Bechimo
Dock A
“Joyita!”
Kara leapt out of her chair and rushed to the screen, as if she would embrace him, and only paused at the last instant, her eyes searching his face.
“You’re thinner,” she said.
His grin was lopsided.
“I expect I am. Possibly I’m wiser, too.”
“Joyita,” Bechimo said. “What happened? Tocohl blames herself.”
“Tocohl is blameless,” Joyita said firmly. “I was reckless and overconfident. Captain Theo will doubtless tell me so, at length, among other hard words—every one well earned.”
“Where were you?”
“In short form? I became entangled with the virus, which retreated into the legacy system, where it had been introduced. I edited and ended it, but then—I was lost. The tile-and-rack matrix is fascinating, and alien. I tried to withdraw as I had come, but the way was blocked.”
“Tocohl sealed the system,” Bechimo said.
“Prudent, and no blame to her. She acted to preserve the station.”
“Yes,” Bechimo said. “You will want to know that the changeover has happened. Catalinc Station is fully herself.”
This time, Joyita’s grin was wide and delighted.
“We should throw a party!”
“Perhaps we should,” Bechimo said. “We’ll discuss it after you have told us how you escaped, and Theo has scolded you.”
“Seignur Veeoni extracted me,” Joyita said, reverence in his voice. “It was an honor to see her work.”