| nodding and slowly, ever so slowly, walking forward. When we
were standing eye-to-eye, he pursed his lips, and wet them as if he knew
not how to begin. He then spoke, in a light tenor voice, "Yes, you are
thinking correctly," why weren't his lips moving, "This," he made a wide
sweeping gesture, "is Pern, and yes, you are really standing here.
"Also, I must add that you are even where -and when- you wished to be, for Ruatha is another two to three miles behind me. Plus, it is the eleventh Turn of the ninth Pass as requested," he bowed with a flourish. Rachalie then turned his serious, piercing eyes on me, "But, there is a tariff, a very heavy tithe, which you should know of. And this price you are already paying." Still astonished I got up enough control to ask, "What is it? I didn't have much money before I left." "It is the ultimate price, anguish," the look in his eyes told me he got his position similarly, "Eternal anguish," he whispered. "What? ANGUISH? You have no idea how happy I am to be here, on Pern! Wow!" I shouted. "I meant the CURSE of eternal life and youth! Well, at least I made book," he said as color returned to his immobile cheeks. Dumbfounded, again, only, "Huh? What?" escaped to the outside. "Oh, I had bet on your initial reactions, but even the money doesn't help anymore," he paused, "Let me explain a little further," he faced me again with tears in his eyes, "You," he pointed a callused finger in my direction, "will live forever in this time at your present age, and the only thing -even if it still existed- that could end your curse and kill you is a long dead disease -Hepatitis type B to be exact. "And, since every cloud has a silver lining, you will also never suffer any kind of injury -except insults- even Threadscore. Now, I must |
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