Fortunately he could also recall some of his father’s tales about episodes of Damia’s more spontaneous behaviour. Anyway, he could only take things as they came. The important aspect was that Mur would recover.
Closing the lid on Sbl’s transport, Thian turned io8
to the expectant crew with a rueful expression on his face.
`Has anyone else ever broken as many navy regulations as I have in the past hour?’ He kept his voice humorously self-deprecating, then went on with, `But I do want to thank you for your help and cooperation because my friend would be dead without it.’ He felt a slight lessening of the tension. `There isn’t an engineer crewman among you, is there?’ `Why?’ and a man in engineering green leaned forward on the upper-level railing. His manner was more curious than critical and Thian knew he’d adopted the right tack.
He grimaced. `Because, if I could access the generator power from this level, I’d frankly rather not have to beard the captain on his own bridge right now if I don’t have to. But the `Dini’s an important personage and should be sent right back to its own ship.’ `Up here!
You can access from the auxiliary station here,’ the lieutenant said, ` … sir.’ Relieved to hear that `sir’, Thian took the companionway steps, two at a time, noting an odd expression on the ensign’s face as he reached the top.
`This panel?’ he asked and the lieutenant nodded, half closing his eyes as he did so. There was some quality about the man’s faint grin that gave Thian pause: he was likely one of those who resented Talent on the general principle that they didn’t have any. This was the auxiliary access to engineering, but beside it was the clearly marked comunit. He might have breached protocol on his arrival, but he didn’t intend to continue now the immediate emergency had passed. He depressed the open channel toggle. `Commander Tikele,’ he said in as firm but respectful tone as he could muster.
And felt a shaft of irritation.
`Prime Thian, back again?’ `Sir, permission to access the generators to return Medic Sblipk to its ship.’ `Ssssbil … what?’ Thian repeated the consonants as glibly as if he hadn’t any trouble manipulating his tongue through them. `The medic has diagnosed and provided treatment for the ill member of my group. It wishes to return.’ `That was quick. The generators are yours, Prime, work away.’ Thian caught the pulse of the engines, pressed against them and lightly `lifted’ Sbl’s capsule back to its own ship, laying it so gently down that he hoped Sbl would not realize that it had been teleported.
He’d had to use more power for the return, which annoyed him, but who else would know?
`Thank you, Commander,’ he said.
`Ah, Prime Lyon?’ Tikele began. `Ah, the captain wishes to see you in his ready room. And, ah, Mr Sedallia, please assign a guide to the Prime.’ `Aye, sir.’ And the look the lieutenant then turned on Thian was so neutral it bordered on suppressed hostility.
`I really don’t just `port about places, Lieutenant.
`Couldn’t prove it by me… sir,’ and Thian caught just a hint of resentment before Sedallia grinned.
“I `Greene, escort Prime Lyon to the captain’s ready room.’ Halfway there, Thian found the uninhibited thoughts of the seaman unbearably depressing. Not only did Greene treasure the thought that this civilian (an epithet by tone) was going to get reamed the captain, which he justly deserved in Greene S opinion, but it was just as well that a weasel-lover wasn’t going to be long aboard the Vadim. Bad enough to have the critters in the squadron and have to share possible glory with `em, but to have `em on board, all the time, with their smell and that queer mid-head eye cocked at you all the time, why it was enough to turn a man’s stomach! Greene sure wished that he could be the proverbial insect on the wall of the captain’s ready room. Ten to one,the guy’d get sent back in disgrace and the ship’d just have to make do with what it had on board, after all.
Some inconveniences were just not worth the fuel it took to correct `em. This cloudhead was really in for it. Greene wished now that he’d laid a stake on how long this Prime would last on board the Vadim.