`Are you sure, Thian?’ he asked, touching helmets and turning down his com. His face was worried.
As sure as I can be, never have seen Hive larvae but whatever it is in there isn’t damaged and this is also the general area on a Hive ship where eggs were stored.’ Kiely still wasn’t sure. `Fardles, but there’s acres of `em. How many d’you suppose are in each tube?
tunnel? comb? And how are we going to blast `em in such a confined position?’ `74 `75
`Blast them?’ Thian was stunned. `They shouldn’t be blasted, Ridvan. They should be studied.’ `HUH?’ Now it was the lieutenant’s turn to be stunned. `You don’t know what you’re saying, Thian. Here we have hundreds of our enemy…
`Helpless and vulnerable! Great targets for warriors!’ `No need to come on like that! But you certainly don’t expect us to leave all these — – these things alive?’ `Considering how little we actually know about Hivers, this is a find of unparalleled magnitude.
Even more important than the ship itself.’ `I can’t believe you!
Let `em live?’ `I think you’ll find that the `Dinis will insist on it.’ To make certain of that, Thian turned his helmet comunit up to full and crisply informed Plr of the find.
`Lyon!’ roared Vandermeer. `I heard that!’ `Of course, sir. The `Dinis expect to be informed of any unusual discovery,’ Thian said, deliberately misinterpreting her.
`what’d you expect from a goddamned weasel lover!’ Despite distance and com distortion there was no mistaking Malice’s tone nor an implicit promise of retribution. That chilled Thian more than the prospect of someone trying to destroy the most important alien artefact – if one could so term the larvae – that had yet been found.
So far the xenobiologists had had to extrapolate mock-ups of Hive Queens, drones, workers and other specialized forms from fragments of corpses strewn in space after encounters, or charred remains on destroyed ships. Though much had been learned even from such imperfect material, they were still guessing about the true form and nature of the types of Hiver which made up a ship’s crew.
`Belay that!’ Vandermeer bellowed again to quell the vociferous protests. She went on in an icy voice.
`You’ve exceeded your authority, y) `No, ma’am, I haven’t.’ `You’re in for it now, for sure, Lyon,’ Kiely said and his voice was harshly accusing.
`I operate under directives of higher authority than yours, hers or even Captain Ashiant’s,’ Thian said as stoutly as he could but the objections had shaken him. `Get back up and lead them here.’ `Me? Go?
Why you’ll `I won’t do anything to them. I can’t trust you not to.’ And, grabbing Kiely by the arm, he thrust him upward in the tube while the lieutenant sputtered in indignation.
Thian watched as Kiely continued upward, and then propelled himself out of the shaft. Thian waited until he could hear Kiely’s angry mental noise diminishing. Then he, too, exited the tube and propelled himself to one of the few chambers that opened on to space itself. The hole wasn’t large but it also wasn’t shielded by the ship’s hull material.
He had never tried such an unpowered stretch of his mind before.
It would have been better to use the shuttle’s engines but he didn’t have time enough to go that far – and make certain the larvae would not be summarily destroyed by those coming to see what he’d found. The larvae must be saved! The information that could be revealed far outweighed any momentary destructive satisfaction.
Grandfather! Jeff Raven! Earth Prime! Listen to me? He put the energy of every cell of his body in that call.
An unpowered send? I’ll tan your hide, boy!
Later! Larvae have been discovered intact. Must be preserved.
Of course they must! What incredible luck!
I’m the only one who thinks so.
Not at all, my boy. You’ve done well. I’m already forwarding the news where it must be known. Now, shut up and save your strength! The very idea of an unpowered call that far. He’s worse than his mother.
Thian had to grin at that tag or perhaps that was why Jeff Raven had allowed it to be heard.