Serendipity (Book 1 of the Dana Halliday series)

AVIAN PUNK. RIHERROSHA, SILLETTRAO. MISSION FROM GOD.

    Alcohol isn't supposed to be a good sleep aid, but I was dead to the universe for the next ten hours or so.  I awoke feeling both rested and like ten miles of bad road, with Billie's warm dog breath in my face.

    "My dear," said Patricia, and I realized she must have been the one to wake me.  "Mr. Rodda is at your door.  Can you speak with him?"

    "Sure, yeah."  I threw on a robe and an old pair of slippers.

    Lonavat made no comment at my disheveled appearance.  "May I come in for a few minutes?" He held up a mug of steaming coffee.

    "Well, of course!  Sit down if you want."  I accepted the hot brain juice.  "Is everything okay?  Is Novi—?"

    "She says she's fine."  He paused.  "Is she?"

    I kept my face carefully blank, which isn't a stretch for pre-caffeinated me.  "Well, if she isn't, she's covering well."  I wasn't sure how much Novi had told him about her arm.  

    Vatya seemed almost grateful for my sidestepping.  "She is good at that."  The Bruttar lowered himself onto the futon I was using as a couch.  It seemed to take a long time; it was an absurd piece of furniture for a tall drink of water like him.  "I would like to ask another favor of you."

    "Ask away."

    "I need to appoint an attendant for Novernyi during the challenge.  Would you be willing?"

    "As long as I don't have to wear a bow on my ass," I said, which only seemed to confuse the poor guy.  "I'd be honored, of course, but you'll have to tell me what to do."

    "It used to be more involved, but it's mostly for show, now.  In the past, the attendant was responsible for keeping the wife safe from friends of the challenger..."

    "Some Earther traditions are kinda like that."

    "...and keeping her from running away, if necessary.  Of course."

    "Of course."  I sipped my coffee in as non-suspicious a way as possible.  "Did you ever think about just turning her loose, Vatya?  Just in case?"

    He ran his hands over his feathers, then began absently preening them with his fingertips.  "Are you saying I don't have a chance?"

    "I don't know what you have to do.  I mean, you don't have to kill the guy, do you?"

    "No.  We're not like the Sturv."

    He gave me a few seconds to mull that over, then rose.  "Thank you, Dana.  This is something I would only ask of a friend."

    "Hey, anyone who talks me through brain surgery is a friend for life.  Where do I go and what do I wear?"

    "The ceremony begins this afternoon.  We'll all go together."  He pondered me for a few moments.  "Dress...like a doctor."

    I looked down at my slippers, which had googley eyes and basset hound ears.  "Are you saying this doesn't scream 'medical professional?'"

    Lonavat smiled.  "Women aren't supposed to be professionals or independent.  I'd like to...antagonize them a bit."

    I saluted him with my mug.  "Sounds like a plan."

*     *     *

    I put myself together and passed the time cleaning up Sickbay, which I'd left in a chaotic state similar to a busy afternoon at Goodwin Animal Hospital.  Several representatives of the Qir stopped by, and we discussed vitamins.  I rooted through cabinets to find the nutritional supplements and tried to describe signs of toxicity, in case the Qir were sensitive to some ingredient.  The way my week was going, it seemed plausible.