GABRIEL (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 4) (7 page)

Gabriel waited for her to enter the first room before moving on to his own. One look at the cubicle he would be inhabiting for the next week dampened his spirits. The single bunk against the wall looked just a bit too short and too narrow for him to use it comfortably. The floor space between the bunk and the lavatory with its minimal shower cell was barely wide enough to roll out his sleeping pouch, but it would have to do.

Normally the lack of comfortable facilities would never have given him the slightest problem but after dealing with the female anomaly next door, the room's limitations bore the brunt of his dissatisfaction. It irritated him that she should give the appearance of being an enticing woman while she acted more like a spoiled child. He surmised that her selfishness and misconception that she could always have her own way could have been brought about by her being the Co-Governors' daughter.

Her disagreeableness was almost enough to make him forget how his body responded each time he caught sight of her.
Almost.

It was exceedingly difficult to ignore how his heart rate increased or his temperature rose a notch. Impossible to forget that his lower regions were being stirred at completely inappropriate times. In the past, his sex drive had always been controlled by conscious decision, not an involuntary reaction like this.

He recalled what she had said about his touching her and again wondered why she should find him so unappealing. Had she responded as other women had, he and Shara could have had a pleasant week ahead of them. As she requested, however, he would keep his distance from her.

Avoiding her entirely was out of the question though. They had plans to make and for their mutual safety he wanted to make sure she knew what to expect when they went back in time. He decided it would not be necessary to make any move toward peace between them yet. They would both have to go to the common dining room to eat. Eventually she was bound to accept the fact that they were a team.

By the third day, Gabriel realized he had underestimated her stubbornness. Unaccustomed as he was to being ignored, he hadn't considered that Shara would remain in her sleeper except for the odd times she chose to dine. And when he happened to see her in the dining room, she simply offered her icy "Professor" and looked away.

He usually avoided company himself and was perfectly content to be alone in his own room, but he and Shara really needed to communicate. Suddenly a possibility occurred to him that he hadn't thought of before. Perhaps she was avoiding him because she intended to leave him behind once they reached Norona. With her eyes as expressive as they were, she might be afraid he would guess what she was up to if he spent enough time with her. Certain that he had guessed her plan, he only had to thwart it. But his intuition told him he would fare much better if she were the first one to break the silence.

Retrieving a small mercury-filled sphere from his satchel, he determined to get her out of her room and into his... for purposes of communication.

* * *

Bonk!

Shara bolted off her bunk and stared at the wall she had been using as a back support while she was reading.

Bonk!

The second thud sounded close to the same spot.

Bonk!

The thuds continued to come, spaced about five seconds apart, as if someone were playing screwball in the next sleeper. And she knew who that someone had to be. She put up with it for several minutes, vowing not to let him get to her. Ignoring him for the past three days had been one of the most difficult tasks she had ever assigned herself. Every time she saw him, she could sense him wanting to talk to her, and her terrible weakness had her wanting to let him. Added to that, the boredom of staying in her cramped quarters was definitely playing havoc with her nerves. Perhaps, she thought, scolding the professor would be just what she needed to break up the tedium.

Before she could give it a second thought, she was knocking on his door.

"Shara!" Gabriel greeted her with a smile that lit up his angel eyes. "What a nice surprise. I was just thinking how much better double screwball is than solitaire. Care to join me?" He stepped back and waved his arm to invite her inside.

She remained in the passageway, reminding herself she had not come over to play a game with him, especially not inside that tiny room. "No. I, uh, only wanted to check on you. I heard the thumps on my wall and thought—"

"Oh,
drek,
I am sorry. I guess the rooms aren't soundproof. If you don't care to come in, would you like to get some fresh air with me? The biodrome on board is small compared to one you'd find on a regular passenger ship but it's still a change of scenery."

Shara's boredom won a brief skirmish with her caution. "Yes, that sounds fine."

"One moment then." He tossed the screwball onto the bunk and picked up a small white bag. On their way below deck, Gabriel was careful not to touch her, in spite of an irrational, overwhelming urge to do just that.

As soon as they entered the biodrome, Shara inhaled the humid air and smiled.

Gabriel nodded at her appreciation. "Did you know that only sixty years ago, tropical rain forests like this one had almost been obliterated on Outerworld Terra? It's incredible what progress they made out there once they finally realized what danger they were in."

Shara took another breath of oxygen-rich air provided by the carefully cultivated plants and trees. Sounds of a rushing waterfall and native jungle creatures had been realistically simulated to enhance visitors' sensual pleasure. "Yes, as a matter of fact, Professor, I do know a bit of the environmental history of Outerworld."

"Oh, of course. For a moment I forgot who your mother is. Aster Mackenzie's contributions to the planet will be legendary."

She laughed. "At least that's what Lantana told us, but my mother found it hard to believe. She's really a very modest person."

"Would you care for a Caress?" Gabriel offered, holding open the bag he had brought from his room.

Shara peeked inside to make sure she understood precisely what he was offering. Recognizing the red shimmer-wrapped hearts, she dipped her hand in and brought out one of the dark chocoberry treats. "Thank you. Where did you find these?"

"I always bring a supply with me. They're my only bad habit."

She didn't buy that for a minute. Gabriel unwrapped a sweet as if it were a rare treasure then placed it in his mouth. His expression left no doubt about his extreme enjoyment as he savored the chocoberry slowly melting in the heat of his mouth. Shara felt a bit like a voyeur as he performed the blatantly sensual act. Dragging her gaze away from him, she ate the piece she had chosen for herself. It was good but not
that
good.

"I'm glad you decided to end the silent treatment," Gabriel said when he finished his chocoberry. "We do need to go over your plans."

Shara started to correct him about why she had shown up at his door but realized her desire to have a confrontation with him had melted along with the chocoberry. For a few minutes at least, she wanted to continue the peaceful mood he was attempting to establish. Discussing her specific plans was a sure way of destroying that mood, particularly since she had no intention of including him in them. Yet she was aware that any information she could glean from him could be helpful. She decided to see if she could get him talking instead of the other way around.

"From what I've read about the time of the rebellion, the insurgents were scattered over the planet, but at the end, the leaders all gathered in First Province to rise against the Ruling Tribunal. Obviously, I'm hoping to hit that time period."

"Hoping?" Gabriel asked, carefully watching Shara's eyes for clues.

"Yes, hoping. Lantana had not perfected the tempometer. I can program it for the year I want, but, according to his notes, I may end up as much as a century off. I'm counting on the theory that there are eddies and flows in time, and certain events—those with historical significance—have a stronger pull than other times."

"If you're right, there shouldn't be a problem. Nothing in that time period was as significant as the rebellion and colonization of Innerworld Terra."

They came to a small pond and sat down on two smooth boulders. Shara tested the temperature of the water with her fingers and smiled when a group of tiny fish rushed to the surface. "Sorry, guys, all we have is sweets." After a moment, she returned her attention to Gabriel. "I've been reading about that era but I'd appreciate anything you could tell me that might help prepare me."

Ferrine had told Shara that Gabriel spent very little time lecturing but it was immediately apparent that he enjoyed it. With no further encouragement on Shara's part, he shared his knowledge and love for the past. Rather than the sort of dry dissertation she remembered from some of the professors of history she had had in the academy, Gabriel made the past come alive for her.

He described the fears of the Noronian leaders as the shortage of energy began to threaten their way of life and the renewed hopes for a glowing future after the discovery of volterrin in Terra's core. Likewise, he gave her an insight into the motivations of the rebels. The fuel crisis had given them a golden opportunity to spread their views and gather followers, despite the fact that they had previously been considered fanatics.

"The leaders of the movement called themselves Friends and preached a return to the old ways, before technology removed the challenge of survival from their lives. In their minds, this also meant a return to the time when there was no Ruling Tribunal or central planetary government. They wanted to give the people more freedom by putting the power back into the individual provinces. Naturally those leaders were ready to take control of the new local governments to ensure harmony.

"By the time the crisis ended, the Friends had gone from dreaming of change to believing they could force their wishes on the population. Despite the fact that peace and love were supposed to be the basis of their movement, legal protests gave way to attacks on government-owned property. A large portion of the administrative center of First Province was destroyed before the rebels were brought under control."

Shara found herself so fascinated with his tales that the afternoon sped by. On the way back to their rooms, she didn't hesitate to accept his suggestion that they dine together. Several of the crew members joined them shortly after they arrived in the dining area and the evening turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable.

The next two days followed a similar pattern. All Shara had to do was ask a few questions and Gabriel was pleased to educate her. When he had covered every aspect of the rebellion and ancient Noronian history, she urged him to tell her about his journeys.

The day before they were due to arrive on Norona, Gabriel was determined to bring their discussion back to the present. They were once again in the biodrome, sitting by the fish pond and sharing his stash of Caresses. "I think we should make some contingency plans, in case we get separated," he began.

While he outlined a procedure that he thought would be workable, Shara's mind wandered. Although she had come to appreciate his company and his vast knowledge, she hadn't lost sight of the fact that they had opposing goals. As far as she was concerned, it was still in her best interest to make the time-hop without him. For the past several days, she had successfully sidetracked him. Surely she could manage it a little longer. The moment he concluded his idea for regrouping, she asked, "Tell me about yourself. You know everything there is to know about me and all I know about you is your work."

Gabriel narrowed his brows in confusion. He could not comprehend the connection between their plans and his background. Thus far, none of their discussions had veered into personal areas. Under the circumstances, there didn't seem to be a need for an exchange of trivial information. On the other hand, Ferrine had assured him that shared confidences could put Shara into a more cooperative mood. "What do you want to know?"

She figured some basic questions could get him started talking about himself and then, as he had with other subjects, he'd carry on from there. "Where were you born? Do you have siblings? What do your parents do?"

He was automatically suspicious about what prompted this line of questioning. He had stopped revealing any information about his origins long ago, after he realized how uncomfortable it made most people. And yet, what greater confidence could he share? "Parson's Colony, one older sister, diplomatic councilors."

Shara hadn't expected him to be so forthright.

He noted her surprised expression and nodded. "My parents were two of the original twelve."

"That must have been an incredible experience," she said with sincere fascination. Though the possibility of him having superior mental powers frightened her, she also had the desire to know more about it, from both a professional and personal standpoint. "If I remember correctly, for a short time Parson's Colony was considered one of the greatest brain trusts in the galaxy, then it abruptly dissolved. Several reasons were officially cited—personality and control conflicts and something about a problem with the offspring." She scrutinized his head of soft golden curls, past his beautiful blue eyes and down over his well-developed form, and said the opposite of what she was really thinking. "You seem fairly normal to me, Professor."