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Title: New Year's Wake
A Terran Empire story

Author: Ann Wilson

Release Date: June 9, 2008 [EBook #25746]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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NEW YEAR'S WAKE

A Terran Empire Story

by Ann Wilson

Copyright (C) 1992 by Ann Wilson

Isle of Skye, 1 Jan 2149 CE

It was just past midnight when the woman in wet, torn forest green saw
what had to be the light from windows of a small house. She stumbled
toward it gratefully, hoping for warmth and some sort of
communications. Dammit, equipment failure and a plane crash were no
way to start New Year's Day!

As she neared the house, she heard party sounds, and grinned. It
seemed that someone, at least, was having fun here on--if she
remembered her charts right--the Isle of Skye. The North Sea in winter
. . . yes, she was lucky to be alive.

When she knocked on the door, the party sounds got louder--until the
door opened, and someone saw her.

"Och, we have a soaked lass out here!" the young man exclaimed. He
turned back into the house, called for blankets and a hot drink, then
put his arm around the woman, led her inside, and saw her settled into
a comfortable seat beside the fireplace.

"Our first visitor, with no coal or whiskey," an old man said ruefully.
"No good omen for the New Year, no warmth for heart or hearth."

"Och, uncle, 'tis no fault of hers," the young man said. "It's cold
and wet she is, in need of help." He held a glass of whiskey to the