“Too many.” It was obvious to Laria from Zara’s tone that she was not going to give statistics. “The very young and the oldest. The midage group seemed to have more resilience and are responding to treatment.”
“The same ours are getting?”
Zara nodded, flying carefully around the back of the hibernatory. Of that Laria was just as glad, for the route they’d taken on the way in had required some dips and veerings that she was not certain her innards could have handled.
“I’ll give you something for nausea when we get home,” Zara said kindly. “The big if,” she went on in a grim voice, “is whether or not your friends—and the other survivors— will be able to create again. So essentially we have two diametrically opposite problems to solve: contraception and restoration of the creative function.”
“And?” Kincaid asked gently.
Zara gave a shrug. “If we succeed in finding which pheromones can be withdrawn to provide contraception, the top Mrdini will be happy. We’ll try to concentrate on the majority. We’ll do the best we can on the other.”
With that to mull over, no one spoke on the flight back. Zara parked the sled but before the other two could descend, she offered Laria a shot glass with a pale green liquid in it. “Drink. Then go watch the sunset. That’s as much a part of restoring your equilibrium as the potion.” She shooed them off toward the steps that led up to the little garden created especially to view the sinking sun of Iota Aurigae.
Very few on Clarf ever knew that there had been a substitution of Tower Primes. At first, quick-witted Lionasha inferred that Laria and Kincaid were exceedingly busy helping the poor unfortunate victims of the Clarf Tower disaster. “Which actually isn’t a lie at all.”
“Fiasco, not disaster. You can prevent fiascoes,” Vanteer grumbled from his engineering station.
The official story spread by Mrdini keepers was that power had failed at the hibernatory and all attempts by the keeper to repair the damage had been in vain, causing the death of 405 of the 789 using the facility. Very few knew that this had been an attempt to interrupt conception. On Clarf, of course, everyone knew that one did not interrupt hibernation and the keeper had been overly confident in its ability to cope with the emergency. By the time it admitted failure, the damage was done. Top technicians from other Mrdini planets were called in to restore power and cleanse the building. If a discreet new facility was added on one of the upper ranks, it escaped notice in the general confusion of repair. The head keeper and its staff were permanently reduced to menial rank. Three—the oldest, who had also been head keeper, and its two immediate subordinates—went into an osmotic failure and turned into mush. From old age, it was said. Whatever their shortcomings were, their records had been meticulously kept so that it was known which pairings should be repeated to restore many of the lost Mrdinis. When the next group of ’Dinis arrived for their two months’ hibernation, an entirely new, younger management was in charge: the new head keeper had just finished advanced training on Iota Aurigae.
Very few off Clarf in fact knew that substitute personnel were in charge of the Tower for nearly three weeks. The assignment of a third hot planet, a mere two light-years away from Clariflor, to relieve the overburdened Mrdini homeworlds provided an additional distraction. Other Primes receiving or sending material to Clarf were too busy to query any minor differences they might have discerned in ‘porting techniques. Quick to learn and already well versed in Tower protocol, the Lyon sisters got the hang of the workload within four days. Morag and Kaltia were quite as diligent in the performance of their duties as Laria had been. To share the learning experience as well as the loads they were having to ’port, they took turns being the merge mind. Lionasha was punctilious about serving them the restorative drink and they had youth as well as innate strength to support their heavy duties.
Lionasha took it into her head that Laria would have introduced the girls around, and seen that they enjoyed the social life of the Human Compound. She told Vanteer quite bluntly that he would have to act as their male escort. Mrdinis worked longer hours than most Humans—considering their hibernation as their vacation—but Prime Towers kept to the normal Star League eight-hour working day with two rest days in seven.
“You can do what you like the five other nights, but those girls are not going to be immured in the Tower.” she said, so firmly that Vanteer did not argue. “They’re going to Sixth Day dances and the vid nights, and if they meet someone whom you and I both consider proper, they have every right to enjoy a night off. They aren’t nunnies, or whatever hermits were called.”
“Nuns,” Kaltia corrected, having been silently cheering Lionasha on in recruiting Vanteer as escort. While the Human society on Clarf was conducted in a relaxed attitude, neither girl had reached adult status. As juveniles on a foreign world, they ought to be properly accompanied. Lionasha did not mention Vanteer’s reputation, but she would be along to ensure the proprieties.
“Actually, I think she meant ‘nannies,’ but they didn’t have much fun either,” Morag said, looking forward to meeting new people, dancing and having some fun.
“All work is wrong,” Lionasha told Vanteer. “We need a break and so do they. So, because Laria and Kincaid are far too occupied with Tower management, we’ll escort the girls. It’d be damned funny if they weren’t allowed out of here now and then, you know.”
To that Vanteer had to agree.
So they escorted their charges to functions in the air-conditioned Human Compound. Lionasha took them shopping—Tower personnel had the advantage of knowing in advance if there was anything worth looking at—and both Lionasha and Vanteer escorted them to the dance evenings. The girls were good dancers and rarely sat out. They had the good sense to make themselves as popular with their own sex in the intervals, especially when they tipped the girls off to special imports. They also dropped little clues to support the fiction that they were on an apprenticeship level: Morag moaned a bit at how hard it was to keep track of all the message tubes. Kaltia fretted about getting chapped hands from the cleanser that removed the grease of Clarf’s generators.
“We were sent here to learn Tower management, and we are,” Morag said, with such sincerity that Lionasha had all she could do not to laugh at her long-suffering pose. “Sis may be strict, but I can’t fault her for that.”
Although they admitted to Talent, they were careful not to mention their actual rank, intimating that they were destined for less glamorous positions than Primes. If any of the more knowledgeable from Terra had suspicions, they kept silent. Since the girls were Primes, they deftly, and shamelessly, used that advantage in ’pathing just enough from the minds of those they met to take the right attitude that would lead to friendly, rather than envious, relationships.
“Well, we never look below the public mind,” Morag admitted to Lionasha and Vanteer. “But we can’t afford to make mistakes with Humans or ’Dinis. We only read surface stuff. That’s usually more than enough when people are out to have fun.” Morag grinned. “They are under the distinct impression that I am training with you, Lionasha, and Kaltia’s getting some hands-on experience with the station generators.”
“Yeah, I heard you talking to Scott Attenboro,” Vanteer said with reluctant admiration. “You know more than he does about station generators.”
“We both do,” Kaltia said flatly. “Xexo trained us, you know.”
“He did?” Vanteer’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “I didn’t think he’d let anyone touch his generators.” The Iota Aurigae engineer was a legend in his specialty.
Several times Morag and Kaltia made courtesy calls at the Clarf homes of their ’Dinis’ colors and gained much favor from their impeccable manners to the elder ’Dinis. Sim and Dar, who were gray, and Kev and Su, who were blues, consequently enjoyed more prestige in their color houses.
When the sisters were asked about the absence of Laria, they had ready answers: “Sis is pretty tired right now with all the traffic. You’d think ha
lf the planet was emigrating.” “She and Dano have to do some Tower adjustments.” “There’s a huge shipment to go tomorrow and we’re even going to have to help.”
To the amusement of all three women, Vanteer took a very responsible attitude about which males he’d introduce to the sisters. If he was the victim of some joking about chaperoning, he ignored it.
“He’s almost worse than Dad,” Morag complained. “He practically hauled that gorgeous Leonard Perutz away from me, and all Leonard wanted was a dance.”
“Ha! That one!” Lionasha said. “And if he hadn’t kept Perutz away from you, I would have, and a thump for being so stupid.”
“But he’s so handsome,” Kaltia said with a wistful sigh.
“And about as trustworthy as ... as ...” An appropriate comparison failed Lionasha. “Laria won’t acknowledge him whenever he’s sent here as a troubleshooter. If she snubs him, you will too. Don’t ask the other girls about him either. Ignore him.”
“Oh!” Morag and Kaltia exchanged thoughtful glances and sighed in unison. Lionasha went on. “Now, young Vince Studebaker may not have Perutz’s looks or charm, but he’s a good dancer, as funny as ’Dinis on a mud slide and worth much more of your attention than Perutz.”
“I danced with him, and you’re right, Lio, he’s quick on his feet and he is very funny. He’s got some of the most hilarious jokes. Nice ones too.”
“Just take it from me, girls, and if Vanteer cuts you out from a partner, he knows what he’s doing.”
“Even if we’re wrecking his game?” Morag said with a wicked glint in her eyes.
“We both promised Laria we’d take care of you. Frankly, I think I like Van the better for being so vigilant. Takes one to know one.” Then Lionasha chuckled, her tawny eyes twinkling. “Though it’s good Laria and Kincaid are due back. The strain on Vanteer’s beginning to show.”
Just before false dawn, after three weeks’ absence, Laria and Kincaid returned to Clarf, but without their ’Dinis.
“They’re much better, much better,” Laria said, dropping to her knees to embrace the other Tower ’Dinis clamoring for news of their friends. “We’ve missed you all. We’re so glad to be back.”
“Not any gladder than Van will be,” Lionasha said, winking at Laria. I’ll tell you later.
“Are we expected to go right back to Iota, Lar?” Morag asked, her expression anxious. “I’ve met this real neat guy...” Over Morag’s head, Laria caught Lionasha’s approving nod. “Vince Studebaker, and there’s a fancy dress ball next Sixth Day ...”
“You’ll be stuck here awhile longer, girls,” Laria said. “I might even have to send one of you to help Yoshuk and Nesrun at Sef Tower with all that has to go to that latest planet that’s been released. Jeff routed quite a bit of heavy stuff through Iota rather than overload you.”
“Overload us! Why, the nerve of Grandfather,” Morag said, outraged.
Laria laughed, hugging her sister. “You tell him. I won’t. Now, fill us in, will you, girls, Lio, and where’s Vanteer?”
“He’ll be along at real dawn, Laria. He’s been more help than you could possibly imagine.” Lionasha’s straight face was belied by the gleam in her eyes.
“Kept all the no-no’s from dancing with us, even Perutz!”
Laria’s expression froze and she stared at Lionasha. “If that man got...”
“Not with Van acting chaperone, he didn’t,” Lionasha said, grinning.
Laria’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “Turned over a new leaf, has our Van?”
“Not likely.” Lio gave a snort and then smiled. “But he was damned sure he wasn’t going to be blamed for any incidents. As far as the Human society of Clarf is concerned, your sisters were here to learn the lower grades of Tower management.”
“Well done, kids,” Laria said, hugging her sisters once more.
“Hey, you two look a lot better,” Lionasha said. “Like you got enough sleep or had a vacation.”
“We had both, actually,” Laria said. “Mother and Dad wouldn’t let us near the Tower ...”
“Not with Beliakin there, I’ll bet.” Lionasha said in an acid tone.
Laria grinned. “We never saw him once. He had to report to Blundell about that wretched Clarissia. He cleared himself of any suspicion.” She paused, with a little smile on her face. “I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Mom and Dad didn’t sort of ... well ... adjust his general attitude.”
“That couldn’t hurt,” Lionasha said, glancing over at Kincaid, who grinned back.
“Somehow I don’t think he’ll stay long, now he’s had such good experience at Iota.” Laria smothered a grin. “But you know how valuable strong T-2’s are right now. Grandfather’s sure to put him in some crucial position. Not that their replacement will be anywhere near the kinetic Beliakin seems to be. Mother said Gollee’s description of him is ‘very young and so eager to learn he’s almost pathetic.’ Kobold von something or other. Well, if Mom can trim down Beliakin’s amazing ego, maybe she can build this little fellow’s up.”
“Kobold von Gruy? So he developed, did he? He comes from my city,” Kincaid said with an odd smile, “so he’d have to overcome the odd ideas about Talent prevalent where we come from.”
Laria gave Kincaid a quick look and laid her hand briefly on his arm. Lionasha had trouble repressing the questions those brief, and intimate, gestures provoked. She turned away to go get breakfast started.
“He’ll do fine with Mother and Dad to sort of ease him into Tower work,” Laria said.
“Didja hunt much?” Kaltia asked, so eagerly that it was obvious she missed that task.
“Indeed we did. In fact, I think that between us Kincaid and I finally hunted out that valley of mine.”
“Can’t be done,” Kaltia argued.
“Kincaid here”—once again Laria touched the T-2’s arm—“gets full honors for bagging the most every time we went out, wherever we went. Ewain was disgusted.”
“He would be,” Kaltia said with a snort. “But when do you get your ’Dinis back?”
I’ll tell you what I can later, Laria said.
“Zara’s still at Iota?” Morag asked, though she already knew the answer.
Laria nodded. “And likely to be for some time. She’s done great work and pulled our ’Dinis round.” Then her face lost all expression. “Did we lose many we know?”
Returning with a tray of hot drinks, Lionasha nodded sadly. “I knew twenty, and Van knew another half-dozen. Some eighty of Huf’s main house died and thirty of Tip’s.”
“Morag and Kaltia made appropriate visits to the color houses, since their own ’Dinis wished to express condolence.”
“We will too, of course,” Laria said. “It was all so needless.” Abruptly, she took a sip of the hot drink and then stepped over to Lionasha’s workstation. “Have we much for the morning? You two”—she pointed at her sisters—“have the day off.”
“That’s fine by us,” Morag said, “because there were some real neat fashions shipped in from Earth that should be on display and I need something new to wear. We didn’t bring half enough good things with us. You coming too, Kaltia?”
Laria looked queringly at Lionasha and was reassured by Lio’s dismissive wave.
“That pair know Clarf from hither to thither, Laria. Don’t worry about them,” Lionasha said. “Now, I don’t want you to lose all the good the holiday did you, so if the girls’ll stay long enough to help ’port in the heavy machinery, it’d ease you back into the routine.”
“Shops don’t open until late morning,” Morag said.
“Sure, don’t want to lose my touch,” was Kaltia’s reaction.
“That’s most unlikely,” Laria said, ’pathing her pride in her sisters.
Lyon’s Pride, Kincaid added, mischief twinkling in his eyes.
ten
An excited Sam Weiman and Grm begged a moment of Thian’s time as the Washington and the fleet she led made their way toward the next suspect system.
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“I know this may sound absolutely ridiculous,” Sam began, with Grm bouncing up and down on its flippers beside him. “But I’ve been thinking about pheromones, our odors”—he tapped his chest—“and theirs.” He pointed astern, meaning Arcadia or system Cj-70, which was now a good week behind them. “I think smell has a lot more to do with Hivers than we may have adequately investigated. When we had Operation Shanghai under way, I automatically took samples of the air as we went from place to place—sort of a headspace analysis, the sort we’d do with alien insects—in each collection point. I believe that the Hivers have been classified as basically insectoids. I also had Commander Kloo add gas chromatography to the remotes to keep track of any pheromone alterations. At any rate, Grm here and I have discovered that these pheromones are distinct, identifiable chemical compounds, especially when the queen made replacements for the attendants we took from her quarters.”
“Really?” Thian raised his eyebrows in surprise. “More than interesting,” he went on, “since Earth Prime forwarded me in his latest report of the general situation at Blundell news that my sister Zara is working on the Mrdini hibernatory problem.” He turned to Grm and spoke in Mrdini with a quick but respectful bow. YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD THAT THE MRDINI FRIENDS OF CLARF’S PRIME AND T-2 DANO WERE PART OF THE TRAGEDY AT CLARF’S MAIN HIBERNATORY. MRDINI HAD GRACIOUSLY REQUESTED ZARA AS PRIME MEDICAL HUMAN TO HELP REVIVE AND HEAL THE VICTIMS.
Grm, however, bowed, its poll eye covered slightly by its lids in deference to the sad incident. DID HEAR. AS XENBEE, THIS ONE KNOWS THAT SPECIAL PHEROMONES ARE USED IN HIBERNATORIES. BUT NOT WHICH ONES. Grm nodded but indicated for Thian to continue. DEEPEST, MOST SACRED INFORMATION KNOWN ONLY TO KEEPERS WHO ARE TRAINED TO MANAGE HIBERNATORIES. It gave a little shudder.
“I wonder what sort of smells we exuded on our first visit to that queen’s quarters. She sure aired the place out in a hurry.”
“The point is,” Sam went on, giving Grm another apologetic bow, “that if we knew what pheromones the queen produces under which circumstances, we might find a way of ... of sort of replacing certain pheromones and thus producing a more pacific attitude. Reducing their size and aggressiveness: making them more like the Arcadians. Has anyone done a ‘headspace analysis’ of the Heinlein queen?”
The Tower and the Hive Page 24