Maelstrom Read Free Page A

expressions.
    “So,” Johnny asked, “how did you sleep?”

CHAPTER 2
    T HE TWINS TOLD Johnny and Ke-ola as much about their dreams as they could remember, but it wasn’t a lot.
    “You knew about them, though, didn’t you?” Ronan asked Ke-ola.
    “The Honu picked up that you were not having a good sleep,” Ke-ola admitted.
    “Hmph,” Murel said, her irritation magnified by the fitful sleep. “Honus should mind their own business sometimes. It’s not nice peeking into other people’s dreams.”
    “He didn’t. All he said was that you were having bad dreams.”
    “I’m not a bit surprised myself,” Johnny said, “after your conversation with Marmie yesterday.”
    “And how did
you
know about
that
?” Murel demanded. “Isn’t anything private around here?”
    “Shush,” he said soothingly. “I know because we both talked it over with your parents and Clodagh before ever she spoke a word to you on the matter. It’s a great deal to lay on the shoulders of young ones. As for the corridors and stars and strange instruments in your dream, I’m no psychic but do you know what I think?”
    They shook their heads.
    “Well, I’ve not a clue about the corridors but I do know about stars and instruments, so what do you say to spending less time in the lounge and more on the bridge so I can teach you—”
    “You’ll teach us to fly the
Piaf
?” Ronan asked, going from depressed and disheartened to euphoric and elated at warp speed.
    “As much as I can, though she’s a very complex ship, is the
Piaf,
” he replied. “But I can help you learn what many of the instruments are for and teach you to fly shuttles and flitters and such. And the ship’s computers are good for more than fairy stories and games, you know. In your dream, so you said, you didn’t know where you were going or how to recognize it. The universe, of course, is vast and it’s impossible to know everything about everything. But we do know a few worlds fairly well and have collected information on others you might find enlightening. Perhaps if you learn more about your destination and what we’ll be passing on the way, you’ll feel better able for your task.”
    “So,” Murel said. “More school, eh?”
    “It’d be
flying,
Mur,” her brother said.
    “I’d not say school,” Johnny told her, “but educational yes. The professional emissaries and ambassadors would call it fieldwork, I believe. And that’s different altogether.”
    She sighed, as if accepting his suggestion reluctantly, because her mood was still dark. In truth, she felt a bubble of excitement rising inside of her. This wouldn’t just be study for its own sake. This would be learning things they actually needed to know. “It will pass the time, if nothing else. Swimming in the tank is better than not swimming at all, but it’s not nearly as good as swimming in the river or sea at home.”
    Ke-ola asked, “Can I come too?”
    “You can,” Johnny said, heartily clapping him on the back. “Come along, all of you.”
    They accompanied Johnny to the bridge, where he introduced them to each of the crew members by name, listing the person’s credentials. The instrument panels surrounding the bridge were almost as intimidating as the gigantic one in their dreams, but Ro was looking at it hungrily now, and Murel could tell he was already trying to guess what each one did. Johnny sat in the command chair and asked the navigator and first officer, Commander Adrienne Robineau, to relinquish her seat beside him, and beckoned Ronan to take her place.
    “Commander Robineau, would you be good enough to show Murel and Ke-ola the path our journey will be taking?” he suggested, and to Murel he added, “Next shift you and your brother will change places, but I can’t be having you kids replacing more than one of my crew at a time until you’ve had a few more lessons.”
    When the commander was seated at the navigator’s duty station with Murel on her right and