Themaoodrooted,gazeflickeringlikehewaswrestlingwithsomethieringinthedarkerersofhismind.
Reyawatchedhim,notinghowtheheathadnearlysteamedhimalivefromthei.Shesmirkedinwardly.Hewasalreadyburningup,nearlysettingthathazmatsuitonfire.Nowayhecouldkeeppyiraintfer.
"Whatareyousoafraidof?"shewhispered,hervoicesoftasadream."It''''''''snotlikeyou''''''''llloseapieceofyourself."
Hedrewinaloh,chestheaving,asifsteelinghimselfforachoice.Then—withoutanotherword—heturnedandstrodeforthedoor.
Reya''''''''sbrowfurrowed.Aflickerofdoubtscrapedatherposure.Hadshemiscalcuted?Noway.Washereallygoingtowalkaway?
Butthedisappoididn''''''''tstlong.
Hereturnedmomentster.
Stillsealedihehazmatsuit—onlynow,ajaggedholehadbeencutcrudelyintothecrotch.Fromitjuttedanenged,purplishlength,slidstraining,framedgrotesquelybythesterilewhitefabric.
Somethinggtoit.Notskin,notcloth,butathin,translutgstretchedtightovertheshaft,glisteninglikesomemanufacturedmembrane.
Reya''''''''sgazesoit—andfroze.Hersmirkvanished.
Awaveofrevulsionrippedthroughher.Herinstinctsrecoiledviolently.Thatthingwasn''''''''tbareflesh.Itwassealed,encased,blockedoff—theverypartsheofeedfromsmotheredinsideanartificialshell.
Themanagercaughttheflickerinhereyesandmistookitforfear.Hislipscurledwithgreasysatisfa.Hethrusthishipsforward,obseinhismockery.
"What?Firsttimeseeingone?"hesneered."It''''''''scalledprote.Aguy''''''''sgottabecareful.Someonelikeyou—lettingthatghost-facedbastardpawatyou—whoknowswhatkindofrotyou''''''''recarrying?I''''''''mnotlookingtocatything."
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