Read Trade World Saga 1: Manual Interpretation for Free Online Page B

relented and paid for the meal as he authorized his MemDex before Susan. He didn’t know she had no intention of paying for his meal but was preparing to pay for her own.
    They sat down at a small table and before she could ask anything, Andrew had started into his food.
    Picking at her food, she was silent as her amusement changed to amazement at the volume of food and drink that Andrew was inhaling. He ate so fast! Susan barely touched her food as she became absorbed in watching Andrew. It wasn't until Andrew had polished off every morsel of food from his plates that she broke the silence.
    "Well… Out with it… Why did you miss the seminar? Do you have a workable group proposal for us? Why are you grinning at me like that?" Susan said, with all her frustration rushing out. She hoped he was going to live up to his reputation. She hadn’t seen too much special out of him since joining the team. Maybe that was changing, she thought.
    "Here. Look at this," he said as he tossed the ball to her unexpectedly. "What do you make of this?" he asked as he got up and started toward the door without looking back.
    "Hey, wait a minute, you!" she blurted; torn between close examination of the object in her hands and the retreating figure. "What is it?" She called as she jumped up after him, "What is this supposed to be? Is this the big secret?"
    "'That," he said as she ran up beside him, "is part of our group proposal."
    "But it's just an odd shaped container made out of ordinary... “Her voice trailed off as she held the ball for closer examination. After scratching at it with a little knife she had pulled from her pocket, she said, "OK. I'll shut up, you talk."
    He led her to an empty bench in the shade of a tree nearby and after getting comfortable he began describing his trials and tribulations of the weekend. She drew him out with questions but otherwise didn't say anything.
    When he finished, he asked her, "Well, do you believe me?"
    After a pause she answered, "I'm reserving judgment 'til I see that belt you got. Let me see your arm. Realize that your arm doesn't prove anything. There is more to this that you're not telling me isn't there?"
    "Some, but not much," he answered slightly embarrassed, but pleased that she was as astute as he rolled up his sleeve and winced. "I'll tell you everything when we can get the group together again.
    "Ooo...bad bruise," she said as she spread her fingers trying to match the weird, wide pattern of bruising on the arm and realized that it wasn't from any hand she had seen.
    He had left out the function of the belt in his story other than as an escape weapon. "How about calling a meeting for our usual time this evening?"
    "You want me to call. That's your job," she stated.
    "I'm going back to bed for a while," he said and left her staring at his receding back. “I’m crushed right now I’m so tired. Guess I’m out of adrenaline.”
    "Okay. I guess," she said to herself as he was out of earshot anyway and she looked down at the ball in her hands. This had better be good. She realized Andrew was supposed to be a pretty sharp candidate for synthesist manager but so far he hadn't produced much...though he was kind of cute. She wasn't sure if he went off the deep end or not. She'd reserve judgment.
    "What little puzzle are you here?" she said quietly as she looked at the sphere. "You aren't going to be a total mystery to me by the meeting tonight are you?" she said just as another student happened past, looking at her as if she were crazy. She walked briskly off to her lab.
    Andrew had no sooner gotten back to his room and briefly reexamined the alien belt when he got a call.
    "Hello," Andrew answered as he tapped the display to accept.
    "Hey. Andrew. I heard you were back and wanted to meet tonight. Where have you been? Susan was really cryptic when I tried to pump her for information."
    "Steve?" Nobody else would be so inconsiderate. "Look, I'm tired, I'll tell you everything at the meeting