ALWAYS SAVE THE WORST NEWS FOR ThE LAST, MMMM, FLK?
Fik shrugged its upper limbs and bent its poll eye on him. NOT WORST NEWS BUT REQUIRES ALTeRATION OF CURRENT PLANS.
IN WHAT WAY?
Flk tapped its feet, which included the toe wriggling that had fascinated Thian since he was a child and found his toes could not duplicate the motion.
SPKTM VOThS TO CONTINUE VOYAGE TO INVESTIGATE NOVA, DISCOVER WHAT DEBRIS MIGHT EXIST OF THAT STAR system.
Thian grinned. TO BE ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE THAT ThE HIVE WORLD WAS VICTIM OF NOVA?
EXACTLY.
THN CAN HARDLY FAULT THAT.
THN WOULD NOT AND THE HUMANS VOTE?
THEY WISH TO PICK UP TRACE OF ESCAPE PODS AND FOLLOW THAT COULD TAKE A LONG TIME AND A WIDE AREA TO SEARCH.
NOT SO WIDE. TRACES ALREADY FOUND. THREE PODS, THREE HUMAN SHIPS. GOOD CHASE. NO REAL DANGER BUT MUCH LEARNING AND MUCH GLORY.
SO LONG AS IT IS THE HUMANS WHO ACQUIRE GLORY. Thian heard a trace of bitterness in his tone and corrected his thinking.
IF GLORY IS GOAL. Fik shrugged.
THAT LEAVES ONE HUMAN ONE DINI SHIP?
WRECK MUST BE BROUGHT BACK FOR INTENSIVE INVESTIGATION.
THAT COULD BE DONE ON SITh, Thian said, thinking of the monumental salvage operation that would mean.
CAN ALSO BE started NOW AND CONTINUED UNTIL FINISHED. THAT WILL TAKE ME. ThIS VESSEL SALVAGES WRECK. ThN REST NOW. ORDERS.
WHOSE? Thian asked even as he swung his legs around to the bed.
And it was a bed, not a bunk, and a double one at that.
FROM ThIS TRP, DMA, MEDIC, CAPTAIN, SECURITY PERSON, ENGINEER AGREED. ACQUIESCE. GRATIThDE. DREAM WELL.
TRP STAYS. ThN MAY SAFELY DREAM.
BODYGUARD? Thian half-rose from the comfortable bed, disgusted but oddly reassured. That triumphantly hateful `GOTCHA’ lingered in his mind like a glowing canker.
REST GUARD SO SLEEP WILL RESTORE STRENGTh, THN. And FIk spoke as gently as to a `Dini pup.
Sleep, Thian, or shall I assist? his mother said.
Oh, very well, he said and drew the cover over him.
Over the next few days, Thian learned more of what had been done and discovered during his convalescence. Once the yellow alert was cancelled, shore leaves were granted and, when Damia `ported them to their various destinations, she `ported in specialists, civilian and naval, who were excited to be able to examine a more or less intact Hive facility. There were many new faces in the officers’ mess and he realized how very lucky he was to have such a fine stateroom to himself. Two ensigns had shift usage of his old cabin while scientists bunked in theirs.
The six ships had taken up positions for easy access to the wreck.
It was ablaze with lights, in `9’ every corridor, tunnel and chamber, colour coded by area so that the ship blazed like a minor galaxy.
Big drones had been `ported in to transport sections as well as the invaluable larvae, the charcoal and dust and anything else that could be detached from the shell.
Three distinctly separate types of Hive larvae had been identified and sufficient numbers of each so that, as his mother dryly remarked, the diverse theories on how to stimulate and mature the life forms could be tried. Scientific debates raged more fiercely than any armed encounter.
`A full-scale war would probably be quieter,’ Damia remarked, `and with fewer battles.’ `It’s all bloodless,’ Captain Ashiant said.
`There are nevertheless casualties, bloodless or not,’ Damia added.
“And no discharge in the war”,’ Thian put in, not quite sure what he was quoting.
ThE MRDINI POET KPLNG, FIk said, THN IS WELL VERSED IN CLASSICAL STUDIES.
Captain Ashiant blinked in surprise at that for he was now able to follow most `Dini conversations.
`Kping? It means Kipling!’ `whoever,’ Damia said, smiling. Then she turned to Thian. `You go back to work tomorrow, Thn!’ And she used the affectionate `Dini of his name.
`I’ll be bloody glad to, too.’ Damia tsk-tsked at his language but she approved his attitude.
`We’ve a lot to `port back and team-work will reduce the load for me and ease you back into the job. As soon as I’m certain you’re fully operational, I’ve got to go back. Your father can NOT handle big-daddies with just Rojer.’ `Zara’s old enough, isn’t she?’ Damia wrinkled her nose. She’s too inattentive to be of any real assistance.