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Show worlde are we headed?" "Mmmmmmmm," said Dr'Anya through a mouthful of pemmican. "To Westwick, child," she said. "In the Kyoto Pass." Janni nodded her head and popped the last of her pemmican into her mouth. "When we were but little wights," Dr'Anya went on, "Dr'Igor and I ever wished to go to Westwick and live together as partners in a mountain cottage. A dear school friend of ours, Rybr Vyrschurur, moved there with his parents who were Techs-mining engineers-before the place was emptied of ore. He used to send to us glowing messages extolling the beauty of the valley there." "And Doctor Grant-Sheblem on the transhologram-told he thee to go there? For then the Bauercrats know whither we g o . . ." Dr'Anya licked the last crumbs of pemmican from her hand and shook her head. "Nay, nay;" she said. "Told he to me that we must needs go to Ben's Place. Never could we pronounce Rybr's name when we were young-the boy was ever correcting us. So, betwixt e'en the two of us, we called him Ben. 'Twas a joke with us, 'twas our own secret name for him, Dr'Igor and I. Never did he hear us use it, nor did any wight else, we were that afraid of hurting him. " Mother and daughter pushed their bottles back in the saddle bags, pulled their hoods and masks up, and untied and mounted their JackPonies- Janni full reluctant. "And, pray, how far up is Westwick?" shouted Janni as they were moving out into the gale. "Nigh to a day and a half's journey from here," Dr'Anya shouted back at her. Janni closed her eyes against the stinging wind, and shook her head. 178 |