“In strength?”
“Dotting the landscape, thirty strong by the latest count. That’s a lot of Thek.”
“Any of them Tor?”
“Don’t know. Dimenon filed in the report and then Kai lost the connection. Captain Godheir has sent a sled out after him and Margit. And I’ve got a lot to tell you about your precious giffs when you get back. After Commander Sassinak has had her chat with you. I didn’t know about the cruiser when I filed a mutiny charge with Captain Godheir. I wanted that on record as soon as possible. Sassinak will want to have details from you. I’m reviving the rest of the sleepers now.
Their reports are going to be needed, too. And they might as well wake up. We’ve got enough help now to complete the original mission.”
“Lunzie, how’s Kai?”
“In Godheir’s sick tank. We can improve his condition. As I said, I didn’t know about the cruiser.
Its medical team can help if Godheir’s doesn’t come up with an answer.” Behind Varian, someone was noisily clearing his throat. “I’ll join you as soon as I can arrange transport, Lunzie. Just continue as you think best.”
“Well, that gives me plenty of latitude.”
“You don’t need any more,” Varian said in an ironic tone. Lunzie gave her a sardonic grin as she broke the connection. Then Varian rose to face the lieutenant.
“My wits have been rattled, Lieutenant, I don’t know your name.”
“Borander.” He smiled. “Commander Sassinak is waiting for you.”
Borander now exuded an air of urgency. “You look a lot better now, you know. I was a bit worried about you for a while. You didn’t seem yourself.”
“You could say I wasn’t.”
Borander escorted her from the pinnace which had landed near the cruiser by one of the open air locks. From her vantage point in the pinnace’s lock, Varian had a good view of the heavy gunsleds in position around the massive hulk of the Heavyworld transport. Cruisers were scarcely small but the ZD-43 looked almost puny as it faced the colony ship. Only one of the transport’s huge locks was open, but none of the Heavyworld contingent was visible. Varian hoped that the cruiser’s weaponry was trained on the transport. It looked so menacing, just sitting there, as if it meant to stay. She was only slightly reassured by the fact that most colonists were shipped in cold sleep to their new destinations.
88
Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors
“These guys built a proper strip, I’ll give ’em that much,” Borander said, gesturing to their right.
Aygar and his friend were squatting on their haunches beside the pinnace, and the friend scowled at her. Aygar was staring into the distance, indifferent to his surroundings and the marines’
weapons.
“Borander, why are these men being guarded?”
“Why, because they’re mutineers,” Borander replied.
“These two men are not mutineers, Lieutenant Borander. They were born here on Ireta and they had nothing to do with the mutiny. There is no need to keep them under restraint.”
“Now, look, your people registered a mutiny charge first with Captain Godheir and then with Commander Sassinak—”
“Which still has nothing to do with Aygar and anyone in his generation or even his parents.”
“And I suppose they didn’t help build that grid to assist an illegal landing …” Borander switched from surprise to open scorn.
“I think the judicial will find that Aygar was acting on misinformation and could be excused from a conscious violation of EEC regulations.”
Borander held himself stiffly. “That is not for me to decide. Now, Commander Sassinak is waiting for you.”
“Then Aygar can accompany us and I’ll sort the matter out right now.”
Aygar maintained his air of indifference but his companion was staring at Varian, his jaw had dropped open and his face bore a surprised expression that put Varian in mind of Tardma.
“Why, I can’t just walk into the commander’s office with these two—”
“I can.” Varian put the steel of Discipline into her voice. “I’ll remind you, Lieutenant, that as co-leader of an authorized expedition to Ireta, I have the rank of planetary governor pro-tem. Who outranks whom, Lieutenant?”
Borander swallowed, arching his back to attention. “You do … ma’am. But that doesn’t mean the commander’s going to like it.”