a broad smile. “What are you grinning about?”

“You'll see...”

George was studying patterns on the “go” board. Nyk approached him. “Mr Kyhana -- I would like your permission to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage.”

He looked up at Nyk, his jaw dropped. He smiled. “Permission is granted.”

Nyk stepped to Suki and took her hand. “Sukiko -- will you marry me?”

“Yes -- oh, yes, Nick -- I will! I will marry you!”

Yasuko hugged her. “This calls for a celebration.”

“I'll call Jonathan,” George said. “Maybe we can convince him to keep his shop open tomorrow evening.”

“Who is Jonathan?” Nyk asked.

“He's Daddy's brother. He took over the jewelry business from my grandfather... Daddy! I already have the stone. I'll get it.”

She ran up to the apartment and returned with a small cardboard box. George removed the stone and examined it with a lens. “This is a very nice diamond. How did you come by this?”

“Nick gave it to me -- for Christmas. We were in Wisconsin. We were just friends, then.”

George looked at Nyk. “Isn't this a rather extravagant Christmas present for just friends?”

“Actually not, George. The diamond is synthetic -- my company makes them. We've discovered a technique for making diamonds inexpensively.”

“Indeed -- synthetic or natural, this is a very fine stone. It looks to be about two carats.”

“That's a second -- it's how I came by it.”

“A second? Then, I would really like to see a first-quality gem.” George continued to eye Nyk. “Is this technology something you'd be willing to license?”

“We think we're better off keeping it a trade secret -- like the alchemists of old making gold from lead. Once the secret is out, the gold becomes worthless.”

Nyk sat with his coffee and a slice of toast, and with Suki beside him.

“I'm so excited,” Yasuko said. “I couldn't sleep.” She looked sideways at them both. “You weren't sleeping, either. It sounded to me like you two were getting a head start on your honeymoon.”

“Mom!”

“If we put our heads together, we can plan a ceremony before the baby comes.”

“Mom -- Nick and I haven't set a date yet. When we do -- I can assure you, it will be AFTER the baby is born.”

“But ... wouldn't you want the baby to be ... legitimate ... have a father?”

“He has a father -- and it's not Nick. You know that.”

“As long as you're married before he's born -- Nick will be the legal father. It won't matter who the biological father is.”

“I understand all that. I'm not going through the humiliation of walking down the aisle with a huge belly. Nick and I are getting married for OUR sake -- not the baby's.”

“But...”

“MOTHER! NO! Not another word on the subject. My mind's made up. Besides -- it would be humiliating for Nick, too -- it would look like a shotgun wedding.” She stood and headed toward the apartment. “I'm going to get dressed.”

Yasuko looked at him. “Now, I've upset her. I know she's upset when she calls me 'Mother.' Nick -- what do you think?”

He shrugged. “It doesn't make any difference to me. After the baby comes is fine.”

George pulled the Town Car up to a shop in a retail section of Queens. The place had seen better days -- the paint was peeling and a rusty security grate was folded back. A faded sign above the door read Jonathan's Jewelry. George opened the door and gestured them all in.

Nyk regarded the man behind the counter. He bore a strong resemblance to George, but was perhaps five years older.

“Come in,” Jonathan said. “What is so important I must keep open?” He spotted Suki's mother. “Yasuko -- my favorite sister-in-law.”

“That's easy to say,” she replied. “I'm the only one.”

“You'd be my favorite out of a hundred. Sukiko -- how are you feeling?”

“Fine,” she replied.

Jonathan's eyes met Nyk's. “I don't think we've been introduced.”

“This is Nick Kane,” George replied. “Sukiko's fiancé.”

“Now I understand what this is all about. I think I can help you.”

“We already have the stone, Uncle Jonathan.” Suki