“That sunrise was a good augury,” Lunzie remarked with an air of pleased surprise.
Kai squirmed against the restraint of the seat belts, sensible of a relief so intense that it left an ache at the base of his skull.
“I never have understood why the EV’s consider themselves invulnerable to the hazards of space,” Lunzie said.
“One reason I opted for your mission when it came up, Kai. I figured I’d be a lot safer on a planet than tagging a cosmic storm.” She gave him a wry grin. “Of course, I have been safer.”
“What? With mutineers, cold sleep, fringes, and now pirates?” Fordeliton demanded, astonished.
“At least my feet were on solid ground and there’s plenty of oxygen in Ireta’s air.”
Fordeliton made a deprecating sound and pinched his nostrils. Then leaned forward over his console as the pinnace began its descent to collect Varian. She was standing on the cliff top as the pinnace slid to a landing.
“The ARCT’s okay, Varian,” Kai cried as soon as she entered. Her jubilation had to be cut short as Ford ordered her belted up for the run to the plateau. Kai repeated as much as he knew about the status of the ARCT-10, reliving his own immense relief in Varian’s expressions of joy.
“But if the ARCT isn’t even on its way to us, why this early morning call from Sassinak?”
Varian asked.
“Thek,” Ford replied succinctly.
“They’ve verified?” Lunzie asked.
“That’s Sassiness’ assumption, but the word arrived in typical Thek language. No details.”
“Very interesting,” Lunzie said. A note in her voice made both Kai and Varian stare at her.
“Were Thek in evidence?”
“No change in the Bears,” Ford said. “I take that back,” he went on, suddenly alert. “They’ve moved!”
He flipped on the main screen in the pinnace and they could all see the plateau. The cruiser and the transport had not moved, but Medium-Size Thek was gone from its sentry position near the cruiser’s gangway, and the three Great-Big Thek were no longer just beyond the squat hulk of the transport. They were at the far end of the landing grid. The comunit buzzed.
“Fordeliton here. Yes, Commander. We just noticed the redisposition. Yes? Aye, aye, ma’am.”
He made a slight deviation in approach path. “I’m to deliver you there. Muhlah!” he cried as all the proximity alarms went off.
“Don’t deviate!” Lunzie’s cry was so authoritative Ford did not correct his flight path. But the pinnace shook as incoming Thek brushed past, speeding to join the others at the far end of the grid.
“What was that?” Varian demanded, aware of the near collision.
“Bonnard’s horde of Thek,” Kai replied, with considerable irritation. Even Thek, or especially Thek, should follow ordinary flight safety procedures.
“What did they think they were doing just then?” Varian demanded, expressing a similar outrage.
143
Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors
“Preparing for a conference,” Lunzie replied, and once again her tone was strained. Abruptly, she divested herself of the seat belts. “Can you slow down, Ford? Just Kai and Varian are called to this meeting?”
“No, the commander is, too, and,” Ford now pointed to the view screen, it looks like someone from the settlement and the transport have received invitations.” Captain Cruss was plodding across the grid, and the two sleds, one from the cruiser and the other from settlement, each with a single passenger, headed toward the Thek. “Now what are they doing?” Ford demanded in a perplexed tone.
He flipped up the magnification on the forward screen for a better view of the activity. The smaller Thek horde had not landed by the bigger ones. While some hovered, others began to attach themselves to the Great-Big Bears, defying gravity by creating an overhang. Suddenly the three Medium-Size Bears appeared. Two of them hovered as well, turning tapered ends down to fit themselves into the gaps between the biggest Thek.
“Yes, I was right,” Lunzie said softly. “I’ve heard of this configuration, but I never thought to see one. It’s a Thek conference!” Awe and amazement tinged the medic’s voice. “Kai, Varian, if you’re to remember more than just what they want you to know, I’d better buffer you.”