And can you get on to the proper authorities to forward all documentation on known G-star variations, whether the planetary systems have been explored or not. It may well be that the tedious process of elimination will provide the information we need.’ When Thian, who had always prided himself on his eidetic memory, found himself confusing figures of the very complicated spectra-analyses of G-type stars within an hour, he traded off with Rojer. Clancy was about to have to take a turn when Jeff Raven decided his T1 and T-2 staff had better things to do with their time than mentally transfer such complex data. So the rest of the material from human astronomical files was `ported out.
Laria `ported even more from the Mrdini libraries.
Everyone’s pretty excited about the theory here, she told her brother. You sound in good form, Thi. Things going wellwellfare you, Roj and Clancy?
why? D’you miss us? he asked teasingly.
Oddly enough, I think I do, she said.
How’s Kincaid?
Kincaid is in fine form, also, brother! Then there was a ripple in her mental tone that signified a giggle. Vanteu, too. Then she signed off, leaving him to digest that information just as the cargo officer announced the arival of a small pod from Clarf Tower.
The comparative analysis of G-type stars continued until a special board had to be set up for that information alone. Each ship in the Fleet wanted to access files to support their own theories and constant, lengthy shipto-ship conversations were interfering with necessary operational messages.
Over the next few weeks, although neither Thian nor Ashiant had mentioned the Genessee ploy, most of the Fleet knew that it either was about to happen or had happened. The news that the manoeuvre had been successful, that the KVS had destroyed the space field of the Hivers at Waterloo as well as the three scout ships that had tried to launch from the planet was anticlimactic but gave an excuse for considerable celebration on all eleven ships.
Barely had they recovered from that than the Washington’s sensors picked up readings that suggested the Hiver they were pursuing had sent out its scouts.
The target was a G-type sun which the Alliance had first thought the Hiver would, once more, pass by since its spectra-analysis didn’t seem that promising.
Instantly, crews were scrambled to the Washington’s fast scouts and, Thian ordered Rojer to accompany the Revere, commanded by Lieutenant Vergoin.
You’ll get yourself in a pod the moment there’s trouble, Thian told his brother.
Aw, Thi… Rojer began and then, remembering his grandfather’s stern warnings, subsided. Yeah, I will but what about the destroyers?
who’s going to keep PrI and Ktpl in check when they get close to the Hiver?
Captain Spktm. It’s transferred its command to its first officer and is on board the KLTS.
Spktm does mean business.
We all mean business!
Thian sent Clancy, with a similar reminder about saving his Talented skin, to one of the two humancrewed destroyers. All four larger ships were ordered to shift themselves at top speed after the lighter, faster vessels. The Nebula, the two Constellations and the four Galaxy class would need more time to attain the requisite speed to catch up and support any action.
We’re ahead of the Hiver smuts, Rojer told his brother several days later, and they didn `t even see us coming in on the ecliptic.
His tone was one of high good spirits. Are those Hiver queens so utfrdy oblivious to anything but their goals? Are they so arrogant they think they’re totally invulnerable?
Until they came to Deneb, they were, Thian remarked drolly. Have the astronomers come up with any more data on the primary?
Checking sun-spot activity and mnning another one on uvl and irl emissions, and naturally probes have been released on orbital sweeps.
Lots of lush vegetation is reported and some clearly visible seismic activity, g9ad blue seas and a chain of large lakes across the main continental mass we’ve already identified on the night side.
Smallish ice-covered polar regions but that’s normal – so’s the ozone layer.
Can’t find any signs of civilization, no large habitations, no fires apart from a forest fire raging in the midwest. Ah, but indigenous critters, running straight for the nearest body of water.