Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 85272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“You’re not—you’re a good friend and you just want me to be happy.” Danni got up and hugged her. “But believe me, I’m just better off on my own.”
“You sound like you speak from experience,” Liv said, hugging her back.
Danni nodded.
“I’ve had two close relationships and both of them ended badly because of my inability to have kids. The first guy said it didn’t matter to him because we could adopt…but then he changed his mind right before the wedding. The second guy swore he didn’t want children at all but his mother nagged him and nagged him until he left me because she wanted grandchildren.” She shook her head. “After that, well, I just gave up and decided to concentrate on my career.”
“You certainly have some impressive credentials,” Liv said, tactfully dropping the subject of Danni’s failed love life. “What made you decide to go back for a PhD in Medical Anthropology after you already had your MD?”
“I’ve always been interested in the healing practices of other cultures,” Danni told her, feeling relieved that they had finally moved to a new topic. “Like trepanation in ancient Peru.”
“What—drilling holes in someone’s head?” Liv asked doubtfully.
“I know some ancient doctors had the belief that it ‘let evil spirits out’,” Danni told her. “But there is also fossil evidence to suggest that it was used as a treatment for skull fractures, to relive cranial swelling. And believe it or not, a lot of the patients survived.”
“Well, I’ll take Kindred medical technology all day long over ancient practices like drilling holes in your head!” Liv laughed.
“The Kindred do have the most impressive medical technology I’ve ever seen,” Danni admitted. “But they do still have technology. What I’m interested in now is something completely different.”
“You mean the medical practices you’re going to study on Soluu Four?” Liv asked.
Danni nodded.
“The H’raken people are said to be able to heal people just by touch—without any kind of medicine or technology at all. Just imagine how wonderfully non-invasive that must be!”
“If it really works—which I doubt,” Liv said skeptically. “But it does sound fascinating—no wonder you’re so eager to go study them. What kind of society are they, anyway?”
“We don’t know a whole lot,” Danni admitted. “From what I can tell, they seem to be a strange mix of advanced when it comes to their technology and primitive when it comes to their healing and religious beliefs—which appear to be very much intertwined.”
“Sounds fascinating!” Liv exclaimed. “Honestly, I’m kind of jealous of you, going off on an adventure with Commander Bravik.”
Danni held up one finger warningly.
“Please don’t start on Commander Bravik again. He may be going with me to establish diplomatic relations with the H’rakens, but he made it extremely clear when we were introduced that our relationship is going to be completely professional and impersonal.” She shrugged. “Which is fine by me.”
“He made it clear?” Liv frowned. “How?”
“Oh, you know—he was just really short and blunt and to the point. I don’t think he smiled once during our whole conversation.”
Danni shook her head, remembering how extremely unwelcoming the huge Kindred warrior had been. Most of the big alien males were extremely easy to get along with but Commander Bravik had rubbed her the wrong way, right from the start.
“Well, that’s too bad.” Liv sighed. “I guess you’re not destined for romance during your little adventure after all.”
“The adventure itself is enough for me,” Danni told her, smiling. “I’m so excited to go visit another culture and learn all about them! Think of the papers I can write afterwards!”
Liv laughed. “You’re a true academic at heart, aren’t you? I’ve never seen anyone get so excited about writing a paper before.”
“I’m just eager to share my findings with the world,” Danni said. “And who knows—I might find something really valuable that will help millions of people.”
“That would be wonderful,” Liv agreed. She glanced at the chronometer on her wrist. “Well—I kind of have to get home now. It’s my night to cook supper and if I don’t get back in time to start it, Baird will cook spaghetti and meatballs. Which I love—don’t get me wrong. But he always finds some new ingredient to add to it. Last time we had kelp and corn in the meatballs. The time before that, Alberian squid ink in the sauce—which made it bright purple.” She shook her head fondly. “I swear that man just can’t leave well enough alone and our son is just like him! Those two…”
“Well, you’d better get back then,” Danni said, laughing at her friend’s description of family life. She waved Liv off and went back to her office to finish packing the things she needed for her trip to Soluu Four the next day.
Carefully, she picked up the delicate volcanic glass fertility sculpture and set it in the padded case it had come in. The H’raken leaders had sent it as a gesture of goodwill when they had asked for an ambassador from the Kindred to come visit in the first place.