Solemnly all rose and the toast was repeated by Human and ’Dini alike.
Thian rather hoped that this ended the evening but the diners left the long table and congregated in smaller groups: some officers renewing acquaintances while others solemnly discussed details.
“Don’t turn,” said a low voice behind him and, recognizing Ashiant’s tone, Thian complied. “Would you be good enough to ’port me to your quarters for breakfast tomorrow morning, Thian? Raven said you’d know me well enough to find me wherever I am on a ship, even the size of this one.”
Thian bent his head, appearing to smooth down his hair as he murmured his reply. “I can if you really require such security, sir.”
“This once, I do.”
Ashiant immediately drifted away, raising his voice to address Captain Cheseman of the Solidarity. Thian was still puzzling over that request when Clancy wandered up to him to say that they could politely leave any time, now that two of the captains had bid Ashiant a polite farewell.
Thian “told” Clancy about Ashiant’s request. “Why should a captain, a fleet commander, have to resort to such tactics, Clancy?” Thian asked, uneasy about subterfuge.
“Doubtless he’ll tell us tomorrow morning at breakfast,” Clancy said, not at all perturbed. “And that’s going to come soon enough,” he added, glancing at the digital which flashed 0235 at them. “At 0645.”
“I’ll just secure this door,” Rojer said, waving his hand across the inner door pad. “I never knew a dinner could last this long and everyone—well, nearly everyone—still be stone-cold sober.”
* * *
Having set his internal alarm, Thian was awake at precisely 0630, showered and dressed by 0642. He found Clancy in the lounge ahead of him with a table for four loaded with covered dishes.
“Thanks!”
“Know my way about a ship’s galley better’n you would.”
“Nonsense,” said Rojer, yawning as he joined them, his short hair still wet and soaking the neck of his fresh shipsuit. “You took a good few peeks into those stewards’ minds last night so you’d know the exact layout and when not to freak ’em out of their minds, ’porting stuff up here.”
Clancy dismissed that accusation with a wave of his hand. “Thian, time!” Clancy said as the digital went from 0644 to 0645.
Thian easily located Captain Ashiant, whose quarters were on the same deck and not far away, but the man had had no warning to set down the cup he’d been drinking from when Thian transported him. He glanced quickly to be sure the liquid hadn’t spilled from the cup and seemed mildly astonished that it showed no ripple of its recent transplantation.
“Damned smooth, Thian lad, damned smooth,” he said and then gestured for Clancy to stand down from attention. “In these quarters, Sparrow, Talents don’t stand on ceremony.”
“Thank you, sir,” Clancy said with one of his irrepressible grins. “Have some more breakfast, Captain?”
Simultaneously, a chair was pulled back from the table and covers whisked off the hot food they had concealed.
“Humph,” Ashiant remarked with a wry smile for each of the young men, “breakfast in here could get to be a pleasant habit.”
“Any time, sir,” Thian and Rojer chorused.
Ashiant laughed. “I doubt you mean that, lads, so I’ll give advance notice.”
They were all seated when Ashiant handed Thian a slender four-centimeter square.
“From Jeff Raven. It’s his authorization for you lads to keep your minds’ ears on general…and I do mean general…morale.”
Trying to hide his distaste for that aspect of a Talent’s ability, Thian carefully placed the square in his breast pocket.
“You don’t like it, lad,” and Ashiant included Rojer and Clancy in his quick glance round the table, “and I don’t like to have to ask you to do it, but you know the trouble we had with the Washington launch. If it hadn’t been a hologram, some of those missiles would have inflicted sufficient damage to keep her from being launched.”
Thian hadn’t known that but Clancy nodded complete understanding.
“There are dissidents aboard then?” Thian asked, beginning to appreciate the need for Talented surveillance.
Ashiant gave him a sardonic grin. “We know who most of them are. It’s the ones we didn’t or couldn’t identify—the sleepers—and we have to assume that there are some. You wouldn’t have had any reason to know that the subversive elements have tried to sabotage the Washington from the moment her keel plate was laid—as much as you can lay anything in space. She was built in sections, you know, as if she were four smaller ships of a revolutionary new design.” Ashiant grinned. “By the time we had those sections connected, we could then mount the sort of security so that her outfitting could be completed without too much risk of implanted remotes.
“Now, I’m not asking you lads to ‘spy’ in the old-fashioned melodramatic way. I’m certainly not asking you to delve into anyone’s private mind—unless you have bloody good reason to do so or my specific orders for such an action,” and Ashiant swung a thick forefinger to include all three, “but I am asking you to liaise with all the Talents available on all Human ships and have them keep on the alert for any anomalies, strange behaviors, oddities, and report them to you. If your ’Dinis can legitimately mix with the crews of the five ’Dinis ships, that would help, too.”
“You’re expecting trouble from our Allies?” Thian asked, since the ’Dinis were the last ones he’d expect to sabotage the expedition.
Ashiant nodded once, not looking at Rojer. “We don’t want a repetition of the Xh-33 either, Prime.”
“No, sir, Captain Ashiant,” Rojer said with more vehemence than he intended, “we don’t!”
“I don’t expect any problems immediately. This is likely to be a long, long journey. That’s why I felt that now was the most appropriate time for me to make you aware of this aspect of your duties. Even in this, you are noncombatants and, as your boss’ll tell you, it is compatible, in this instance, with Talent ethics. I’ll have more of that toast, if you please, Sparrow.” As he buttered it, he added, “The more often you’re seen—beginning today—in all parts of the Washington, and on the other ships, either singly or as a group—the sooner that sort of habit will become so established no one will find it odd. Rojer, you’ll find immense puzzles on one or another cargo deck on the six Human ships. We’re having intership contests of all sorts, including VR endurance rides,” and he grinned briefly at their surprise. “The other excuse Jeff Raven concocted was that every crewman or woman has the right to send a private message home.” When Rojer rolled his eyes, Ashiant chuckled. “I know we’ve six thousand crew on the Washington alone but there’re families aboard, so that drastically cuts the number who might use the privilege. Nevertheless some’ll be too shy to deliver them here,” and he jerked his head toward the doors, “but that’ll be one excuse for you to circulate frequently.” He glanced up at the digital. “Any questions? I’ve got to be back in my quarters, finishing my breakfast, by 0710.”
“Yes, Captain,” Thian said. “Who are the priority personnel we must rescue in the unlikely event of an emergency?”
“Me,” Ashiant said with an amused snort. “Contrary to naval history, the captains of every vessel, especially and including the ’Dinis, plus as many first officers as possible, any Talents 5 and above, your ’Dinis, Commander Tikele and Commander Yngocelen…”
“Where’s he?” Rojer interrupted, remembering Yngie with affection.
“On the Genesee, and he’ll be delighted to see you, Lyon. So, as one of your first duties, figure out which each of you’ll be responsible for. As you know, the Washington carries six scouts…”
“But there’re only three of us,” Rojer said in some consternation.
“There are also three other T-2s whom you’ve yet to meet, Primes, so count them in your calculations. Scouts can accommodate fifteen easily, twenty cramped. Most of the Washington pods are built for fift
y persons each: for one hundred on the family decks. Constellation pods hold thirty…”
“We’ll take care of the disposition, sir,” Thian said, noting the time on the digital.
“We’ll have the usual drills,” Ashiant said, rising then. “You can practice then.” He nodded to Thian.
“Sir?” and Rojer solemnly handed him the cup he had come with.
“Good lad!”
Cup in hand, a friendly and amused grin on his face, Ashiant was ’ported back to his own quarters.
“Talk about security…” Clancy said, dramatically wiping his face with his napkin.
“Actually, it’s a sound idea,” Rojer replied.
The door chime sounded, almost imperiously.
“Whoops,” Clancy said and hastened to disable the inside lock, allowing the door to slide open to admit a puzzled Semirame Kloo. She regarded her palm.
“I thought I was keyed in to that pad.”
“Rojer, I told you we didn’t need to enable an inner lock on the Washington,” Thian said with a hint of pique in his voice.
“Sorry about that, Rame. Coffee?” the culprit asked, holding up the thermal pot.
Thus began the first of many long days on the way to their distant and unknown goals.
* * *
Flavia, with her team—Asia, Zara, Mallen and Jes—arrived at Clarf Tower for a conference with Kincaid. Flavia had checked with Laria whether or not Kincaid would object or could expand on his initial report.
He certainly doesn’t object, Flavia, was Laria’s reply, and I don’t know whether he doesn’t want to expand on the reports or it’s the time when he wrote those reports that bothers him.
We don’t have to…
No, and Laria’s negative came out as a slow mental drawl, I think it might do him the world of good to have to speak of those days. He’s much easier in himself now, you know.
That’s good to hear. He’s a very likable person.
I know. Laria’s brief comment had echoes that set Flavia wondering about Laria’s feelings about Kincaid. I caught that, Flavia Bastianmajani, and I’m his friend. I really like him.
He’s lucky, then.
I’m the one who’s lucky. I’ll catch you tomorrow then at 1400 your time. That’ll put you here in the cool, cool dawn of Clarf’s autumnal day.
Laria’s facetiousness made Flavia even more thoughtful, but that exchange she could keep to herself and did. Zara’s enthusiasm for practicing her qualifications could well extend to her oldest sister and that, in Flavia’s mind, would be totally improper. Flavia’s opinion of Laria was quite high and, whatever her relationship was with Kincaid, it was a very private matter. As all such matters should be.
* * *
“This is cool?” Flavia asked Lionasha, her forehead beaded with sweat from the short walk up to Clarf Tower in the crepuscular dawn light. Behind her, Zara, Asia, Jes and Mallen were also finding the closeness of the sultry air uncomfortable.
“Yes, rather,” Lionasha said with the cheerfulness of someone thoroughly accustomed to the vagaries of the local climate. “When are you joining your expedition?”
“More or less as soon as we’ve had a chance to confirm details with Kincaid.”
Lionasha nodded. “He really enjoyed himself at Aurigae,” the tawny woman said.
“We all had a great time,” Zara said, ending in a sigh. “It’ll be months, years maybe, before we’ll get back.”
“Homesick already?” Mallen Bastianmajani asked in a teasing “elder brother” tone.
“I’ve never been homesick in my life,” Zara replied smartly, “but I miss the things I can do there that you don’t have anywhere else in the Alliance.”
“That’s part of homesickness,” Mallen said, shooting a glance at his older sister to see if he was laying it on a bit thick. He enjoyed teasing Zara Raven-Lyon: she gave back as good as she got.
Jesper’s long legs carried him to the door into the Tower first and it opened for him, a whoosh of cooler air wafting out.
“Oh, my word! What a relief!”
“For now!” Lionasha said with a rueful smile, “but we have to turn the temperature up in here if anyone’s going outside or they’d collapse.”
“Hmm, yes, or heat stroke…”
Laria, with Kincaid at her heels, came down from the Tower room and there were wide and happy grins, renewing the acquaintances established on Aurigae, while Flavia introduced Mallen and Jesper.
“This way,” Laria said, taking charge and, with a nod for Lionasha to assume the Tower watch, led her guests into the living quarters. Refreshments awaited them there and the ’Dinis served them cooling drinks and finger foods before they settled into the comfortable chairs and couches.
“I don’t know if you’re aware that this scientifically based expedition does not have full support of the Council,” Flavia said.
“That may be luckier than you know,” Laria replied. “There is great curiosity here on Clarf, especially if some of the planets can be cleared for our colonization.” She grinned. “Any disruptive problems?”
“Not for us,” Zara said crisply and wrinkling her nose with disgust. “But some crew members got mauled when the list of ships in Squadron B was posted.”
Asia sort of squinched herself down in the couch corner she had chosen and stopped eating her snack.
“So we began our duties,” Flavia said with a rueful grin, “by ’porting sailors out of brawls and safely aboard.”
“Their families had to be sent to protected enclaves,” Asia added.
As that was the first information Asia had ever volunteered in her presence, Laria paid close attention and sent a strong reassurance to the girl. Though Zara was younger by several years, Asia seemed the junior.
“Rather silly, isn’t it, though,” Laria said, “as if the families had anything to do with the orders. And why the fuss over Squadron B’s goals? It’s scientific, not combative.”
“Well, there had been quite an organization formed,” Mallen began, “to prevent the Washington from being formally launched. So there was a lot of undissipated anger and resentment which was then turned on perfectly innocent targets: the nearest being crews of the second squadron. The dissenters got bilked out of blowing up the Washington,” Mallen said with a grimace for such folly.
“And even that was only a hologram,” Zara added. “Biggest one ever attempted.”
“So’s the Washington. Ship, that is,” said Mallen who’d been impressed by the cover operation as well as the immensity of the newest Fleet addition.
“So, what can I do to help your…ah…scientific venture? Kincaid said with a wry smile, looking from one expedition member to the next, his glance sliding quickly away from the shy Asia. “I’d’ve thought the probe files would be sufficient.”
“They show what you saw, Kincaid,” Flavia said slowly. “But everything we see we interpret from our own experience. As you’re telempathic, did you have further reactions that wouldn’t have been taped?”
Kincaid regarded her for a moment with a very blank expression, but then tension left his long frame and he smiled ruefully.
“There isn’t any empathy possible between Humans and the Hivers, and little between Humans and ’Dinis, no matter how close we are to our ’Dini friends.” His Nil and Plus were busy talking to the visiting ’Dinis, their low voices an almost melodic descant to the Human conversations.
Zara smiled at him. “Tell us what we don’t know, Kincaid.”
“Zara!” Flavia called her to order. “What were your impressions, your reactions to what you saw, particularly on the deserted planets?”
“I deplored the waste of valuable colonial property,” Kincaid said, slightly flippant. Then leaned forward. “The first one…”
“Marengo…”
“Is that what they ended up naming it? Ah, well, it had once been reasonably successful. Agriculture not quite as extensive as I understand it was on Xh-33, and I think I was surprised that t
here wasn’t more…” He paused and regarded Flavia. “Is this what you mean?”
“Yes, yes, exactly.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “It just seems sensible to gather as much information as possible from available sources.”
“You’re it,” Zara said, grinning.
“I wasn’t the only Talent in the merge that searched,” Kincaid said in a voice gone suddenly harsh.
“But you’re down as the only T-2 and the merge focus…” Zara began, “surely…”
“I can only give you my impressions,” Kincaid interrupted her.
Leave it, Zara, Laria said on a tight line to her sister as she spoke aloud. “Even those would give some insights…For instance, you’ve never mentioned any…any detritus in the buildings you scanned.”
“Detritus?” Kincaid gave a snort. “You mean bodies? Not on Marengo. Too old.”
“That’s another fact I needed to know,” Flavia said, grinning with relief. “So many people assume—and that’s a major problem with the dissenters who are sure our ‘interference’ is going to make them the next victims—that ALL Hive colonies have been successful, ipso facto.”
“We have to find out why those that failed, failed,” Zara said. “And why Hive Central didn’t know? Or didn’t care? Or what? I mean, you said the second one looked—”
“Waterloo…” Flavia supplied.
“Thanks, the Waterloo planet looked as if it had started out okay and was then abandoned. So what happened?”
Kincaid frowned slightly. “Yes, I wondered about that one, since the Hive colony ship was still in orbit. Even with the plastic probes, I approached both ship and planet very carefully. Spatially, the Waterloo system wasn’t far from Marengo. Had the Marengo group merely switched to the Waterloo planet?”
Lyon's Pride Page 21