'Listen – stay right there. I have to go see Aston.' Llyr stood up and walked across the restaurant to a door marked 'Private'. Micca was glad he had left her alone. There was so much going on in her head, she couldn't think and it wasn't just the wine making her giddy. She had looked into his eyes and seen love – there was no mistaking it. Had he also seen the same in hers? Oh, God, she thought have I fallen in love with a man I may never see again? That's why he had called her to see her again before he went...Who knows where! The irony of having Llyr Sommers in love with her but leaving her life as quickly as he had come into it again was so typical! She gave a bitter laugh, pulled up her shoulders, held her head high and thought, C'est la fucking vie! She poured herself some more wine and drank it greedily. A little voice inside was saying, No Micca! You must have a clear head for tomorrow! But she ignored it, drained the glass and poured another. She leant back on the plush velvet padding of the booth and closed her eyes. A myriad of thoughts flitted through her mind; her past; her present...her future?
'Micca? Are you ok?' Llyr's voice was softly calling her. She smiled then opened her eyes.
'Hi,' she giggled, 'More wine Cap'n?'
Llyr laughed. 'Sure! Looks like I have some catching up to do!' He poured some wine and then took hold of her hand. He's been doing that a lot tonight, she thought. He cleared his throat.
'Micca, don't take this the wrong way but could we go somewhere more private? Maybe I can explain a bit more to you without fear of being overheard.' Micca's brain suddenly jolted awake. Somewhere private? Don't take it the wrong way? Overheard? She was beginning to get the feeling she was in one of those old cloak and dagger ROMs her father used to like watching so much. But she was intrigued and as far as she was concerned right now she wished he did want to see her in private for the wrong kind of way.
'Micca? Are you sure you are ok?
'I'm fine, Llyr – it's all just a bit mysterious!'
'I know. I'm sorry. Please let me explain?'
'Ok, but it had better be good!'
To Micca's surprise Llyr led her to a small spiral staircase that rose up from the entrance to the Ballroom. She didn't say anything but just kept walking. She had assumed that Llyr would take her to some swanky off ship hotel or even to his ship. He took a large golden key from his pocket and opened a door at the end of a narrow corridor. Micca gasped when she saw the inside of the room. It was dark, lit only by candles in sconces on the walls. Two leather armchairs sat facing each other in front of what looked like an unrestricted fire. In the corner of the room partially hidden in shadow was an enormous bed with drapes and canopies of the same ruby velvet that adorned the chairs downstairs.
'What the...?' Micca started but Llyr led her to a chair and said,
'Sit down, Micca. I told you not to take this the wrong way.' He laughed gently.
'Aston wanted to recreate a 'Belle Epoch' club as faithfully as possible! You could order private rooms to fulfil any fancy I believe! This one is quiet and safe.'
'Safe? Why do you have to be safe? Llyr you're scaring me!' Micca stood up. Llyr sighed.
'I'm sorry, Micca. I should never have spoken to you but now I have there is no going back. I'll tell you everything as long as you promise to tell no one else. I'm going to trust you Micca as I have trusted no one else.' The gravity of his voice and the seriousness of his look made Mica sit back down.
'Ok, Llyr. Tell me and I can only give you my word that I will tell no one.' Llyr sat opposite her and the flickering of the fire made shadows play across his face.
'Yes, I am still working for Outmine Com. But I am being sent to Earth .' Micca's mouth opened to speak but he held up his hand, 'Please, Micca, let me finish.' Micca scowled but shrugged her shoulder and he continued.
'On my last trip but one, on my way to Bieto's moon Toleth, I discovered a spatial anomaly. At first we weren't sure what it was but the Scarlet Dragon's computer diagnosed it as a wormhole. Wormholes have been found before, I know, but we don't have the capacity to explore them so we leave them alone, but, this one is different. Something is coming out of it and we don't know what. Some kind of matter, inorganic as far as we can tell, but still something is issuing from out of that hole. When I got back to Glia5 and made my report all hell broke loose, as you can imagine. My ship was swarming with Outmine and Glian officials. We were quarantined, swabbed, x-rayed the lot, but nothing untoward was found. On the last trip to Toleth we took samples of the particles being emitted from the hole and I have to take them to Earth to give my report and have them tested. The authorities are naturally worried shitless about what this could mean'
Micca let all that Llyr said sink in. Then she said,
