“Triv and I called on Discipline and parted the dome at the seam.”
“At the seam?” Fordeliton was impressed and glanced at his commander, who merely nodded.
“The young man, Bonnard, had not been apprehended by the heavyworlders?”
“No, Bonnard was at large,” Kai said, with a wry grin. “He’d the great good sense to hide the power packs—”
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“Rendering the sleds inoperative. Good strategy. I would suggest that the mutineers made the usual classic mistake—they underestimated their opponents. A lesson Naval Tactics always emphasizes, does it not, Ford?” Sassinak, raised one eyebrow and regarded her aide with a tolerant smile.
“Indeed, yes.” Fordeliton dabbed at his mouth with his napkin and looked anywhere but at Sassinak.
“Leaping ahead in your story, then, Kai and Varian, the golden fliers must be discriminating indeed if they protect you, and yet are aggressive to the Iretans, a hostility I infer from Aygar’s remark this morning.”
“The giffs had thresholds for their behavior, one of which was started—and this is surmise—by the mutineers who probably searched near enough to the giff caves to provoke attack. They would repel anyone approaching our refuge from the ravine side. They also seem to be able to distinguish among sled engines.”
“What more have you observed about the giffs?”
“Not as much as I would like. To date, my observations have mainly dealt with their reactions to us, not interactions among themselves. That’s what I’d like to explore.”
“Excellent! Excellent! That’s just what you should do.”
“What interested me most,” Mayerd said, hitching forward in her chair, “was the fact that those creatures knew a specific remedy for the fringe poison. And realized that you needed it. I’d say that places their intelligence level well above primitive norms.”
“What establishes them above primitive norms is …” Sassinak broke off, aware of a shadow, hovering anxiously just out of sight in the corridor. “Yes, what is it?”
Borander stepped into view, every inch of him reluctant to interrupt the gathering.
“You ordered that you be informed of any attempt at communication between the transport and the Iretans, Commander.”
“Indeed. Who’s trying to get in touch with whom?” Sassinak shed her party manner in that instant.
“A transmission from the transport has been monitored, directed at the Iretan settlement and requesting it to open communications.”
“And?”
“There has been no reply from the settlement.”
“How could the Iretans reply?” Lunzie asked. “They haven’t any comunits!”
“They don’t?” Now Fordeliton registered amazement.
“It isn’t likely that the original units have survived forty-three years in this climate,” Varian said.
“Unless the Iretans were issued replacements.”
Fordeliton shook his head. “We were surprised, but Aygar said that he didn’t have much need for that sort of equipment. Nor did they request any power units suitable for a comunit of any current type.”
“On what frequency was Cruss broadcasting?” Kai asked suddenly. Sassinak raised her eyebrows with approval. When Borander gave the frequency, Kai smiled with satisfaction. “That was the frequency the expedition used, Commander.”
“Very interesting, indeed. Now how would our innocent Captain Cruss have learned that from the ‘message’ in the damaged homing capsule? I’ve read and reread the text. The frequencies were not included. He has well and truly used enough rope.”
Lunzie chuckled. “I wonder why Cruss is trying to contact people who don’t wish contact with him.”
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“Could Aygar be playing a deep game?” Sassinak asked.
“I wouldn’t say he was playing any game,” Varian said, watching the frown on Kai’s face deepen at her remark. “He has stated his position quite clearly—this is his planet and he intends to remain on it.”
“More power to him if he can,” Sassinak replied. “Borander, my compliments to Lieutenant Commander Dupaynil. I think this is a matter for his skills.” As Borander went off on his errand, Sassinak turned to her guests. “Dupaynil’s Naval Intelligence. Varian, do the Iretans have any particular accent or provincial dialect? …” And when Varian reassured her, she continued, “My friends, too many attempts at planetary piracy have been successful, too many well-organized expeditions have appeared on planets which were not scheduled to be colonized for a half century.