They’ve a far more acute problem than humans do, although that is hard to believe.
Humans have another problem the `Din is don’t have – short fuses.
What? Oh! A bad brawl? On shipboard? Isn’t that dangerous?
There were twenty-five in sickbay, and not all with just black eyes and bruises.
Ready when you are, Thian, Laria said in her professional tone and he pressed in on the KLTL’s engines to `port her the precious young `Dinis.
Apart from protesting the journey, they’re safely here and such a to-do from the Nursery! 5
tone was amused. Inform Sblipk that all have safely arrived and will be settled with appropriate fosters of the same colour THIS IS WELL DONE! HUMAN HELP WAS NEVER MORE NEEDED. THESE WILL NOT BE WASTED, Sblipk said, bowing with more than formal courtesy to Thian.
As Thian returned to the Vadim, he suddenly realized what happened to `Dinis born on long journeys and was almost overcome with a wave of painful regret. Small wonder human help in transporting their young back to the homeworld was so well received.
That was what gave him the idea. It wasn’t only young lives that could be lost on a long voyage, no matter how well conditioned men and women might be to such confinement. He asked for, and received, an immediate appointment with Captain Ashiant.
`Sir, I was down in sickbay yesterday —The captain regarded him with a blank expression.
`Sir, why do I have to send empty drones back to the supplying planets?’ Ashiant cocked his head slightly, and without even trying to, Thian could hear him mentally repeating his question. A smile began to bloom on the captain’s face and he regarded Thian with overt approval.
`I don’t know why drones have to be sent back empty to the supplying planets, Prime Thian, but if you don’t mind the extra mass, I think we can equip them with temporary oxygen, and obtain temporary relief from a problem that is becoming more and more urgent! This cruise has already set records in modern naval annals. The captain rose from his desk and extended his hand to Thian who managed to dampen his own thoughts sufficiently in order to complete the handshaking.
The captain was a deep rich brown, clever, astringent. `I beg your pardon, Prime,’ he added, suddenly realizing that he had been extremely personal with a Talent.
`My pleasure, sir,’ Thian replied, bowing slightly from the waist.
The captain was very definitely his friend.
`I’ll make up a shore leave list immediately. The very fact that shore leave is possible is going to have an excellent effect on morale.
How many can a drone take?’ `Comfortably and safely, ten.
`How many uncomfortably?’ Ashiant grinned.
`Twelve to fourteen depending on size.’ `Give me weights `Mass and volume, sir,’ Thian said, and made rapid mental calculations which he jotted down on the captain’s desk pad. Ashiant watched, washing his hands together with great satisfaction.
`Yes, this’ll make all the difference.’ Then he let out a gusty sigh. `Of course, we’ll have to avail our sister ships of the courtesy, too. That’ll cut down on the numbers the Va dim can send.
Nevertheless,’ and he grinned at Thian, `I appreciate it, young Lyon.
With two and three drones coming in every seven days… `and his grin broadened without the need for words. `Wonder why I never thought of it before.’ `I should have, if you didn’t, sir,’ Thian said, more than a little ashamed he hadn’t.
`Yes, well, I’ll scarcely fault you on that, Thian!’ why Thian should feel as if the captain had paid him a great honour by using his first name, he didn’t know, but somehow that was the feeling he left with.
THN HAS DONE SOMEThING SPECIALLY GOOD?
Mur asked.
THN HAS FINALLY THOUGHT OF SOMEThING HE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THREE MONTHS AGO, Thian replied. And explained circumstance and idea.
His `Dini friends were oddly silent when he finished and he wondered.
THN GO HOME SOON? Dip asked in such a curious tone that Thian knew something was wrong.
TROUBLE, FRIENDS? And he put his arms about them, drawing them closer, radiating comfort.
Mur and Dip exchanged such rapid sentences that even he, well accustomed to such a pace, missed half the words. As, he suspected, they intended.