`There’s nearly a hundred of us now,’ Thian began in protest.
`Not of working age,’ Damia said. `You’re barely sixteen and while you’ve been trained to very high standards, you’ve only worked here in Aurigae…
`And Deneb in the summers,’ Thian added, afraid she might not remember that.
`Not the most active of Towers,’ she replied. Then she gave him a little smile. `But you did well, and you’ve always done well here.
It’s just that…
`Mom, you know I’ve read everything there is on naval histories, even military ones from the early centuries,’ Thian said earnestly.
`You know I’m the best there is at strategy games . . `Strategy is not involved here,’ she said rather sharply. What is involved are very long lonely distances for my eldest son who has only just reached manhood.
Then she let Thian feel what she was feeling and he almost burst into tears, despite his sixteen years.
She was terribly afraid – afraid she might never see him again that he’d die before his time, as her brother Larak had done. Larak often figured in Damia’s sadder thoughts: a pain that never really eased, in its own special corner of her mind.
She let him have that brief glimpse, then shut it, giving herself a little shake of self-reprimand.
His father had one hand on her shoulder, as he often did when his mother was upset about something.
`Mother,’ and Thian laid his hand on her arm, `we’re only a thought away no matter how far apart our bodies are.’ She gave a little cry and embraced him, now letting him feel her pride in his response, her constant 8z love and caring of him, and how immensely pleased she was to be able to supply a child of her body for this service.
`Spoken like a true Lyon,’ she said, laughing and crying at the same time, as she tightened her arms one more time before releasing him.
`Why blame it on Lyons, Gwyn-Raven?’ Afra said in a low, but teasing tone.
`It is a tremendously responsible position, Thian,’ Damia said, restored to poise and dignity.
`Don’t think I don’t know it,’ Thian said. `And Granddad suggested me?’ Afra nodded. `Oh, we’ve run through all the training squirts,’ and his cocked eyebrow took the sting out of his words. `You can thank Gren for it. He made the final assessments. He considered you the best candidate – if we’d let you go.
`You mean you mightn’t’ve?’ Thian was aghast at what he might have been deprived of.
Damia gave his father a sour look and pursed her lips for a moment. `No, you should know us better than that, Thian Lyon! But we do believe that you’ve a good head on your shoulders, a fine sense of responsibility and sufficient training to be an effective member of FT&T.’ A sudden thought caught Thian. `But what about Mur and Dip?’ He was appalled that he had forgotten his `Dini companions even during that moment of personal success.
`I told you,’ Afra said, teasing his wife.
Damia sighed and then smiled to relieve Thian’s growing concern.
`They will accompany you. You’ve actually a double purpose: providing the search with a Prime and a working `Dini team plus some language instruction. That should help ease relations between human and Dini.
`Why? Are they bad?’ Afra cleared his throat. `Not bad, exactly, but with inadequate communication, unnecessary problems have arisen that accurate interpretation could have avoided.’ `Oh!’ `You are young for such responsibility but your mother and I feel you have a mature enough attitude and certainly you communicate well with `Dinis.
You are well grown and you don’t look wet behind the ears – which is aided and abetted by the infamous Gwyn streak,’ and Afra gave Thian’s silver lock a gentle tap. Afra cleared his throat then added, `I believe that, and your interest in naval history and protocol, tipped the balance in your favour.’ Thian lifted his chest, grinning as he remembered all the teasing he’d had for blurring his eyes over ancient texts and stupid manuals. You never did know when something you studied for the fun of it became very useful indeed.