`Huh! They are backward.’ `Not really. `Dini elders possess great wisdom and experience and must be preserved for their knowledge.
An inexperienced young `Dini considers it honourable to die lest those assets be lost to the race.
`So – couldn’t they just ration food?’ He tried to do this tactfully. `Ah, they — – well, they not only give up their lives She drew in her breath in horror. `You mean. -.
when he nodded, she gulped. `Go ssake! Didn’t think they’d have that in `em!’ She was more awed at that final sacrifice than appalled.
Thian was oddly pleased by her attitude especially when she added, `Knowing that, you’ve got’to go. I like the `Dinis. I miss your two.
But, say, Thian, that trip’s projected for a whole year, Standard.
How’ll you get along? I mean. -. ` and to Thian’s delight and amusement, Gravy blushed.
He hugged her to him and her hair clung to his face like a gossamer veil. He’d miss this right enough and said so. `I’ll be fine though. I’ll miss you, I really will. It’s much better this way but well, you’ve heard of `Dini dreams?’ She nodded and he had to carefully remove clinging filaments from his mouth, chuckling as he did so.
very — – well, `Well, `Dini dreams are very they do the trick.’ `NO!’ She was up on her elbows again. `That, too?’ `If Mur or Dip were here, I’d get them to show you.
`Now just a living minute, Thian Raven-Lyon, Prime — . ` He turned off her threats with a deep kiss because he knew she’d withdraw any objections once he got the `Dinis to dream with her. And that he did plan to do some day when he was back.
The unsolved problem of Malice continued to niggle at him.
Unfinished as well as unsolved which, despite his strategic retreat, did not set well with him. And there was the matter that it was no longer Malice’s hatred of him that had to be addressed but the iniquitous attack on Kalickmo. Yet how to identify Malice when that mistake had obviously zoo zoi resulted in this current total silence.
Then Thian remembered his sister’s suggestion and mentioned this to Damia.
`I’ll spring the trap, Mother. The two of us ought to be able to close on him.’ `Him? You’re sure of that?’ `After the knife attack, yes.’ `Humph. Really,’ was his mother’s cryptic response. `Very well.
When?’ `Tonight you’re being given a special dinner. I know Malice was part of both my language classes and the boarding team.
I’ll have the wardroom steward put all of us at the same table.
That won’t look particularly contrived. We often chow down together.’ `All?’ `Uhuh.
That’s why I’m so puzzled as to who it really is. I mean, he’s got stomach enough to eat with me, hating me as he does?’ `So? when this evening? I’ll want to know so I can be wide open, which is not exactly comfortable for any length of time around here.’ Thian smothered a guffaw because his mother had been admired by every male officer of the human squadron and one of the likesex lieutenants.
Regarding his mother objectively, she certainly didn’t appear `old’: she’d married his father at eighteen and had only recently celebrated her fourth decade. She certainly didn’t look the mother of eight and she was unquestionably the most beautiful female on board.
`Clean up that laugh, son of mine,’ she said, but there was an amused sparkle in her eyes.
`Since it’s my last night aboard, I have to give a farewell speech. I’ll spring the trap then.’ `when you stand, I’ll snap!’ And she brought her teeth together with an audible click, then went off to finish her day report.
THAT IS WELL DONE, THN, Flk said, appearing at his side from nowhere. TRP WILL WATCH AS WELL.
Several times during what seemed an inordinately long dinner, Thian had to rub his sweaty palms on his trouser legs. He hoped that he gave no other outward sign of tension. At one point, he asked his mother’s opinion but she assured him that he wasn’t laughing too loudly at Kiely’s jokes or looking bored by Eki Wasiq’s long-winded yarns.