`where did you get so fluent in `Dini?’ Rojer shoved the question in quickly.
`Oh, my older brother had `Dini pairs. We were one of the first families, though I expect that you Lyons were the first-‘ and he grinned, white toothed, to show no ill-feeling, `-so to speak, what with being children of the Raven-Lyon family and each of you had pairs?’ Rojer only had time to nod before Bhuto was off again.
`All of you? Eight? Well, I suppose it’s working out what with your brother first Priming the Vadim and now the KLTL. That was a really fine gesture of his, to accompany the KLTL to be sure they had sufficient supplies so that no `Dini had to lay on the line.’ Bhuto rolled his eyes again.
Rojer thought he must be one of the very few people who understood what that meant. He shuddered, glad that there was absolutely no chance that either Gil or Kat would have to volunteer.
`One really has to hand it to that species for persevering against incredible odds, and suiciding to prevent a Hiver from overcoming the worlds they were pledged to protect.’ `Bhuto? Do you stop talking in your sleep?’ `Oh, sorry, Mr Lyon, sir. I do tend to talk a bit.’ He was silent for all of two minutes – Rojer’s time sense kept track.
They were in the shuttle deck by then and Rojer was quite willing to listen to the ensign’s vivid description of how the Hiver pod was netted and hauled inboard.
`Tried to run from us and used up the last whiff of fuel, whatever it is they use. So the pod was just drifting. Captain thinks towards the yellow sun in 757-283. No other suitable system nearer than ten light years in this quadrant. D’you suppose the Queen knew that and had a pre-planned destination? I mean, that’s awful close to their homeworld, spatially speaking. Could be there’s a colony already there. Isn’t one of the `Dini explored worlds: we had to check that.
But it’s not one that’s tagged. Rather far out from our Hub.
Even with several million planets in this arm of the Milky Way that are suitable to habitation by our three species, it’s remarkable there was one near enough for the pod to reach. Of course, some think the Queen’d just go into hibernation, or suspended animation or something until such time as the instrumentation located a suitable planet. Or maybe this was always a destination. Off the wreck’s trajectory but then it might not have had a chance to correct when the nova shock wave hit it.
`At that, our shuttle bay was only just large enough to haul the pod in. Biiiiiig! Six metres if a centimetre. If it were a human vehicle, could fit a whole watch on board it. Just hope there’s more in there than just one Queen body. She’d be one mighty huge mother, she would. But they’re saying that she’d have to bring attendants and workers and drones and such like because she couldn’t survive without their ministrations. `Dinis told us – when we were kids – that the Queens decide what sort of offspring the Hive needs to function and then parcel out the types among `em to breed. That’s a handy habit.
Not enough deck scrubbers – make two dozen more eggs of that kind.
Not enough ensigns – produce six more.’ Bhuto grinned as Rojer inadvertently made eye contact.
`I do talk too much, don’t I?’ `You talk all right,’ Rojer said, projecting reassurance, `but mostly you’re interesting. Say, any of your crew interested in the puzzle?’ Bhuto drew in a delighted breath, lifted both hands in surprise and then, grinning even more broadly than usual, he beckoned Rojer to follow him towards the stern of the Beijing.
`We’re allowed to work in Cargo Hold 3 on account of it’s empty.
Chief Firr programmed the engineering computer to replicate, to scale, every single one of the pieces found and he keeps up to date when new ones are brought in. I’ll bet we got as good a set-up as Naval Intelligence or the High Councils of either ally.’ For a reason Rojer suspected was due to peer pressure, Bhuto did not talk non-stop in Cargo 3