Captain Cruss rose from his chair. So did his companions. Sassinak neither flinched nor quivered as the heavyworlders dwarfed her at her desk.
“Actually,” she continued in her conversational tone of voice, “the shipwrecked personnel seem to have done extremely well in adapting to the hostile environment, even to the commendable work of engineering a grid for their eventual rescue by a passing friendly ship. Most ingenious of them.
However, I understand that they would be willing to supply you with fresh vegetable protein and fruit if you desire a change from long-voyage rations. In return, of course, for the usual items of barter.” She smiled. “I hope your water supplies are adequate. The local water is foul-tasting and smells.” With a surly growl and a dismissive flick of his vast hand, Captain Cruss indicated he needed no replenishments. “Very well, then. I’m positive you will wish to continue on your way as soon as we have received clearance for you. The indigenes will have all the help we can give them.
You may be sure of that.” Sassinak rose then, to signify the end of the interview. Varian noticed that she held the wand in her right hand, tapping it carelessly against the palm of the left. When Cruss made a motion to reclaim the capsule, she lowered the wand to forestall the attempt, not quite touching his wrist.
“I think that had better remain. Sector will wish to discover why it did not reach its intended destination. Can’t have our emergency devices malfunctioning.” What Cruss might have done, Varian didn’t know but abruptly Wefts appeared, one by each of the heavyworlders. Varian noted with pleasure that the usual heavyworlder sneers quickly altered to alarm. Cruss wheeled and stamped out. The others followed and the escort closed in behind them.
As soon as the door had slid shut, Sassinak swiveled her chair and looked directly at them.
Fordeliton made an adjustment on the console and Sassinak smiled.
“Did you two catch the entire act?” She raised one hand to massage her neck muscles.
“Your timing was as usual superb, commander,” Fordeliton said.
“They had the contingencies covered, all right enough, including documentation to that heavyworlder colony two systems down. Unless I am mistaken, and I want you to check it out, Ford, that world has reached its colonial quota. Varian, were all your records destroyed?”
“If you mean, do we have the homing capsule serial number on file, yes, it’s probably in the shuttle’s memory banks. We can retrieve it once Portegin has the shuttle’s console fully operational. But that capsule was stolen from our stores before the stampede …”
“Did you mention that fact in the report I hope you have for me?”
“I did—” Varian glanced at Kai for his answer.
“I did, too. Commander?”
“Yes?”
“Do you believe that they detoured here to answer a shipwreck message?”
107
Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors
“I would have had no reason to doubt it, would I, if you weren’t alive to give a conflicting account. They have, I do believe,” and Sassiness’ smile was smugly malicious, “hoisted themselves on their own petards in this case since you can prove the complicity. They don’t know that you lived—”
“Aygar does.” Kai’s voice was harsh.
“Do you think we’ve allowed Aygar and his friends to communicate with the colonists? Come, come, Leader Kai. I shall permit no intercourse between the two groups, and the surviving mutineer is in maximum security on this vessel. Would he recognize you?”
Varian answered. “When I encountered Tanegli, at first he thought I was from the colony ship.
When I told him that I was part of a rescue team, he couldn’t wait to get rid of me. On the other hand, he wouldn’t be expecting to see Varian. For him a long time has elapsed.”
“Yes, so it has,” Sassinak mused, a slight smile on her face. “It really doesn’t do for the heavyworlders to get so arrogant and presumptuous with us lightweights, does it?” Sassinak leaned forward, her expression sad. “The irony of these instances is that those who struggled to pave a way would have found themselves discarded by such as Cruss, cast away entirely, once their purpose had been served—I wonder if Tanegli and his fellow mutineers ever considered that possibility. Of course,” and a complacent smile bowed the commander’s mouth, “your survival is as unexpected as my arrival. Not to mention the interest the Thek are evincing in Ireta—can you explain that for me, Kai?”