Rayne lounged in a comfy chair beside a low table in Tallyn’s study, studying the dynamics of a binary system. Late afternoon sunlight streamed in through the tall windows to dapple the tawny carpet. Tallyn was away most of the time, and Rayne and Rawn studied at his house, since travelling to the library was no longer necessary now that they had completed the groundwork. They spent more time on the vast data network that spanned the planets in the system. She and Rawn had made many friends amongst the users, most of whom were students. Rawn sat at Tallyn’s desk, engrossed in a conversation with an alien on the fifth planet.
A soft pop from the lounge made Rayne glance at Rawn, but he did not appear to have heard the noise. As Rayne turned back to her screen, she noticed a slight, astringent scent, then her eyelids slammed down.